Atlanta area lakes

[SkiBumKT22]

Hey yall...

Been a while since I have posted, even longer since I have been able to make it out on the lake.  I am looking to get out one day this weekend and was hoping for any ideas on some good lakes to shore fish near Atlanta.  I have fished at Stone Mountain, still skunked out there, and Charlie Elliott, but was looking for maybe something new.  Any suggestions???

Thanks,

The Bum

[Gatorbassman]

For bank fishing you can't bet much better than Charlie Elliot in the Atlanta Area.

[Chris at Tech]

Well, the good news is that there should be a lot more shore fishing access since we haven't had rain since 1997

[Gatorbassman]

I haven't been there in a while but I would go around from lake to lake looking for water with good visibility. Start with Lower Raleigh. Then go to Stump. Concentrate on the smaller walk in lakes. They really like rat-l-traps this time of year but a Jighead worm will be good to.

[32251]

Tribble Mill Park out in Grayson. About a 15min drive east out 78 from Stone Mtn. Lake. 700 acre park with a large and a smaller lake about 40 acres that you can walk around on a nice path and fish the whole thing. No charge to fish it!. No live bait except for worms and crickets. 6 bass limit, 15 bream.

Beautiful park and lake. Watch out for the chiggers if you walk it. Spray your clothes and stay out of taller grass.

[SkiBumKT22]

So I am headed to Charlie Elliott tomorrow AM, first weekend I have not had to spend at the office in  some time, and wanted to see if anyone had been out there recently to know which lakes are biting best.  Also wanted to see if anyone was going to be out there and might be interested in meeting up.

The Bum.

[SkiBumKT22]

So I made it out to Charlie Elliott last weekend, got out there about noon and man what a beautiful day it was.  Headed straight for Lower Raleigh to see if I could not get skunked.  Worked my way around the shore with a blue and silver rat-l-trap...no luck.  Halfway around, I guess I might be on the west side, I switched to a watermelon with gold flake finesse worm with a red hook.  Had a small one that got tangled in the branches about a foot from the shore, dang.

Kept walking around to what looked like a beaver dam and threw out for one more cast...Caught a big one, well at least for me, I had a scale but was by myself and it was too hard to try and weigh it.  I did measure it and it was 19.5", any thoughts on how much it may weigh.  Was not super fat, but not skinny by any means.

Cant wait to get out there again, amazing what a good fish will do for ya!

The Bum aka Jeff

[Gatorbassman]

That spot where you caught your fish is perhaps my favorite spot to bank fish on any lake at CE. I have landed alot of big fish from there. That bank is very close to the creek channel and fairly steep. It seems to always have fish in it. If you stand on that spot and aim for the ceder tree on the other side and cast as far as you can. You will drag your worm across a great brush pile in the middle.

What was the water level like on Lower Raleigh?

[Gatorbassman]

See what I mean. This is the spot that your talking about.

Another one, Some spot, different year

and another one, same spot different year.

[SkiBumKT22]

Thats the spot!  Wish I had a few more pictures of me pulling in some hawgs at that place.  

Went out yesterday, went with a buddy who managed to get snagged on every piece of brush out there, so did not last too long, but got skunked again.  Tried a watermelon with red flake senko and a watermelon with gold flake finesse worm, my goal is to get these dang plastics down.  

The water levels are incredibly low...maybe about 40 feet across at the beaver dam.  It is so low, you can see these crazy tunnels that something duck back in the ground.  Looking forward to a little rain to hopefully get those levels up.

[jjm0414]

Hey guys.  Where is Charlie Elliott lake?  Sounds like a solid spot but I have never heard of it and I live in Atlanta.  About how far outside the city is it?

Also - Is Stone Mountain even worth it?  I have been out there once with no luck but figured I would see what you guys thought.  Thanks.

[SkiBumKT22]

Hey JJM...

Charlie Elliott is about 40 miles east of Atlanta on the 20, I believe you get off at exit 98, and go south about 15 minutes, the reserve is on the left.  Truly a beautiful place, usually secluded and you can find a lake to yourself, plus the fishing is the best that I have found in Atlanta.

I have been to Stone Mountain and been skunked every time...I am not in a huge rush to get back out there!

Let me know if you ever head out to CE, we could meet up.

The Bum aka Jeff

[jjm0414]

Thanks Ski!

Yeah I'll have to check it out sometime and I'll let you know when I plan on heading out there.  I travel alot for work but I'm pretty much done for the year so I'll have time.  I'll mapblast the directions but it sounds pretty simple jumping on 20 and looking for the exit.

Have you been getting skunked there lately?  I went to Tuscaloosa, AL this weekend and thought I was gonna have a great weekend when I caught a 1.5 lber on my first cast and then didn't get anything for the next day and half.  Oh well - Could have been at work.  Let me know next time you go out there.  Later man.

Jim

[Gatorbassman]

I-20 east through Covington. Get off on exit 98 (Hwy 11). Turn left (south). Go throught Mansfield. Just a few miles on the other side of Mansfield you will see a big sign on the right that says Charlie Elliot Wildlife center. Turn there. Get a map at the sign in station and cross off the lakes that are closed by useing the list on the board. There are 22 lakes total and they are a great place to fish. I grew up in Covington and I have fished these lake from the beginning.

You must have a WMA stamp in conjunction with your regular fishing license....... or only a one day fishing license.