Fishing at Parks Lake, Gilmer County, Georgia

• Overview

  Parks Lake is one of the Gilmer County listings for Georgia. The setting is pine and hardwood. It is high ground by Georgia standards. 5.2 miles away sits Ellijay, the nearest town. Blue Ridge is 10 miles and McCaysville 16 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply. Across the county the count runs to over twenty.

• Where to Fish on Parks Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Gilmer County records list bluegill, spotted bass, gizzard shad, channel catfish and walleye among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read Parks Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 74°F and January about 37°F. Fish stay active all year, but they move with the heat. Heat pushes fish deep from June onwards, so start early. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Time your trip to Parks Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Jones Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. The position on Parks Lake is worth confirming on the day.