Tharp Lake Fishing in Fulton County, Georgia

• Overview

  Tharp Lake is a Fulton County water, Georgia side. The water sits 1,024 feet up. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Compared with other Georgia water on our list, it sits high. Roswell lies 4.5 miles from the water. Sandy Springs sits 11 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Tharp Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Documented catches and surveys in the area cover bluegill, redbreast sunfish, blackbanded darter and green sunfish. Treat it as evidence of what swims in the area. At Tharp Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 78°F and January at 40°F. Summer heat is the limit here, not winter cold. October and November give a second good stretch as it cools. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Tharp Lake. Wind on the bank for a day or two lifts the fishing there.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Chaffin Road Lake, 0.5 miles away. Where Tharp Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.