Fishing at Lake Manderly, Harris County, Georgia

• Overview

  Set in Harris County, Lake Manderly is a Georgia water. The ground around here is open plain. Surface area runs to about 13 acres — small enough to read in one session. The nearest town is Smiths Station, 6.9 miles away. The big place round here is Columbus, 11 miles distant. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Lake Manderly

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Records collected within a few miles name largemouth bass, bluegill and redbreast sunfish. Check the state or provincial list before planning around one species. On Lake Manderly a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 80°F on average, January about 45°F. The year never really closes; it just gets uncomfortable in summer. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Lake Manderly runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Waller Lake is 1.1 miles off. Treat Lake Manderly as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.