Crenshaw County Public Fishing Lake, one of Alabama’s first state public fishing lakes, soon will be closing for two years to receive  renovations and will be restocked with various sport fish species. 

Lee Simmons, City of Luverne Parks and Recreation Director, said the lake is an asset to the community.

“The county lake is a great place for those in the community to come to and relax and enjoy the scenery, do some fishing, or have a picnic,” Simmons said.  “It is going to take about two years for the WFF to get everything done. We don’t have any solid dates yet, but the lake will be drained this fall. As far as reopening, there are a lot of factors that come into play-how long it takes the lake to drain, doing what all has to be done, getting the lake restocked, and allowing the fish time to mature.”

According to a press release from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), , regular maintenance and renovations are necessary to repair infrastructure and improve fishing quality as state public fishing lakes age.

ADCNR said the lake will close this fall and will be drained so that the dam can be evaluated, updated and improved by the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR)

“The updates will create a new lake effect where fish populations experience a rapid increase in abundance and growth due to the improved conditions in the lake,” the release said. “The fish will reach a catchable size in about two years and will be very aggressive when the lake reopens, leading to a better fishing experience for anglers.”

The lake is currently stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and crappie. Length limits for all fish species have been eliminated for the time being and restrictions on the number of creel that can be caught daily have also been lifted. 

A fishing permit and valid fishing license is necessary and can be purchased at the Crenshaw County Lake office or online at www.outdooralabama.com.

Growth of the fish will be closely monitored by WFF, and the 53-acre lake will be reopened when the fish have grown to a catchable size.

Standard hours of operation for the lake,located at 1075 County Lake Road just south of Luverne,are from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

The lake offers public restrooms, a covered fishing pier, a covered pavilion, and a boat ramp. Bait, fishing tackle, and snacks may be purchased at the lake store. Boats are available to rent for$5 and privately-owned boats may be launched for $3.

Visit www.outdooralabama.com for updates on specific closing and reopening dates. More information can be found at www.outdooralabama.com/where-fish-alabama/alabama-public-fishing-lakes-pfls or by calling the WFF Fisheries Section at (334) 242-3471.