Dumas Lake in Putnam County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Putnam County, Georgia, you have Dumas Lake. It lies 535 feet above sea level. At roughly 8 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Nearest place of any size is Monticello, 11 miles away. Athens sits 55 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Dumas Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Fish reported in the area, according to open records, include blackbanded darter, bluegill, redbreast sunfish and redeye bass. Check the state or provincial list before planning around one species. At Dumas Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 80°F and January about 44°F. Cold never closes this one. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. At Dumas Lake the season follows that pattern closely. The hour either side of first light is rarely wasted.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Hillsboro Lake, 2.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Dumas Lake.