Fishing at Stuarts Lake, Walton County, Georgia

• Overview

  Stuarts Lake lies in Walton County, in Georgia. The land about it is open plain. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Walnut Grove at 2.7 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Athens, 29 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Stuarts Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover blackbanded darter, black crappie, flat bullhead, largemouth bass and redbreast sunfish. Local agencies hold the definitive list for this water. At Stuarts Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 79°F and January reads 42°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to be out. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Expect Stuarts Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Byrds Lake is 2.2 miles off. What applies at Stuarts Lake may have changed since it was mapped.