Ballard Pond in Clayton County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Ballard Pond lies in Clayton County, Georgia. Beyond the shoreline you have dry hill. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. On size it sits at the modest end of our Clayton County list. Some 0.7 miles away sits Forest Park, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Atlanta, 8.1 miles distant. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Ballard Pond

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include redbreast sunfish, shoal bass and yellowfin shiner. Use it to know what is possible here, not what is certain. The near bank of Ballard Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 80°F in July and bottoms out near 42°F in January. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Time your trip to Ballard Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Forest Lake, 1.9 miles out. Check the position on Ballard Pond before loading the car.