“Your other big catch is going to be catfish,” said Department of Natural Resources Fisheries
Biologist Jim Hakala. “There are three species in the river, all native. Channel catfish, blue
catfish and flatheads. Channel and blues are the most common.”
Hakala also said his office gets a lot of reports from people who hook a Lake sturgeon at the
park. The lake sturgeon is a native fish that was fished out of the Coosa River decades ago but is
currently the focus of a restocking efforts.
The Trading Post at the park has been completely restocked with all of the latest artificial and
live baits along with snacks and drinks for visitors.
The best time of year for fishing at Lock and Dam are the late winter and early spring months
when many of the fish species start their spawning run up the Coosa. The remnants of the old
dam slow the fish up a little bit and cause them to congregate just below the dam for extended
periods of time on their journey.
A boat ramp below the lock allows anglers to put in their watercraft for trips down river to
Brushy Branch and Lake Weiss. It’s a 25.2 mile trip to the state line.
The park is also a favorite with local Scout troops, many of them taking advantage of a
primitive camping area that sits down a dirt road that is gated off from the rest of the park for
both privacy and security.
13
John Boyd (left)
and Michael Payne
wet their lines from
the lock at Lock
and Dam Park.
Randy and Linda McBurnett relax in the shade of their camper’s
awning at Lock and Dam Park. They try to make a camping
weekend at the park at least once a month.
A children’s playground is one of the many amenities at Lock and
Dam Park.