Mitchell Lake is a 5,850-acre impoundment on the Coosa River spanning Chilton, Coosa, and Elmore Counties in central Alabama. Created by Alabama Power in 1922 with the construction of Mitchell Dam, the lake features 147 miles of shoreline and sits just 10 miles east of Clanton off I-65. The lake's fertile waters support high densities of sport fish and forage species, with an abundance of material left behind from the original impoundment serving as excellent fish habitat. While the fishery's potential is limited by poor early life survival and high mortality during the first winter for some species, growth rates for important sport fish like bass and crappie remain near the statewide average. The lake consistently ranks among Alabama's top ten reservoirs for bass fishing, with performance remaining stable over the past two decades.