5 Great Places To Go Fishing In Georgia

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Atlanta offers a variety of fishing spots, from urban lakes to nearby reservoirs and rivers, catering to anglers of all skill levels.

In this article, we’re going to show you where you can go fishing in metro Atlanta. You can even take the kids!

Before you bait a hook, you need to have your paperwork in order. The first thing you need if you want to go fishing is a fishing license in Georgia.

How Much Is A Fishing License In Georgia?

Annual fishing or hunting licenses good for 365 days from its purchase date cost $15 each for state residents. You can get a discounted short-term license spanning from one to 10 days for  residents and non-residents.

A basic one day fishing license for non-residents is only $10.

Can I Buy A Fishing License At Walmart?

You can buy a freshwater fishing license at your local Walmart, if it has a Sports & Outdoors Department. It costs $10 for residents and $25 for non-residents for freshwater.

Where Can You Fish In Georgia?

Many fishing spots in Georgia are on private property. If you want access, remember to follow these practical steps in etiquette:

  • Always know when you cross onto private property
  • Always ask for permission to enter private property
  • Always ask for permission to fish on private property

With that being said, Georgia also has many places to fish that are open to the public. When it comes to finding fish holes, here are the places you can fish in metro Atlanta:

Lake Lanier

Lake Lanier has many nice areas where you can fish. You can do it in a boat or on the shore. Many people from metro Atlanta like to rent boats and tour Lake Lanier, but people can enjoy going out on the water as well.

Lake Lanier is basically built around parks, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, themed restaurants and designated fishing areas.

Lake Allatoona

Lake Allatoona is a popular tourist spot located in Acworth near Proctor Landing Park. It’s a great place to go fishing.

Along with a lot of places to fish, the lake also has a swimming beach on site, where people can also park and reserve picnic pavilions. The park is located at 5120 Allatoona Drive, Acworth.

Lake Oconee

Lake Oconee is stocked with some of the most diverse fish in Georgia. It is a relatively new lake in central Georgia. The lake was built in 1979 as a reservoir stemming from the Wallace Dam holding the Oconee River.

Bull Sluice Lake

Bull Sluice Lake is another fishing spot that is safe to Atlanta long the Chattahoochee River in Roswell, Georgia. The lake is part of a greenspace spread out over 673 acres adjacent to the Morgan Falls Dam.

Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center

Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center is a nature preserve located near Mansfield, Georgia, United States. Named after Charles Newton Elliott, the nature preserve has 6,400 acres of forests, lakes, and fields, which are managed by Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Final Word

If you like to fish, there are places around Atlanta and other parts of Georgia that are ideal fishing spots that you need to know about. Boat safety is a priority though, so make sure you have a license if you fish in a boat.

The state has everything from freshwater lakes, saltwater lakes and various sizes of ponds stocked with fish.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an expert fisherman or a novice angler, metro Atlanta has some great places to fish.

Fishing is a fun activity and one of the best things to do in Georgia with kids.

Tee Johnson: Tee Johnson is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AtlantaFi.com, Atlanta’s independent hyper-local publication focused on news, restaurants, events, jobs, neighborhoods, and lifestyle. A 15+ year Atlanta resident and longtime journalist and content creator, she covers Travel News, Events, Business, Hair Care, and Money with a practical, Atlanta-first lens. Before launching the site, Johnson worked as a substitute teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and later in corporate roles at Home Depot’s Vinings offices. A marketer by training with a degree in business management, she grew frustrated with the fragmented, hard-to-find information about what was actually happening in the city. That gap led her to create AtlantaFi as a curated, one-stop resource for the pulse of Atlanta—#ATLHAPS—without the national noise. Editorial decisions remain independent; the publication does not accept products, meals, or services in exchange for coverage. As Editor-in-Chief, she oversees original local reporting and curated practical guides that help residents, visitors, and businesses discover and engage with the city. Readers turn to her work for timely event roundups, dining and neighborhood insights, business and travel updates, and straightforward money and lifestyle coverage grounded in firsthand observation of Atlanta. A devoted lover of all things Atlanta, Tee enjoys pickleball, a good margarita or bourbon, and walking the Atlanta Beltline. She can be reached for editorial inquiries at tjohnson@atlantafi.com (serious inquiries only).

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