Green Valley Lake near McDonough: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Green Valley Lake in the Henry County part of Georgia. This is dry hill country. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. The town to know is McDonough, 1.9 miles out. It is 26 miles to Atlanta, the nearest city. Others worth noting: S H Lake (2.3 miles), McGarity Lake a shade over 2.5 miles, Painted Turtle Lake (2.8 miles), Iris Lakes a shade over 2.8 miles and Hardeman Lake (3 miles). No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Green Valley Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and blackbanded darter. The list reflects reported sightings and surveys rather than what is stocked. The near bank of Green Valley Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 80°F for July and 43°F for January. The season runs year-round, with the peak either side of summer. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. The season on Green Valley Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try S H Lake, 2.3 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Green Valley Lake for certain.