Advancements in sonar and GPS technology are now helping anglers catch more fish in Alabama’s state lakes. The Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) has updated State Public Fishing Lake contour maps originally produced in the 1970s and 1980s. The new maps are more accurate, have finer detail and are less expensive to produce. Contour maps are available via the State Public Fishing Lakes page on the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources website, outdooralabama.com
“The older maps varied in depth and lacked the detail of the newer maps,” said Matt Marshall, WFF State Lakes Supervisor. “By updating the contour maps we hope to provide better information for anglers to catch more fish.”
To access the maps, click “state fishing lakes” in the Fishing drop-down menu on outdooralabama.com. From the state lakes page, click the link titled “Updated Contour and Depth Maps.” Then check State-Public Fishing Lakes, Lake Contours and Lake Depth under the Fishing option to the left of the interactive map and zoom in on the lake you would like to view. The new maps are also available by clicking the “map” icon on the outdooralabama.com homepage.
WFF owns and operates 23 State Public Fishing Lakes in 20 counties throughout Alabama. These lakes range in size from 13 to 184 acres with a total of 1,912 surface acres. For more information about State Public Fishing Lakes, call the WFF Fisheries Section at 334-242-3471, or visit www.outdooralabama.com/alabama-state-public-fishing-lakes.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Try your hand at navigating the controls to get where you want to go and viewing the contours as indicated by the above announcement. I think a “help desk” contact for correct viewing of the new maps might be a needed addition to the map controls. The maps are available in several impressive views. You may need a list of State Lakes before you start.)
