Wheeler Reservoir is located in north central Alabama half way between Birmingham and Nashville. Alabama's second largest is one of TVA's lakes and stretches 60 miles from Guntersville Dam to Wheeler Dam near Rogersville. The upper end of the reservoir is a run-of-the-river reservoir as it goes past Huntsville and begins spreading out near Decatur. Stump flats, weed beds, and creek channels are popular locations in the middle section. The lower end has many steep banks and long points.

Bass fishing is the most popular fishery in Wheeler Reservoir. Largemouth bass are the primary species, but smallmouth bass are common from Decatur to the west end, especially from Elk River down. The northern strain of spotted bass are common too, and are primarily near the main channel.

This reservoir is home to quality fishing for a variety of fish. Catfish fishing is excellent, and William McKinley caught the previous world record blue catfish, 111 pounds, from Wheeler Reservoir on July 5, 1996. Bream (bluegill, redear sunfish, and longear sunfish) fishing is excellent, also. Crappie grow exceptionally fast here. Sauger run upstream during the winter and early spring and are caught below Guntersville Dam. Striped bass, hybrids and white bass make spring runs too and can be caught schooling during the summer.