Mathis Pond Fishing in Washington County, Georgia

• Overview

  Georgia holds Mathis Pond, in Washington County. The surface lies 443 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Sandersville at 3.7 miles is the nearest place to stop. Athens sits 73 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Mathis Pond

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Records collected within a few miles name redbreast sunfish, redfin pickerel, spotted sunfish, blackbanded darter and christmas darter. Records show what people reported, so treat the list as a guide to what lives in the area. On Mathis Pond the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 45°F and July at about 80°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. March through May is the strongest run, with autumn a second stretch. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Mathis Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Gilmore Lake Number Three sits 1.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Mathis Pond as something to verify.