WFF Receives Award for DeKalb County Lake Renovations
By DAVID RAINER, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (ADCNR) Fisheries Section of the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) Division received national recognition this week for its wise use of Sport Fish Restoration Funds.
The American Fisheries Society Fisheries Administrator Section awarded WFF’s District II Fisheries staff with the 2025 Sport Fish Restoration Outstanding Project Award for the project titled Managing for Quality Bass Fishing in a State-Owned Public Fishing Lake: A Case Study of DeKalb County Lake in Alabama.
Matthew Marshall, WFF’s Chief of Fisheries, nominated his team because of the extensive work at DeKalb County Public Fishing Lake (PFL), a 120-acre lake in northeast Alabama owned and managed by WFF.
Marshall said after decades of poor fishing and a decline in angler trips, the decision was made to drain and restock the lake. Fisheries Section research revealed many PFLs were dominated by smaller fish, which was caused by overfishing – not overcrowding – of bass. This was cited as the reason the fish did not reach larger sizes.
Renovations were done in 2014-2015, and DeKalb County PFL re-opened in 2016 with the goal of developing a high-quality bass fishery.
“This project aimed to provide a superior angling experience by maximizing the chances of catching large bass, supporting both recreational fishing and local economic benefits,” Marshall said. “Before the renovations, it was an underutilized lake; fishing wasn’t great and usage was low. We decided to drain it and restock it, and through our applied fisheries management techniques, we created a quality bass fishery.”
DeKalb County PFL averages about 15 feet deep. During the summer, distinct water layers form between 6-9 feet deep, separating the water by temperature (thermocline) and chemical makeup (chemocline). Marshall said largemouth bass fingerlings were stocked at a rate of 100 per acre of nearshore habitat, which translated into roughly 30 fish per surface acre, providing optimal opportunity for the fingerlings to reach quality size. Put simply, the lake now has the right number of bass for that amount of water, ensuring they grow big.
While the lake was drained, abundant trees and woody structure were installed, and gravel beds were added to improve bluegill spawning. After the lake was refilled, moderate amounts of emergent shoreline vegetation (water willow) were maintained to provide ideal habitat for bass and bluegills. The lake was fertilized, and fingerling bluegills were stocked annually as a supplemental food source for the bass.
“One of the most important things we accomplished was providing a ton of fish habitat on the front end of the renovation,” said Mike Holley, WFF’s District II Fisheries Supervisor. “Moving large trees into the lake and cutting ditches with bulldozers, spreading gravel for spawning substrate and other work with heavy equipment made a big difference in available habitat.”
Chris Blankenship, ADCNR Commissioner, said additional work going on at DeKalb will make the lake much more attractive to anglers and families.
“The Department is spending more than $600,000 right now to renovate the piers and make other access and fishing improvements to DeKalb County Lake,” Commissioner Blankenship said. “The fishing is great at the lake, and these improvements will make the amenities great as well.”
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