It’s easier than you think to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and get back to nature. Cast in the shadows of Metro Atlanta’s skyscrapers, you’ll find a handful of spur of the moment fishing holes just outside the perimeter.
Lithia Springs – Douglas County
Five miles from Six Flags over Georgia lies an adventure at Sweetwater Creek State Park. The 215 acre George Sparks Reservoir is a popular place outside of the metro to wet a line. Fish attractors throughout the lake will make sure you bring home dinner. If you catch the nature bug while you’re downtown, don’t fret about not having your gear with you. Fishing tackle is available at the nearby bait shop. Complete with a museum and a Visitor’s Center with wildlife exhibits, you’ll definitely want to make a weekend getaway out of this place. Plan to stay at one of the 10 yurts on site!
Winder – Barrow County
Looking for a fun get away spot between Athens and Atlanta? Fort Yargo state park provides over 1800 acres of adventure-ready landscape ranging from 20.5 miles of hiking and biking trails to a 260-acre lake stocked with bass, bream, catfish, and crappie. Swim at the beach, picnic by the water, or stay for the weekend in one of the many cottages, cabins, yurts, or campsites. You can’t go wrong with a spontaneous trip out to this beautiful state park.
Stone Mountain – DeKalb County
Stone Mountain Lake is the largest body of water in Stone Mountain Park. It is a beautiful 323-acres and offers a variety of on-the-water activities like kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. The lake has good numbers of bass, carp, crappie, catfish, and bream can be accessed during all daylight hours. It’s so close to home that you can cut the grass at 5pm and go fishing at 6pm.
Jackson – Butts County
Just northwest of Macon you’ll find High Falls State Park. This jewel is named for its scenic cascades and is considered one of Georgia’s top fishing spots for hybrid and white bass. Hone in your fly-fishing skills or bait for catfish — there’s something for everyone here. While you’re there, make sure to try and catch a bigun down by the old powerhouse!
Acworth – Bartow County
Two words: Lake Allatoona. Here you’ll find 12,000 acres of lake known for excellent trophy bass, catfish, crappie or blue gill fishing. The 200 sunken Christmas trees within casting distances of the jetty is a gift to anglers in search of a lunker. While you’re there, take a hike along the gravel-topped 4-mile Iron Hill Trail to see picturesque views of the lake’s shoreline.
Bob Bruce
That is one big crappie.
Barry Shildneck
One thing surprising about this article is that the description for one of the locations (Stone Mountain Lake) actually mentions carp as one of the species found there..
Even more surprising is the fact that carp are rare at Stone Mountain. Several of the people I know who are knowledgeable carp anglers, and who live nearby, have even baited spots in that lake, and have never caught a carp there.
Further, three of the other four locations actually do offer pretty good carp fishing — Ft Yargo is a good spot for large numbers of carp, although they do run very small; Red Top Mountain is part of Lake Allatoona, which holds a lot of carp; and Sweetwater Creek State Park, also has some decent carp fishing AND is where a near state record carp was caught a few years ago. As for the fourth location (High Falls), I have no knowledge of whether or not it holds any carp — but it might.
The odd thing about the article is that the ONLY one of the featured spots that mentions carp happens to be the one where an angler is LEAST likely to catch one (except possibly for High Falls).
5 Best Places to Go Fishing Near Metro Atlanta
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