Live readings
| Gauge | Water | Spring spawn trigger it matches |
|---|---|---|
| Bayou Sara At Saraland, Ala Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:00 PM CST | 63.1°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Cahaba River Near Hoover, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:00 PM CST | 56.5°F | — None |
| Cahaba River Near Mountain Brook AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 55.4°F | — None |
| Cahaba River Near Whites Chapel AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 54.3°F | — None |
| Cahaba Valley Cr At Indian Trail Rd Nr Indian Sprs Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 56.5°F | — None |
| Chattahoochee R .36 MI DS WFG Dam Nr Ft Gaines, GA Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST · Chattahoochee River guide | 67.6°F | Largemouth bass |
| Coosa River At State Line, Al/ga Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST · Coosa River guide | 59.4°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Fivemile Creek Near Republic, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 55.2°F | — None |
| Kelly Creek Near Vincent AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:00 PM CST | 55.0°F | — None |
| Little Cahaba River Below Leeds, AL. Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 59.4°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Mulberry Fork At Cordova AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:30 PM CST | 60.1°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Shades Creek At Elder St Near Springdale AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 51.8°F | — None |
| Shades Creek Nr Homewood, Ala Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 54.5°F | — None |
| Sipsey Fork Near Grayson AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 50.2°F | — None |
| Terrapin Creek At Ellisville AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:15 PM CST | 57.2°F | — None |
| Turkey Creek At Sewage Plant Near Pinson AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:00 PM CST | 54.1°F | — None |
| Valley Creek At Ave W Near Ensley, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:15 PM CST | 58.6°F | Smallmouth bass |
| Valley Creek At Center St At Birmingham, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:15 PM CST | 62.1°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Village Creek At 86th St North At Roebuck, AL. Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 58.5°F | Smallmouth bass |
| Village Creek At Avenue W At Ensley, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 57.7°F | — None |
| Village Creek Near Docena, Alabama Read Fri, Nov 13, 5:30 PM CST | 61.2°F | Smallmouth bass, Crappie |
| Village Creek Near Pratt City, Alabama Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 58.3°F | Smallmouth bass |
| Yellowleaf Creek Near Westover, AL Read Fri, Nov 13, 6:00 PM CST | 53.2°F | — None |
USGS lists 34 active temperature gauges in Alabama; only the 23 with a reading from the last 6 hours are shown. These are river and creek gauges, most of them around Birmingham. A big lake’s surface can run several degrees off the river feeding it, so use these as a guide to the trend, not as your lake’s exact number.
It isn’t spawn season. The right-hand column only shows which spring trigger a reading happens to match. Fish spawn when the water climbs to those numbers in spring, not when it falls through them in autumn.
Spawning temperatures for Alabama fish
These are the spring numbers an Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries biologist gave Alabama Living. They run in order as the water warms: smallmouth and crappie first, then largemouth, then catfish and bream.
- Smallmouth bass begin spawning when water reaches about 59 to 63°F.
- Crappie spawn when water reaches 60 to 65°F.
- Largemouth bass begin spawning when water reaches about 65 to 68°F.
- Blue and channel catfish begin spawning at about 70°F, peaking at 80 to 84°F.
- Redear sunfish (shellcracker) start spawning when water reaches about 75°F.
- Bluegill follow when water hits about 80°F.
Plan the trip with the Alabama fishing calendar, today’s lake conditions and current lake levels.
Sources
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Water Information System — instantaneous water temperature, Alabama. Converted from °C. Re-checked every 15 minutes.
- Alabama Living — “Spring brings renewal of fish stocks through spawning” (Mar. 1, 2023), quoting an Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries biologist