Photo: David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Walter F. George Lake, called Lake Eufaula in Alabama, is a 45,180-acre U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake stretching 85 river miles up the Chattahoochee from Fort Gaines toward Columbus, with 640 miles of shoreline in two states. It is a big-bass lake with a 14-inch limit, and its spring crappie fishing can be spectacular.
- Size45,180 acres; 640 miles of shoreline
- OperatorU.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Bass limit14-inch minimum on largemouth
- ContactsCorps 229-768-2516; DNR 229-430-4256
Getting on the Water
Bank anglers can use accessible fishing piers at Hardridge Creek and Florence Marina State Park, marked fishing areas at the East Bank and River Bluff ramps, and the shoreline at Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge south of Rood Creek. Hydrilla comes and goes, and the Corps uses grass carp and herbicides to control it; clean all plant fragments off your boat and trailer at the ramp.
2026 Fishing Outlook
Summarized from Georgia DNR fisheries biologists’ 2026 forecast for Walter F. George Lake (Lake Eufaula), based on their sampling.
| Species | Outlook | Where and how |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass | Excellent numbers of 11- to 16-inch fish weighing 2 to 4 pounds. Best March through May, but good January to mid-October. | Creeks and coves: the branches of Cowikee Creek, Grass, Rood and Pataula creeks, Sandy Branch and the U.S. 82 causeway. Shoreline vegetation and sheltered areas in spring; hydrilla when it’s present, otherwise ledges and deep structure by the channels. Cranks, worms, lizards, tubes and jigs at the spawn; Carolina rigs on ledges; rattlebaits over hydrilla; frogs and buzzbaits on summer mornings. |
| Crappie | Spring can be spectacular: lots of 8- to 12-inch fish and 15-inchers not unusual. March to June, day or night under lights. | Creek mouths and under bridges; Moccasin Slough, Pataula, White Oak, Rood and Grass creeks. Minnows or jigs 12 to 16 feet deep, or a foot or two deep during the mid-March to May spawn. |
| Hybrid and striped bass | Excellent numbers of 1- to 3-pound hybrids, some to 7. Fewer stripers, mostly under 10 pounds; a 39.5-pounder came from Pataula Creek in 2007. | Sandy Creek to Pataula Creek, near Cool Branch landing and just above the U.S. 82 causeway; channel-side flats 8 to 15 feet deep; the lower lake, main points and underwater islands in warm months. Troll sand flats; spoons, spinners, lipless and deep cranks, live threadfin. |
| Catfish | Excellent channel catfishing: 1 to 2 pounds on average with good numbers of 2 to 5; blues of 1 to 5 pounds, some over 10, and 20-pound-plus blues and flatheads up the lake. | Coves to 15- to 20-foot channel edges for channels; above Lakepoint Marina for blues and flatheads; the tailrace for blues in cool months. Worms and blood baits; cut shad for big blues; live bream for flatheads. Noodle jug fishing is popular. |
| Bream | Bluegill 6 to 8 inches, redear 7 to 9; numbers and size have improved with hydrilla. Best April to September, especially May and June, around full moons. | Shallow coves, creeks and sloughs above the U.S. 82 causeway; the flats from the East Bank ramp north to Sandy Creek for redear. Red wigglers for redear, crickets for bluegill. |
Walter F. George Lake
Walter F. George LakeContact: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walter F. George Lake, 229-768-2516. Georgia DNR fisheries, Albany, 229-430-4256.
More nearby: Lake Andrews, Florence Marina State Park, Lake Oliver and all Georgia lakes.
Sources we checked
Facts in this guide were checked against the agencies and operators that run these places:
- Georgia DNR fishing forecast: Walter F. George (2026)
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Walter F. George Lake
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