Fishing Ramsden Lake in DeKalb County, Georgia

• Overview

  Ramsden Lake sits within DeKalb County in Georgia. Height above sea level is 856 feet. About 7 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The town to know is Stone Mountain, 3.2 miles out. Atlanta is the closest city, 16 miles away. Within easy reach: Venable Lake 1.6 miles away, Rice Lake within 1.9 miles, Little Stone Mountain Creek 2.2 miles away, Lanford Lake within 2.2 miles and Rockbridge Lake 2.3 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Ramsden Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Records collected within a few miles name bluegill, redear sunfish, largemouth bass and black crappie. Take it as evidence of what swims here, not a promise for one session. The near bank of Ramsden Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 79°F and January reads 42°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. That shapes the year on Ramsden Lake. Water temperature lags behind air temperature by days, not hours.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are toilets half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Venable Lake, 1.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Ramsden Lake in particular, ask before you travel.