Griffin Lake Fishing near Varnell, Georgia

• Overview

  Griffin Lake stands in Whitfield County, Georgia. The water sits 830 feet up. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. 5.2 miles away sits Varnell, the nearest town. East Chattanooga is the closest city, 21 miles away. Others within reach: Gillilan Lake at 0.6 miles, Cobblestone Lake some 1.7 miles off, Hawkins Lake at 1.7 miles, Haig Mill Lake some 2.3 miles off and Meadow Lake at 2.5 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Griffin Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Whitfield County records list blackbanded darter, bluegill, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish and coosa darter among the fish reported. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish Griffin Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 38°F to 77°F. No part of the year shuts this water. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. It holds true on Griffin Lake more years than not. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Gillilan Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Griffin Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.