West Alabama | Lamar | Best Seasons: Fall | Spring | Winter
The 68-acre Lamar County Fishing Lake, a favorite with local fishermen, is surrounded by mixed woods of pine and hardwoods. A gravel road parallels the lake for ¼ mile to the north, and offers hiking access to the bordering woods and the dike.
Expect to spot Eastern Bluebirds, Brown-headed Nuthatches, American Goldfinches, Eastern Phoebes, and Pine Warblers throughout the year. The lake attracts breeding Barn Swallows and Rough-winged Swallows; Purple Martins, and Cliff Swallows are regular visitors from nearby nesting locations, more so in late spring and summer when the post-nesting dispersal occurs – at which time Green Herons, and other long-legged waders become regular visitors. Wood Ducks breed in the vicinity, and some migratory waterfowl may be seen from November to February.
Bird boxes, seed feeders, and hummingbird feeders hanging from the porch of the fishing store attract numbers of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and other feeder birds. The open woods offer excellent sight lines, and spring and fall birding for migrants should be good. Be sure to spend time birding the woods along the entrance road, and the open pines at the southeast corner of the lake.
The woods along the northeast side of the lake are open, mostly mature Loblolly Pines. The road here makes a fine path for a bird walk, with a full complement of breeding birds, and added surprises during migration.
Lamar County Lake is located 8 miles west of Vernon on Alabama Highway 18 in Sulligent, Alabama. From Vernon take Alabama Hwy 18 west for 9 miles, then right on County Road 21 for 5-1/2 miles, then left on Fishing Lake Road to Lamar County Lake.
GPS: 33.7780756 -88.232716
Lamar County Fishing Lake
455 Fishing Lake Road
Sulligent, AL 35586
(205) 695-8283
From I-59/20 in Tuscaloosa, take exit 73 and exit onto McFarland Boulevard (US 82 N) and remain on US 82 for a total of 7.7 miles, passing through Tuscaloosa and then Northport (ample visitor services available along McFarland). Turn right onto US 43 N. At 2.1 miles, turn left onto AL 171 N and remain on AL 171 for 34.7 miles. In Fayette, join AL 18 W and remain on that road for 27.7 miles. Turn right (north) on CR 21 (County Lake Road), and after 5.6 miles, turn left on Fishing Lake Road, which dead-ends at the lake.
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