You don’t have to drive to the mountains to wet a line. Metro Atlanta is dotted with reservoirs, park lakes and pay lakes stocked with bass, bream, crappie and catfish, many just minutes from the interstate.
Some lakes are public and others are privately owned. Anyone 16 or older needs a Georgia fishing license, some lakes charge a fee, and each owner sets its own rules on boats and hours, so call ahead before you go. Before you head out, run through our fishing checklist.
- Lakes20 metro Atlanta lakes and reservoirs
- FishLargemouth bass, bream, crappie, catfish
- LicenseGeorgia fishing license, ages 16 and up
- BoatsMostly electric motors or paddle only
Clayton County Water Authority Reservoirs
Three drinking-water reservoirs south of Jonesboro open to the public for fishing, picnicking and canoeing from March through October. The water authority charges a per-vehicle daily fee (more for non-residents) and sells season passes, but it has not posted 2026 rates or hours online, so call before you go. Boats up to 20 feet with electric motors or paddles only, no swimming or wading, no alcohol, and a limit of two poles per person. Call 770-603-5605.
Blalock Reservoir
Size: 260 acres. Fish: Bass, bream, crappie and catfish. Blalock has turned out bass as big as 8 pounds.
Open: March through October on set days of the week; call 770-603-5605 for this year’s days, hours and fees.
Where: Shamrock/Blalock Reservoir Area, 2688 Shamrock Rd., Jonesboro, south of Jonesboro off Freeman Road and U.S. 19/41.
Shamrock Reservoir
Size: 68 acres. Fish: Bass, bream, crappie and catfish, best known for bream and channel catfish.
Built in the 1950s, Shamrock is where the Georgia state-record bluegill (3 pounds, 5 ounces) was caught in 1977.
Open: Same schedule and entrance as Blalock, 2688 Shamrock Rd., Jonesboro.
J.W. Smith Reservoir
Size: 250 acres. Fish: Bass, bream, crappie and catfish.
Open: March through October on set days of the week (historically different days from Blalock and Shamrock); call 770-603-5605 for this year’s schedule.
Where: 143 North Bridge Rd., Hampton.
Sweetwater Creek & Stone Mountain
Sweetwater Creek State Park
Lake: 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir, Douglas County. Fish: Largemouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie and channel catfish.
Facilities: Two fishing docks, a boat ramp, a bait shop, and seasonal rentals of jon boats, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards. Private boats are allowed with electric motors only; no swimming.
Fee and hours: $10 daily Georgia State Parks ParkPass per vehicle ($70 annual). Open 7 am to dark.
Contact: 1750 Mount Vernon Rd., Lithia Springs. 770-732-5871.
Stone Mountain Lake
Lake: 323 acres, the largest lake in Stone Mountain Park, DeKalb County. Fish: Bass, bream, catfish, crappie and carp.
Rules: Fishing from 6 am to midnight. Private boats are allowed during daylight hours from the park’s private boat ramp, with motors of 10 hp or less, and motorized boats must be registered with Georgia DNR. No fishing from bridges, park docks, golf courses or beach areas.
Fee: $20 daily vehicle parking pass or an annual pass; walkers and cyclists enter free through the South Woods Gate.
Contact: Stone Mountain Memorial Association, 770-498-5611. Off U.S. 78 (Stone Mountain Freeway).
DeKalb County Park Lakes
DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs parks are free and open 7 am to sunset. Bank fishing only, no swimming in lakes and no alcohol. Call 404-371-2711.
Chapel Hill Park
Fish: Largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish in the park pond. DeKalb and Georgia DNR have hosted free Gateway to Fishing programs here.
Where: 3985 Lehigh Blvd., Decatur, off Wesley Chapel Road south of I-20.
Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve
Size: More than 2,500 acres of forest, granite outcrops, creeks and two lakes. Fishing is allowed at Arabia Lake with a Georgia fishing license.
Fee and hours: Free, dawn to dusk.
Where: 3787 Klondike Rd., Stonecrest (Lithonia). See also Arabia Mountain.
Exchange Park
Fish: Bass, bream and channel catfish. Lake, trails, tennis courts, playground and a recreation center.
Where: 2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur, just south of I-20. Recreation center: 404-687-3430.
Glen Emerald Park
Size: About 27 acres of woods, lake and parkland with a historic rock garden. Fish: Bass, bream, crappie and channel catfish.
Where: 1479 Bouldercrest Rd., Atlanta, north of I-285.
Hairston Park
Fish: Bass, bream and channel catfish in a small lake, with a playground, trails and fitness equipment.
Where: 911 S. Hairston Rd., Stone Mountain.
Wade-Walker Park
Size: 177 acres with a lake and fishing pier, trails, sports fields and picnic pavilions. Fish: Bass, bream and channel catfish.
Where: 5585 Rockbridge Rd., Stone Mountain, at Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road.
Tucker, Brookhaven & Acworth
Henderson Park (Lake Erin)
Owner: City of Tucker. Tucker’s biggest park at about 130 acres. Fish: Bass, bream, catfish and crappie. No motorized craft on the lake.
Where: 2803 Henderson Rd., Tucker. Email parks@tuckerga.gov.
Kelley C. Cofer Park
Owner: City of Tucker. About 20 acres with nature trails around the lake, a pool, ball fields and a playground. Fish: Bass and bream.
Where: 4259 North Park Dr., Tucker. Open during daylight hours.
Murphey Candler Park
Owner: City of Brookhaven. The city’s largest park, 135 acres. Fish: Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish and channel catfish.
Rules: Georgia fishing license required. City rules adopted in 2019 to protect wildlife allow only monofilament line of 10-pound test or less, a single barbless hook and natural bait (no lures or jigs).
Where: 1551 West Nancy Creek Dr., Brookhaven.
Lake Acworth (Cauble Park)
Owner: City of Acworth. Fish: Bass, bream, catfish, crappie and carp.
Facilities: Fishing points, boardwalk, boat ramp for electric-motor boats only (no gas motors on the lake), restrooms, playgrounds and Acworth Beach. Open 6 am to 10 pm. Non-residents pay $20 per vehicle (card only) to park on weekends from April through Labor Day and on midsummer weekdays; parking is free the rest of the year.
Contact: 4425 Beach St., Acworth. 770-917-1234.
Gwinnett County Park Lakes
Gwinnett County parks are free to enter. A Georgia fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older.
Collins Hill Park
Size: 95-acre park with a fishing lake. Fish: Largemouth bass, catfish and crappie. Also an aquatic center, playground and ball fields.
Hours: Sunrise to 11 pm unless posted.
Contact: 2225 Collins Hill Rd., Lawrenceville. 678-277-0910.
Rhodes Jordan Park
Size: 162-acre park with a 22-acre lake fished from boardwalks. Fish: Largemouth bass, channel catfish, crappie and bluegill.
Hours: Sunrise to 11 pm unless posted.
Contact: 100 E. Crogan St., Lawrenceville. 678-277-0890.
Tribble Mill Park
Lakes: 109-acre Ozora Lake and 40-acre Chandler Lake in a 713-acre park. Fish: Largemouth bass, crappie, bream and channel catfish.
Boats: Non-motorized and electric-motor boats only; Ozora has fishing piers and a boat ramp.
Contact: 2125 Tribble Mill Pkwy., Lawrenceville (Chandler Road entrance at 2400 Chandler Rd.). Open sunrise to sunset. 678-277-0890.
More Metro Atlanta Lakes
Clayton County International Park
Fish: Bass, channel catfish and crappie in the park’s fishing lakes. Bank fishing.
Also here: Spivey Splash Water Park (opened 2022 in place of The Beach), a 17-court tennis center, playgrounds, trails and picnic areas. Hours vary by season.
Contact: 2300 GA Hwy 138 E., Jonesboro. 770-473-5425.
G.B.’s Lake
Owner: Private pay lake in Cobb County. Fish: Bass, bream, catfish and crappie. Fish from shore or bring a boat with no gas motor.
Hours: Friday through Monday; call ahead for hours and fees.
Where: Hurt Road SW, Smyrna, between Smyrna and Austell. 770-435-8396.
Common Questions
Where can I fish near Atlanta without a boat?
Most metro Atlanta park lakes are bank-fishing lakes. DeKalb County parks such as Wade-Walker, Exchange and Glen Emerald, Gwinnett's Rhodes Jordan, Collins Hill and Tribble Mill parks, and Lake Acworth's fishing points and boardwalk all let you fish from shore or piers. Sweetwater Creek State Park has two fishing docks and rents boats in season.
Do I need a fishing license to fish in Atlanta park lakes?
Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs a Georgia fishing license to fish public lakes in metro Atlanta, including county and city park lakes. Private pay lakes set their own rules, so ask when you pay your entry fee.
Which Atlanta lakes allow boats?
Sweetwater Creek State Park, Tribble Mill Park's Ozora Lake and Lake Acworth allow private boats with electric motors only. Stone Mountain Lake allows motors of 10 hp or less in daylight, and the Clayton County Water Authority reservoirs allow boats up to 20 feet with electric motors or paddles.
Are there free fishing lakes near Atlanta?
Yes. DeKalb and Gwinnett county park lakes are free to enter, and so is Arabia Lake at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. You still need a Georgia fishing license if you are 16 or older. Lake Acworth is free to park at outside the summer season.
Sources we checked
Fees, hours and boat rules were checked against the agencies that run these lakes. Park lakes set their own rules and change hours with the seasons, so call before you go:
- Stone Mountain Park: fishing hours, motor limit and boat registration
- Georgia State Parks: Sweetwater Creek and the 2026 ParkPass rate
- City of Acworth: Cauble Park hours, boat ramp and 2026 non-resident parking
- Clayton County Water Authority: reservoir recreation (2026 rates not posted online)
- Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division: fishing license rules
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides. More places to fish: Georgia fishing lakes and best lakes in Georgia.