Pike County Public Fishing Lake

PIKE COUNTY STATE PUBLIC FISHING LAKE, near Troy, Alabama 173 County Road 68 Troy, AL 36079 (334) 347-9467 Closed until Summer 2015 Ken Weathers, District 4 Fisheries Supervisor with the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, has stated that he is very excited about the improvements in store for Pike County Lake. “Pike County Lake has been a good fishing lake for many years, but now with the City of Troy as a partner this facility will soon be one of the outdoor gems in southeast Alabama. There are major repairs needed on the dam and valve system, as well as heavy equipment work needed along several places of the shoreline and the access road. These repairs will make it necessary to drain and restock the lake. We plan to drain the lake as low as possible this spring and complete the valve replacement and heavy equipment work this fall. We should be able to close the valve and start to refill the lake by early December, then stock bluegill and shellcracker during the winter of 2014, and largemouth bass in the spring of 2014. The lake should be ready for fishing by mid-summer of 2015. Channel catfish will be added after the bass, bluegill, and shellcrackers have been in the lake for at least one year.” Anyone with questions about the management of the fish population in Pike County Lake can contact the District 4 Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries office by calling 334-347-9467.

Pike County Lake is a 45 acre lake located 5 miles south of Troy off County Road 39 in Troy, Alabama.

Directions: From Troy (at U.S. Highway 231) take Alabama Hwy 87 south for 2-3/4 miles, then right on County Road 39 for 1-3/4 miles then left to Pike County Lake.

Pike County Lake is closed and will reopen during the summer of 2015 under the management of the City of Troy.

Fishing: Bass fishing good year-round, with the biggest usually caught from February through April when they are near the bank. Bluegill and redear sunfish (bream) are caught by bank and boat anglers from spring through summer. Catfish are caught year-round, but the summer months are best. Crappie fishing is best in February through April. The rules of what may be kept are posted at each lake. Before fishing, check to see what types and sizes of fish may be kept.

Facilities: Picnic areas with grills. A handicap accessible fishing pier makes it easy to reach deeper water without using a boat. Fish attractors have been added around the lake. A launching ramp is available for anglers with their own boats. Boats may have an outboard motor attached, but anglers may not use the outboard motor, only the trolling motor.

Pike County Lake is managed differently from our other state public fishing lakes:
(1) A daily fishing permit is NOT required to fish at Pike County Lake.
(2) Private boats may be launched at no charge.
(3) There are no concessions, rental boats, or public restrooms.
(4) Pike County Lake is open daylight until dark, seven days each week.
(5) Posted creel limits apply.
(6) State fishing license requirements apply. (Fishing licenses are not available at Pike County Lake, but they may be purchased at other retailers, Probate offices, via Internet or over the telephone.)

Regulations (partial list; complete regulations are available in the current regulation book and the "Alabama Game, Fish, and Wildlife Law Book"):

(1) The daily creel, possession and size limits for each species are posted at the lake.

(2) Swimming and wading are not allowed.

(3) No method other than hook and line with natural or artificial bait may be used to take fish from a State Lake. Taking, or attempting to take, fish by any other means is not allowed, including but not limited to: snagging, snatching, trot lines, set hooks, limb lines, jug fishing, spear, or bow and arrow.

(4) State fishing license requirements are in effect.

(5) A person fishing shall upon demand exhibit his catch, fishing permit, and fishing license to any Conservation Officer or other agent or employee of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for inspection.

(6) No species of fish shall be stocked in the state-owned public fishing lakes. Live minnows used for bait shall be limited to goldfish minnows (Indiana minnows); golden shiners (shiners) and fathead minnows (toughies or tuffies) and no minnow, either dead or alive, shall be released from a minnow bucket or other method.

This information is subject to change without notice. Additional information and rules about the lakes are available from the lake manager, the Alabama Fisheries Section at (334) 242-3471, or Jack Turner. The Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries intensively manages the 23 state lakes totaling 1,912 acres.