Fishing Lower Hawkins Lake in Jones County, Georgia

• Overview

  The Jones County entry here is Lower Hawkins Lake, in Georgia. Elevation runs to 453 feet. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Nearest town is Gray, 11 miles off. It is 56 miles to Athens, the nearest city. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank. Annual rainfall is close to 47 inches, thinnest in October.

• Where to Fish on Lower Hawkins Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Public wildlife records from this area list gizzard shad, black crappie, channel catfish and white catfish. Records show what people reported, not what is stocked. Fish Lower Hawkins Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 80°F, the coldest about 44°F. There is no frozen season to plan round. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. Anyone fishing Lower Hawkins Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Upper Hawkins Lake, 0.3 miles out. Where Lower Hawkins Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.