Fishing at Cox Lake, Pickens County, Georgia

• Overview

  Cox Lake sits in Pickens County, out in Georgia. The ground around here is oak and grass. It covers about 21 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Georgia water on our list, it sits high. Supplies mean a trip to Nelson, 5.2 miles off. Sandy Springs sits 35 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Cox Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include bluegill, bronze darter, redbreast sunfish and redeye bass. Take it as evidence of what swims here, not a promise for one session. Cox Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 75°F, while January sits near 39°F. No part of the year shuts this water. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Autumn steadies things again once the heat lets go. It holds true on Cox Lake more years than not. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. 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. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Sconti Lake, 1.9 miles out. For Cox Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.