Where To Fish in Atlanta, Georgia

While you might not think of fishing when you think of Atlanta, it actually has some of the best fishing in all of Georgia.

 

Before You Go:

To fish in this state, you need to purchase a Georgia fishing license, unless you are under 16 years of age. For more information on exemptions, check out the full detailed list of rules and exemptions on the Georgia Wildlife Resource Division website.

 

Golden Isles

If you're looking for a weekend saltwater fishing excursion, then you're going to want to check out Golden Isles. This fishing spot is a trek from Atlanta, but it sports some of the best saltwater fishing in all of Georgia. There are ample populations of sport fish such as redfish, snapper and tarpon that you can catch from the bank, kayak, motor boat or a deep-sea excursion charter.

 

The coastline is great for fishing and crabbing off of one of the many piers. You can also catch some redfish and skipjacks by fly-fishing off the coastal marshes.

 

Chattahoochee River

If you're looking for some of the best trout fishing in all of Georgia, then you're going to love the Chattahoochee River. While you can catch bass and catfish in the river year round, the river's really known for its rainbow and wild brown trout. In fact, a 20-pound whopper of a brown trout -Georgia's largest trout- was pulled out of this river.

 

The Chattahoochee River is open for fishing 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes before sunset. It's against the law to fish this river at night, so make sure you come early. Finally, the river is designated as a trout stream and using live bait is prohibited, so make sure to bring your lures or fly rod.

 

Lake Clara Meer

Located in the heart of Atlanta, Lake Clara Meer is a 11.5-acre man-made lake located inside of Piedmont Park. Swimming and boating are prohibited on the lake, but luckily the lake is very accessible and it's easy to fish from the shoreline. The lake sports three fishing piers and a dock and is stocked with largemouth bass, crappie, bream and catfish each year.

 

Lake Lanier

Located 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, Lake Lanier is a 38,000-acre reservoir owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers. The lake has incredible access, with over 60 public boat launch ramps you can take advantage of. You can catch largemouth bass, spotted bass, striped bass, crappie, walleye and channel catfish. If you're looking to increase your odds of catching the big one, it's a good idea to sync up with one of the local fishing clubs and hire a guide.

 

Nancy Creek

Located in the heart of Atlanta, Nancy Creek sports a variety of fish species. The creek is home to flat bullhead, spotted bass, redbreast sunfish, green sunfish, bluegill, rainbow trout and creek chub, among other baitfish species. The creek is well suited for crank baits and topwater lures as well as fly fishing; just make sure you stick to the public section of the creek. A lot of the creek is privately owned, so make sure you're not trespassing. The two best public access points are Chastain Park and Northside Dr near Tophat Soccer Club.