Georgia Fishing: Home of Great Georgia Bass Fishing
GA Top Lakes near You!
Bass fishing in Georgia is almost as common as Tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys. Everyone can share his favorite river or lake with a great fishing story. After starting to fish in Georgia, you will immediately notice that all the lakes have plenty of bass. Although it’s not common in every town for largemouth bass to be the king, striped bass, crappie, catfish, stripers, and trout fishing are a big deal in many areas!
Anyway, after many years of experience – here’s our comprehensive outline of the best bass fishing in Georgia.
The 8 Best Places to Fish in Georgia
Often when a visitor thinks about Georgia, the peach, pecan trees, and the fantastic fairways of Augusta’s golf course come to mind. However, as the state offers great activities, many visitors neglect the tremendously lucrative fishery.
The waters around GA include bass of many types and other species. Below we break down the critical locations for you!
Key Featured Destination
Visit the North GA Mountain Range experience celebrated trails, historic orchards and vineyards, serene rivers, and picturesque cabins. The Blue Ridge area is a beautiful mountain range with an iconic setting that offers small city charm in an urban environment.
Cartersville is the most comprehensive exhibition of Western-American cultural artwork in the world. The Chateau Elan Winery & Resort will have you taking in all amenities, including its historic Downtown Braselton, a great visit when not on the water.
So, Where is the Best Georgia Fishing?
Here are our top Bass lakes in Georgia, and while we can’t list them all. Maybe even a few that should make a list, like Clarks Hill, Lake Eufaula, Lake Lanier, and many of the Blue Ridge water bodies. No worries, we have covered all of them on our GA lakes page. Let’s get started!
2022 Best Georgia State Parks Public Fishing Areas
1. Nottely Lake – Map
One of the most significant reservoirs of the Tennessee Valley Authority, located entirely in Union County, Georgia, is Lake Nottely.
It was formed in 1942 within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests by the damming of the Nottely River. Nottely Reservoir extends 20 miles upstream to the town of Blairsville.
2. Clarks Hill Lake – Map
Clark Hill occupies approximately 71,000 acres and is one of the largest lakes in Georgia. Blueback herring are a common species mainly foraged for at Clark Hill.
This can make bass fishing challenging at times, but striped bass fishing is highly possible here. Anglers generally capture striped bass of over 21kg, while catching over 40kg strippers is not as common these days.
3. Lake Seminole – Map
Lake Seminole lies on the boundary of FL and GA. It has much aquatic vegetation, mostly hydrilla groves, and huge forests, suitable habitats for bass.
Bring on grass-based fishing gear, including topwater trick worms and lipless crankbaits.
4. Lake Allatoona – Map
Lake Allatoona was once an established spotted bass fishing lake. Fish weighing 9 pounds, averaging more weight than the larger, more popular historic sites to fish.
Bass anglers catch fish all winter long on drop shots; jerk baits and topwater walkers are the preferred tactics for landing trophy spotted bass in this region.
5. Lake Hartwell – Map
Lake Hartwell is considered one of the best bass fishing lakes in the Southeast United States. There are substantial populations of largemouth bass and spotted bass living in the deep clear waters.
Lake Hartwell is an artificial reservoir bordering GA and SC and encompassing parts of the Tugaloo, Savannah, and Seneca rivers. Lake Hartwell is one of the Southeast’s largest and most popular recreation lakes.
6. Blue Ridge Lake – Map
Fannin County reservoir, known as Blue Ridge Lake, is in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. The reservoir encompasses 3,300-acres of water, and a “full summer pool” of approximately 1,686 feet above mean sea level.
The Tennessee Valley Authority manages it, and its primary water source is the Toccoa River.
7. Chattahoochee River – Map
The Chattahoochee River sits on half of the AL and GA border and FL, which gets water from the Lake Walter reservoir.
Bring your fly fishing equipment and hit Chattahoochee! Since its introduction in 1955, white and rainbow spawning trout on the Chattahoochee has been off the charts. The state-record brown trout taken off the Chattahoochee in 2014 weighs just under 16 ft 11 ft 7 lbs.
8. Flint River – Map
The Flint River is 344 miles long in the state of Georgia. The river drains 8,460 square miles of western Georgia, flowing south from the upper Piedmont region south of Atlanta to the wetlands of the Gulf Coastal Plain in the southwestern corner of the state.
Flint Creek runs south across Lake Seminole and provides a prominent fishing location for GA fishermen. Shoal bass can be found only in the Flint River and draws out anglers searching for the rare cross between largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Top 5 Lures for Largemouth Bass Fishing in Georgia
Bass will ideally be caught in deeper water with spinnerbaits, crankbaits, or topwater lures. Over time the depth will increase and decrease in these structures, making worms, senkos, and other slower moving lures the best product.
For the most part, Ga fishing is like the rest of the Southeast, and the same lures work with the same colors.
What is the best month for bass fishing in Georgia?
This depends on where in the state of GA. It depends on what season spawning starts at the beginning. So as early as March and as late as May, the bass begins moving out into shallow water.
Winter and Spring is always the best time to fish for bass because they’re starving. And the easiest time to catch from land or boat.
What kind of Trout Fishing is there?
Freshwater anglers will enjoy an excellent and lengthy trout fishing season which ranges from late March to almost September. Meanwhile, the crappie fishing across GA and Musky, Catfish, and many varieties of panfish.
Among the many bass species, the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, hybrid bass, it truly is the bass capital for catching bass.
Where is the biggest bass in Georgia?
Species – Weight – Location
Bass, Largemouth22 lb. 4 oz Montgomery Lake
Bass, Redeye3 lb. 7 oz. Lake Hartwell
Bass, Shoal8 lb. 5 oz. Chattahoochee River
Bass, Smallmouth7 lb. 2 oz. Lake Chatuge
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