Cole Lake Three near Hartwell: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Cole Lake Three sits in Elbert County, out in Georgia. The setting is pine and hardwood. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Elbert County standards. Supplies mean a trip to Hartwell, 7 miles off. After that come Iva at 9.3 miles and Reed Creek at 11 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Cole Lake Three

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include largemouth bass, gizzard shad, bluegill, channel catfish and common carp. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. Fish Cole Lake Three to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 79°F and January about 42°F. Cold never closes this one. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Cole Lake Three runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Cole Lake Two at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat Cole Lake Three as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.