Fishing at Tanners Lake, Carroll County, Georgia

• Overview

  The Carroll County entry here is Tanners Lake, in Georgia. Height above sea level is 1,060 feet. About 10 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It is high ground by Georgia standards. Mount Zion lies 2.8 miles from the water. South Fulton sits 29 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Tanners Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover muscadine darter, tallapoosa darter, bluegill, Alabama hog sucker and tallapoosa shiner. Reporting is uneven, so absence from the list means little. Anyone new to Tanners Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 78°F, with January the cold end at about 41°F. Cooler months are the productive ones on most of this water. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Expect Tanners Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bluegill and other panfish take small jigs or worms under a float near any cover. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, John Tanner State Park Lake A at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Tanners Lake for certain.