The primary uses for this reservoir are navigation, flood control, and recreation. There are primitive camping areas available, and eight public access areas provide bank and boat access to Warrior Reservoir. Since being impounded in 1958 by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Warrior Reservoir is best known for its largemouth bass and crappie fishing. There are abundant weed beds that provide good cover for bass, crappie, and bream. There is a good abundance of largemouth bass up to 13 inches and lower numbers of larger fish.
Small crappie are abundant.
In 1993 a 9-inch minimum length limit was implemented on crappie to protect young fish in the population. This length limit has been well received by anglers according to creel surveys. Bream fishing provides a modest summer and fall fishery mainly in backwater and cove areas in the lower section of the reservoir. Hybrid striped bass provides a good, year round fishery but is best in the spring and fall. The upstream tailrace at Oliver Dam is a high use area with good fishing for hybrid striped bass, catfish, drum and crappie.