Hickman Lake Fishing near Walnut Grove, Georgia

• Overview

  Hickman Lake is listed under Walton County, Georgia. This is dry hill country. It covers about 11 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Walnut Grove, is 3.9 miles away. Atlanta is the closest city, 27 miles away. In the same area: Henderson Lake within 0.7 miles, Anderson Lake III sits 0.9 miles out, Parkers Lake within 2.6 miles, Byrds Lake sits 3.3 miles out and Lake Brooks within 3.7 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Hickman Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover bluegill, yellow bullhead, bluehead chub and creek chub. Records come from public data, not from a stocking programme. Hickman Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 42°F to 79°F. There is no frozen season to plan round. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. At Hickman Lake the season follows that pattern closely. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Expect 0.9 miles away in from where the car goes. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. For a change of water, Henderson Lake is 0.7 miles distant. Signs at Hickman Lake carry more weight than any list.