Is there a good lake for catching crappie in Georgia? What works there?
Most Crappie Tournament anglers tell me that the best crappie lake in Georgia is West Point Lake. West Point Lake is a 25,900-acre lake, with over 525 miles of shoreline, almost all of it accessible from land. West Point Lake is about 1-hour south of Atlanta, Ga. on I-85, near LaGrange, Ga. Crappie fishing is good here all year-round, both day and night. At this time of year, most anglers fish at night near lighted bridges. There are several guide services available with rates ranging from $175.00-$250.00 for an 8-hour trip for two anglers. The next best lake is Lake Oconee. Lake Oconee was impounded in 1979 by the construction of Wallace Dam, near Madison and Greensboro, Ga. A 19, 050-acre lake, it is operated in conjunction with Lake Sinclair as a hydropower generation facility. 1250 acres of standing timber were left in the lake to serve as fish habitat. There is easy public access through eight Georgia Power and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat ramps, and plenty of facilities along the shoreline. My vote for 3rd place goes to Lake Walter F. George, near Columbus, Ga. This is a 45,180-acre lake that includes 640 miles of Ga. and Al. shoreline. There are 23 boat ramps on the lake. The Army Corps of Engineers charges a launching fee, but yearly passes are available. Power Generation Schedules and Lake Elevation information can be obtained by calling the powerhouse at (912) 768-2424, 24/7. Other lakes worth honorable mention are: Lake Allatoona, Lake Blue Ridge, Lake Lanier and Rabun Gap Lake. In addition, good crappie fishing can be found on the Coosa, the Coosawatee and Chattahootche Rivers. Happy Fishing!
