Selman Lake in Chattooga County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Chattooga County, Georgia, this is Selman Lake. It stands 705 feet above sea level. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Chattooga County list holds plenty of bigger water. You are 4.9 miles from Summerville. Then Trion, 5.8 miles, and Shannon, 14 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Selman Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Nearby survey and observation records mention coosa darter, blackbanded darter, bluegill and green sunfish. It reflects what has been logged, which depends on who was looking. The near bank of Selman Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 78°F for July and 39°F for January. Warm months push fish deep; cool months bring them back. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. That is the shape of the year on Selman Lake. Wind direction changes which bank is worth fishing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Maddox Lake is 3.4 miles off. Check the position at Selman Lake before loading the car.