Carnes Lake near Emerson: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Carnes Lake sits in Bartow County, out in Georgia. Height above sea level is 860 feet. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. 3.9 miles away sits Emerson, the nearest town. Cartersville is 5.8 miles away, with Acworth at 6.6 miles. Within a short run: Pittman Lake sits 1 mile out, Dellinger Lake 1.2 miles away, Conner Lake sits 3 miles out, Browns Lake 4 miles away and Taylor Lake sits 4.2 miles out. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Carnes Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists cherokee darter, bluegill, redbreast sunfish and green sunfish. The list reflects reported sightings and surveys rather than what is stocked. At Carnes Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 40°F in January and 78°F in July. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. That is the shape of the year on Carnes Lake. Spring fish sit shallower than most people expect.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Pittman Lake at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Carnes Lake if anything is unclear.