# trophy bass pay lakes



## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

Dream Lake is the first one that comes to mind though I'm not sure it's exclusively managed for giants.

Callaway gardens pay lakes


any more?  leases too....


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## Benito (Jan 30, 2013)

Have been to Dream Lake several times.....LOVE it - best combination of size and numbers I've ever experienced. However, it's VERY expensive.....Ownership changed about a year ago, they're focusing more on true Giants - their #1 goal is to have the state record caught out of there (currently about 16.5). As of now, there are a bunch of big fish, some in the 10-12 pound range and a few bigger, but usually people catch a bunch in the 4-8 pound range. It's mainly managed for combination of size and catch-rates...I've caught an 11.4 out of there, lake record is 14.5......I lost one in the 12-13 pound range right at the boat, still haunts me. GREAT lake, but again, it's very expensive, I only go if wife gets me a birthday/father's day present. Also, they have some unusual rules you must follow (no wide-gap hooks, no braid, etc....)

I've fished the main (non-pay) lake at Callaway Gardens, but they do have 2 "trophy" lakes - seen lots of pictures of tourists catching 12-14 pounders, but you have to use a guide and it's also VERY expensive to fish those lakes.

I know there's another lake in North Carlina similar to Dream Lake, but don't know the name.

Hope that helps.

BEN


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## Rusty Shakleford (Jan 30, 2013)

Camelot Bell is THE best in the world.


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## Benito (Jan 30, 2013)

Can you fish at Camelot, or do they just sell Bass? Their website only mentions bass for sale...


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## Cletus T. (Jan 30, 2013)

I believe the place Bennito is talking about up in N.C. is the Kings Fisher Society and it looks AMAZING!!!!!!

It’s got a golly whooper of a price tag too!!!  Here’s the link……


http://www.kingfishersociety.com/


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## Rusty Shakleford (Jan 30, 2013)

Benito said:


> Can you fish at Camelot, or do they just sell Bass? Their website only mentions bass for sale...



$1500/day for newbies....there is a long waiting list


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## Benito (Jan 30, 2013)

Wow, pricey.....would love to give it a try someday, but outta my price range (Dreamlake is $250 for a day, still a lot of scratch.....)


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## Rusty Shakleford (Jan 30, 2013)

Yea, I would never do it. I'm not a fan of small water anyways. I get more satisfaction from catching a 5 out of sinclair or tobo than I do a 10 out of my pond


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## LTZ25 (Jan 30, 2013)

I get as much enjoyment out of fishing West Point. I'm not cheap but I don't need to pay that much money to impress my friends by telling stories of catching 10 lb. bass. Most of the folks I know wouldn't pay either. My best 5 might not be but 7.5 lbs. but it's very challenging , but I don't want to think about how much my bass cost per pound.


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

Rusty Shakleford said:


> Yea, I would never do it. I'm not a fan of small water anyways. I get more satisfaction from catching a 5 out of sinclair or tobo than I do a 10 out of my pond



I take your meaning, your position makes sense. I've caught a 5 out of both sinclair and tobo, it wasn't terribly difficult to catch either- double buzzbait around the marina and crank on a docklight for the other.

As for the semantics...
I think poaching big bass off the bed out of private unpressured ponds is a lot easier than out of old public small lakes particularly those  that have been mismanaged in terms of population control, forage base, and water ph and fertilization. one lake around 10 acres or so comes to mind now, it has 40 feet of water in places and has gizzard shad that must go at least two pounds. Growing up in milledgeville there are several old small lakes that fit this bill. I've caught big bedders out of private ponds, I've yet to stick a bedder bigger than 8# out of these old dilaphidated public lakes, I've had my chances it's just tougher fishing. Must have something to do with the crystal clear water much in the same way fishing kaolin ponds seems to be tougher.

As for those leases and trophy paylakes, I don't have the jingle for that sort of thing. Even if I did I might invest it more wisely. There are some central georgian leases I've heard of, one maybe in hancock co. and another in laurens co that are a bit more DIY and less glamourous than those yall have named. Now, I would pay $250 - $500 a year to join a lease like that annually...


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

around $250-$500 annually would be comparable to hunting dues


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## LTZ25 (Jan 30, 2013)

I've fished a private lake in Peachtree City a lot with a friend that has a membership and if these other lakes are as good or better it would be unreal fishing. That lake is one where a 4 lb. doesn't even get a comment . There's a old boathouse on the lake where a man has a basson the wall that has to be 16+.  I saw it in low light and though it was a. Grouper.


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## Crappie Dude (Jan 30, 2013)

Benito,
If you fished Dream Lake in Alabama, how much did it cost for one day of fishing?


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## Benito (Jan 30, 2013)

1 day of fishing is about $250, add another $100 if you stay the night at the Lodge and have meals. They provide 21 foot Bassboat.


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## mrowland96 (Jan 30, 2013)

$350 for a night at a Lodge with meals & you don't have to haul a Bass Boat....sounds like a pretty good deal to me.


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## Silver Bullet (Jan 30, 2013)

You boys and your big money!!  I'm heading to south FL for TWO WEEKS on that cash!!!  I don't have enough Loomis rods to even show up to fish some of those places!


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

Silver Bullet said:


> You boys and your big money!!  I'm heading to south FL for TWO WEEKS on that cash!!!  I don't have enough Loomis rods to even show up to fish some of those places!



I appreciate your candor. I also watched a loomis break in half on a 3lb bed fish. I've never owned one myself.


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

mrowland96 said:


> $350 for a night at a Lodge with meals & you don't have to haul a Bass Boat....sounds like a pretty good deal to me.



I'd only do something like that as a gift to myself, a special occassion or if I was independently wealthy. I'd rather sink that jingle in  a trip to mississippi to fish some sloughs etc.


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

Crappie Dude said:


> Benito,
> If you fished Dream Lake in Alabama, how much did it cost for one day of fishing?



benito got his pb toad out of there, let's see the pic again ben


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## Old Dead River (Jan 30, 2013)

LTZ25 said:


> I get as much enjoyment out of fishing West Point. I'm not cheap but I don't need to pay that much money to impress my friends by telling stories of catching 10 lb. bass. Most of the folks I know wouldn't pay either. My best 5 might not be but 7.5 lbs. but it's very challenging , but I don't want to think about how much my bass cost per pound.



well, before ocmulgee pfa went belly up you could catch lunker bass w/ a wma stamp and some patience. I agree with your sentiments about not wanting to shell out the dough for trophy fish. I'm more interested in the management practices of these places. One day I intend to have a small lake of my own.


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## mrowland96 (Jan 30, 2013)

Old Dead River said:


> well, before ocmulgee pfa went belly up you could catch lunker bass w/ a wma stamp and some patience. I agree with your sentiments about not wanting to shell out the dough for trophy fish. I'm more interested in the management practices of these places. One day I intend to have a small lake of my own.



Keep scratching those Lotto Tickets Heavy Boy!!!


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## shoalietwo (Jan 30, 2013)

*pay lakes*

pm me for 2 great pay lakes and lodge in union springs , alabama . maybe 2 hours from atl . they have a yearly membership too .


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