Lake Yonah Fishing Guide

Lake Yonah is a 330-acre, run-of-the-river Georgia Power lake on the Tugaloo River near Toccoa, on the Georgia-South Carolina line. Its small size and healthy walleye population make it one of the best places in Georgia to catch walleye, and the same walleye keep yellow perch numbers low enough that the survivors grow to near-record size.

• SizeAbout 330 acres
• Best betsWalleye, yellow perch, largemouth and spotted bass
• Boat accessYonah Dam Rd. ramp only (upper-lake ramp closed)
• Fish attractorsCoordinates available from DNR

Getting on the Water

Lake Yonah Fishing Forecast

These prospects come from Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division fisheries biologists. DNR has also sunk several large fish attractors in the lake; their GPS coordinates can be loaded into most fish finders.

Walleye

Prospect: An abundant population; recent fall sampling found mostly smaller fish, but walleye over 8 pounds live here.

Technique and target: In March, anglers cast floating stickbaits, shallow crankbaits, curly-tailed grubs or nightcrawlers into the current below Tugalo Dam during the “golden hour” before sunset, retrieving slowly along the rocky bottom. The rest of the year, fish nightcrawlers, minnows or live herring a few feet off bottom at 20 to 40 feet, or jig spoons vertically. Walleye gather in the upper river near the Georgia Power campground in March and can be caught from shore there, especially at night. The rest of the year, look for submerged trees and brush near the river channel in 20 to 40 feet of water.

Yellow Perch

Prospect: Walleye keep perch numbers low, so the perch that survive grow big, often weighing multiple pounds and nearing the state record of 2 pounds, 9 ounces.

Technique and target: Bounce a nightcrawler or small minnow on a jighead slowly along the bottom near blowdowns or creek channels. It works all year, but the biggest perch come in late winter before they spawn.

Largemouth & Spotted Bass

Prospect: Catch rates for the two species are about even, mostly 1 to 3 pounds, with some largemouth over 3 pounds.

Technique and target: Wacky-rigged worms, jig-and-pig and live bait around fallen trees from December to March; soft jerkbaits, floating worms, spinnerbaits and lizards near the bank in April and May; crayfish imitations or nightcrawlers in cooler water in summer; shad-imitating crankbaits and soft plastics in fall. Fallen trees line the shore. In summer, the upstream headwaters on both river arms hold the most bass.

Contact

Georgia Power: 706-746-1450. Georgia DNR fisheries office, Gainesville: 770-535-5498. A Georgia fishing license is required for anglers 16 and older. Nearby: Lake Tugalo fishing upstream.