Atkins Lake Fishing Guide, Guilford County, North Carolina

• Overview

  Atkins Lake is a Guilford County water, in North Carolina. It sits at 889 feet above sea level. Oak Ridge is the closest place, 3.2 miles off. Kernersville follows at 3.9 miles, then Stokesdale at 7.5 miles. Within a short drive: Bailes Old Millpond just 2.4 miles, Linville Lake a touch under 2.7 miles, Foglemans Lake just 3.3 miles, Walkers Lake a touch under 4.1 miles and Wood Lake just 4.4 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Atkins Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Reported across Guilford County: bluegill, green sunfish and redbreast sunfish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The near bank of Atkins Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 77°F for July and 37°F for January. The hard part of the year is the heat, not the cold. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer squeezes it into the edges of the day. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Plan any trip to Atkins Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the panfish, a small hook, a float and a piece of worm outfish everything fancy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Bailes Old Millpond, 2.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Atkins Lake in particular, ask before you travel.