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Enjoy Great Fishing In Georgia

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Guide to fishing in the Peach State

By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

  • Banks Lake, GA
  • Blue Ridge Lake, GA
  • Carters Lake, GA
  • Chatuge Lake, GA
  • Clarks Hill Lake
  • Goat Rock Lake, GA
  • High Falls Lake, GA
  • Lake Allatoona, GA
  • Lake Andrews, GA
  • Lake Blackshear, GA
  • Lake Burton, GA
  • Lake Chehaw, GA
  • Lake Eufaula, GA
  • Lake Harding, GA
  • Lake Hartwell, GA
  • Lake Jackson, GA
  • Lake Juliette, GA
  • Lake Lanier, GA
  • Lake Nottely, GA
  • Lake Oconee, GA
  • Lake Oliver, GA
  • Lake Seminole, GA
  • Lake Sinclair, GA
  • Lake Tobesofkee, GA
  • Lake Tugalo, GA
  • Richard B Russell Lake, GA
  • West Point Lake

Georgia offers a diverse range of fishing opportunities, with a variety of species available for anglers to target. The purpose of this page is to share basic information about the best fishing lakes in the state, plus the species found in each lake. Whether you prefer warm water fisheries or cold water fisheries, or enjoy fishing in ponds, lakes, or rivers, Georgia has something for everyone.

In the warm water fisheries, anglers can target popular species such as bass, catfish, crappie, sunfish, and hybrid stripers. These fish thrive in the state's lakes and rivers, which have higher water temperatures, providing ideal conditions for their growth and reproduction. Anglers can enjoy casting for largemouth bass in lakes like Lake Lanier and Lake Oconee, or reel in catfish from rivers like the Chattahoochee or Altamaha.

For those who prefer cold water fisheries, Georgia has several excellent trout fishing opportunities. The state stocks lakes and rivers with rainbow trout and brown trout, offering anglers the chance to hook these elusive fish. The Toccoa River, the Chattahoochee River, and the streams in the North Georgia mountains are popular destinations for trout fishing enthusiasts.

In addition to lakes and rivers, Georgia is home to numerous ponds that provide fantastic fishing experiences. Many of these ponds are stocked with various fish species, including bass, catfish, and sunfish. They offer a more intimate fishing experience, often with less fishing pressure and more tranquil surroundings.

Georgia's fishing opportunities extend beyond just the fish species and water bodies. The state has abundant wildlife, beautiful scenery, and a range of outdoor activities to enhance your fishing experience. Whether you're camping by the lake, enjoying a boat ride on a river, or exploring the natural beauty surrounding the fishing spots, Georgia offers a well-rounded outdoor adventure for fishing enthusiasts of all ages.

Overall, Georgia's fishing scene is rich and varied, offering a wide range of species, habitats, and fishing techniques. Whether you're casting a line in a warm water lake, fly fishing in a cold water river, or enjoying the peacefulness of a pond, Georgia provides ample opportunities to pursue your angling passions.

Fishing Boats For Rent In Georgia

Bass, is a primary target for many fishermen locally. However there is excellent trout fishing in many of the rivers and streams and great striper fishing as well. Our primary focus starts with the lakes and reservoirs. Many of these lakes have marinas offering a wide variety of supplies, services and boat rentals.

The state offers a wide variety of fishing choices. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, shoal bass, redeye bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, white catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill, flier sunfish, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, white bass, yellow perch, stripers, bowfin, chain pickerel, longnose gar and sauger in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams.

Major Georgia Lakes & Species

Georgia major lakes and fish chart

Lake & Fish Chart

This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments. Many of these lakes offer fishing boats for rent.

For a detailed list of primary fish species in GA, plus state fish records, see the list below.

Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.

Banks Lake is a 4,000-acre impoundment located in the central-southern edge of the state, 7 miles northeast of Valdosta.

Carters Lake is a 3,200-acre reservoir located in the northwest corner of the state, 5 miles west of Ellijay.

Clarks Hill Lake AKA Lake Strom Thurmond is a 71,000-acre reservoir located on the eastern border of the state, at Clarks Hill, SC.

George W. Andrews Lake is a 1,540-acre lake on the western border of the state, 15 miles southwest of Blakley.

Goat Rock Lake is a 940-acre lake on the western border of the state, 2 miles west of Piney Cove.

High Falls Lake is a 650-acre lake in the central part of the state, 8 miles southwest of Jackson.

Lake Allatoona is a 12,000-acre reservoir located northwest of Atlanta, 2 miles north of Acworth.

Lake Blue Ridge is a 3,300-acre lake located in the Chattahoochee National Forest, in north-central Georgia.

Lake Burton is a 2,800-acre lake in northeast Georgia, 10 miles west of Clayton.

Lake Blackshear is a 8,500-acre reservoir located in the south-central part of the state, 8 miles west of Cordele.

Lake Chatuge is a 7,000-acre lake which resides in both Georgia and North Carolina, in the northeast corner of Georgia, at Hiawassee.

Lake Chehaw is a 1,400-acre reservoir in south-central GA, on the northern outskirts of Albany.

Lake Eufaula, aka Walter F. George Reservoir is a 45,000-acre reservoir on the Chattahoochee River located on the western border of the state, at Georgetown.

Lake Harding, AKA Bartlett's Ferry Lake, is a 5,850-acre reservoir on the AL/GA border 20 miles north of Columbus.

Lake Hartwell is a 56,000-acre lake located on the northeastern border of the state, at Hartwell.

Lake Jackson is a 4,700-acre lake located in the upper-central part of the state, 3 miles northeast of Jackson.

Lake Juliette is a 3,600-acre lake in the central part of the state, 5 miles east of Forsyth.

Lake Lanier AKA Lake Sidney Lanier is a 37,000-acre reservoir located in the upper-central portion of the state, at Gainsville.

Lake Nottely is a 4,200-acre reservoir located on the northern border of the state, a mile northwest of Blairsville.

Lake Oconee is a 19,000-acre lake located in the central-eastern part of the state, 2 miles west of Greensboro.

Lake Oliver is a 2,150-acre reservoir on the AL/GA border immediately north of Columbus.

Lake Russell is a 26,650-acre reservoir located on the eastern Georgia border with South Carolina at Calhoun Falls, SC.

Lake Seminole is a 37,000-acre reservoir located in the southwest corner of the state on the Florida-Georgia border at Chattahoochee, FL.

Lake Sinclair is a 15,360-acre reservoir in central Georgia at Meriwether.

Lake Tobesofkee is an 1,750-acre reservoir in central Georgia, 5 miles west of Macon.

Lake Tugalo is a 597-acre lake in the northeast corner of the state, just east of Tallulah Falls.

West Point Lake is a 25,900-acre reservoir located on the western border midpoint of the state state, at West Point.

Fish Species & State Records in Georgia

Bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

World record: 22 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 22 lbs 4 oz

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

World record: 11 lbs 15 oz

State Record: 7 lbs 2 oz

Spotted Bass

Spotted bass

World record: 9 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 2 oz

Shoal Bass

Shoal bass

World record: 7 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 3 oz

Redeye Bass

Redeye bass

World record: 8 lbs 12 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 7 oz

Catfish

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

World record: 58 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 44 lbs 12 oz

Flathead Catfish

Flathead catfish

World record: 123 lbs 9 oz

State Record: 83 lbs 0 oz

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

World record: 143 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 93 lbs 0 oz

White Catfish

White catfish

World record: 22 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 10 oz

Crappie

Black Crappie

Black crappie

World record: 6 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 4 lbs 4 oz

White Crappie

White crappie

World record: 5 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 5 lbs 0 oz

Walleye

Walleye

Walleye

World record: 25 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 14 lbs 2 oz

Sauger

Sauger

World record: 17 lbs 7 oz

State Record: 4 lbs 3 oz

Trout

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

World record: 42 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 17 lbs 8 oz

Brook Trout

Brook trout

World record: 14 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 5 lbs 10 oz

Brown Trout

Brown trout

World record: 40 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 20 lbs 14 oz

Panfish

Bluegill

Bluegill

World record: 4 lbs 12 oz

State Record: 3 lbs 5 oz

Flier Sunfish

Flier sunfish

World record: 1 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 1 lbs 4 oz

Green Sunfish

Green sunfish

World record: 2.2 lbs

State Record: 1 lbs 7 oz

Redbreast Sunfish

Redbreast sunfish

World record: 2 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 1 lbs 11 oz

Redear Sunfish

Redear sunfish

World record: 5.4 lbs

State Record: 4 lbs 2 oz

Soptted Sunfish

Spotted sunfish

World record: N/A

State Record: 0 lbs 10 oz

Warmouth

Warmouth

World record: 2.4 lbs

State Record: 2 lbs 0 oz

White Bass

White Bass

World record: 6.8 lbs

State Record: 5 lbs 1 oz

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

World record: 4 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 2 lbs 9 oz

Striped bass

Striped Bass

Stripers

Inland world record: 64 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 63 lbs 0 oz

Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrid Striped Bass

World record: 27 lbs 5 oz

State Record: 25 lbs 8 oz

Other species

Bowfin

Bowfin

World record: 21 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 16 lbs 3 oz

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

World record: 9 lbs 6 oz

State Record: 9 lbs 6 oz

Longnose Gar

Longnose gar

World record: 50 lbs 5 oz

State Record: 30 lbs 13 oz

Click the images and links above for species details.

Georgia Bass caught by Kory Chastain
Kory Chastain with a 10.785 lb bass.

We are delighted to present a section dedicated to fishing activities for kids. It is devoted to information about kids fishing with stories, fish photos and tips for where and how to take a kid fishing. Please send us your recommendations and we will be happy to consider them for publication.

State of GA Fishing Information

The Georgia DNR, Wildlife Resources Division website offers a great deal of information about opportunities for fishing in Georgia.

Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Georgia and other boating information.

Review regulations and apply for a Georgia fishing license here.

Bass fishing book

Fish for big bass

Excellent largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, shoal and redeye bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers in many lakes across Georgia.

 

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