Upper Hawkins Lake Fishing Guide, Jones County, Georgia

• Overview

  You will find Upper Hawkins Lake in Jones County, Georgia. The water sits 476 feet up. About 14 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Gray lies 11 miles from the water. Athens sits 56 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Upper Hawkins 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. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Public wildlife records from this area list gizzard shad, black crappie and channel catfish. Use it to know what is possible here, not what is certain. Upper Hawkins Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 80°F, while January sits near 44°F. The awkward stretch is midsummer, not midwinter. Shade and hour of day matter more than month. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. It holds true on Upper Hawkins Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Lower Hawkins Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Upper Hawkins Lake should be assumed from this page alone.