# "Flying S Ranch" lake...still there??



## Alan in GA (Jun 29, 2010)

This is supposedly a lake with some history to it. Great BIG bass lake, too. 
I haven't fished it in 20 years.....anyone still fishing it??
It was quite a long dirt drive to get to the fish camp/store and launch area.
Anyone know the history of this old lake? I heard some stuff about a gambling caseno [illegal?], resort area, airplane runway nearby.....anyone know about it?


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## sinclair1 (Jun 29, 2010)

I think its a subdivision now.  Mirror lake ?


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## Alan in GA (Jun 29, 2010)

*Lake Val-Do-Mar*

just found a site showing a name I now remember "Lake Val-Do-Mar". Gold mine was supposed to have been there, too.
Anyone know the area?
Is there any place to read/tour the Gold Mine sight?


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## Troutman3000 (Jun 29, 2010)

There is a new history type thing there now for the gold mine.  However, you have to know someone to get into the lake with a boat. Bad thing is about 5 years the dam breached and it was without water for a good while.  They have fixed it now but the fishing isnt nearly as good anymore.


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## sbroadwell (Jun 29, 2010)

I've been wondering a long time what happened to the Flying S Ranch. Used to fish it, back when I first started fishing. As I remember, to get there you drove to the end of I-20. Yep, I-20 actually ended in Villa Rica back then.

Used to camp there, and rent a boat and electric motor. It was a good bass lake, but really known for its crappie fishing.

Just about every small lake I used to fish back, around Roswell/Apharetta/Crabapple, then is now either completely gone, or turned into a subdivision.


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## Fishlipps Revisited (Jun 29, 2010)

i fished it back in 1979....it had a lot of fish in it...as well as some big ones.....it was off of Stockmar Rd.....right as you came into Villa Rica.....you turned at a little church....and, they had a giant bass about 5' long made out of something hanging by the little "shop" there..  

and, i went looking for it again a few years back....it must have been right after the failure of the dam that someone mentioned, because all i found was a big mudhole.....


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## Jason Taylor (Jun 29, 2010)

Its now mirror lakeand is open to residents only.I grew up on that lake some of my best memories are from there.Yes it was known for its crappie but that was before bass fishing took off.We used to killem this time of year on a POES WOODCHOPPER man what a blast.


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## striper commander (Jun 29, 2010)

It is close to my house, I think if your a member of cannongate golf you can fish it.


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## BLACKJACKMTMAN (Jul 1, 2010)

I used to fish it a lot when I was at West GA, and before it became part of Mirror Lake.  Caught tons of crappie out of it.


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## Grimes25 (Jul 2, 2010)

We manage Mirror Lake it was drained for major dam repair but the fish remained (not total drain as mentioned).  It has some huge bass but overall not as good as it was when we started management over 5 years ago.  Then folks took out fish and now being a mostly unfished subdivision stunting of bass is the norm. Great place to catch lots of crappie. You have to be resident or with the resident to fish.    

BTW Alan sent you a pm since we sell riverhawk boats as well.


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## Troutman3000 (Jul 3, 2010)

Grimes25 said:


> We manage Mirror Lake it was drained for major dam repair but the fish remained (not total drain as mentioned).  It has some huge bass but overall not as good as it was when we started management over 5 years ago.  Then folks took out fish and now being a mostly unfished subdivision stunting of bass is the norm. Great place to catch lots of crappie. You have to be resident or with the resident to fish.
> 
> BTW Alan sent you a pm since we sell riverhawk boats as well.




I stand corrected, thanks for the update buddy.  I remember my step dad was building homes over there and we could go whenever we wanted.  This was probably ten years or so ago.  We would always catch a ton of bass and my step dad would routinely drag out 8-10lbers.


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## Alan in GA (Jul 3, 2010)

*thanks guys...*

It's good to remember [or have your memory jogged!] about old fishing places.
Cobb and Paulding used to have LOTS of "pay lakes", with neat little lure/bait shacks, some with Coca Cola signs on them as the Coke Company would put signs out for free [I was told]. I can remember a few of them, might be another fun post to see who remembers favorite 'pay lakes' or more like 'farm ponds'.


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## Troutman3000 (Jul 3, 2010)

We actually got one of the old signs from the Flying S Ranch.  Mom and dad have it hung up in the breeze way.


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## Jason Taylor (Jul 3, 2010)

We spent many a day and night there I used to draw Ms. brock pics. in turn she would give me baits.We helped do some work on that old bait shack just before she died.Her and joe were some really good folks.After she died it went down hill quick.I have seen some of the biggest fish of my life come outta there.Bass,crappie,cats,and shellcrackers.Oh well they say all good things come to a end but it will always have fond memories for me.


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## Grimes25 (Jul 4, 2010)

I was not aware of the past history when the developer hired us.  Veyr intersting.  For awhile the cable was cut every time I went to work there.  Folks were mad " i fished this lake for years it is not right they put up a cable".  WHile it stinks new owners had the right to say no.  THey did not care much while being developed but once homes coming in and forming a HOA and golf course with players stop put to this.  The lake needs bass taken out and very little fishing pressure.  It is most common thing we see on neighborhood ponds not enough bass harvest.  sad to watch and mainly while we manage the fishery that is secondary to keeping things looking good out there.


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## Sweetwater (Jul 4, 2010)

Jason Taylor said:


> We spent many a day and night there I used to draw Ms. brock pics. in turn she would give me baits.We helped do some work on that old bait shack just before she died.Her and joe were some really good folks.After she died it went down hill quick.I have seen some of the biggest fish of my life come outta there.Bass,crappie,cats,and shellcrackers.Oh well they say all good things come to a end but it will always have fond memories for me.



Yeah...that lake was loaded.


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## Bam Bam (Jul 4, 2010)

Phil Niekro(Knuckle ball) pitcher of the Atlanta Braves caught the biggest bass ever that came out of Flying S. I cant remember wait it weighed 14-15 lbs.????? Old man Stockmar told me several years back about it. Mr. Stockmar also said Orlando Wilson filmed one of his fishing shows there too.


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## Rangerboats (Jul 6, 2010)

Yes it is now owned by Canongate Golf Clubs, I worked as a assistant golf pro and had the privelage to fish it a lot, I caught my second biggest fish out of there about 4 years ago that weighed a little over nine pounds. It is still loaded with fish but like someone posted earlier you have to be a resident or with one to fish it now. Up until about 2 years ago the original area where the boat ramp and I guess the bait shop, you could still get back there, but I believe it is all developed now. I'm wanted to say you can still get a jon boat in there from the dam area.


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## Troutman3000 (Jul 6, 2010)

I need to make some calls around to see if I can find me a resident.  You used to could sneak down an old dirt road to access the ramp but im not sure thats available anymore given what I have been hearing.


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## Rangerboats (Jul 6, 2010)

Troutman3000 said:


> I need to make some calls around to see if I can find me a resident.  You used to could sneak down an old dirt road to access the ramp but im not sure thats available anymore given what I have been hearing.



Nah its gone! Thats the way I used to go back there with my boat. But it closed off to access now. I'm pretty sure the way people are doing now.


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## Jason Taylor (Jul 6, 2010)

I would love to get back down there not as much for the fishin but the memories....Thats the good stuff!!!


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## Troutman3000 (Jul 6, 2010)

Rangerboats said:


> Nah its gone! Thats the way I used to go back there with my boat. But it closed off to access now. I'm pretty sure the way people are doing now.



Is that little area still there?  You used to could cut down to the golf cart maintenance shed and dip out to the little dirt road, but heck thats been 5 years ago.


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## Rangerboats (Jul 6, 2010)

Troutman3000 said:


> Is that little area still there?  You used to could cut down to the golf cart maintenance shed and dip out to the little dirt road, but heck thats been 5 years ago.



Yep the road is gone, all developed now. That is the way I used to go in also! Turned right just past maintenance shed. Used to see a bunch of deer back there too! But not now! the road is no longer accessable.


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## WOODSWIZE (Jul 6, 2010)

My brother has a big Crappie mounted from Flying S. Great memories with my late dad fishing it one Father's Day, back in the late 80's -take a kid fishing!


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## striper commander (Jul 6, 2010)

When they developed that place it run all the deer over to me. My uncle gets to fish it and he is not a resident.


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## Rangerboats (Jul 6, 2010)

300mag said:


> When they developed that place it run all the deer over to me. My uncle gets to fish it and he is not a resident.



Need some help with the deer?? Good for your uncle. I just know that I know people you have tried to fish it have been asked to leave due to they are not resisdents or have some sort of pass that allows them. I haven't fished it since I left the golf business, but I still know the GM of the course!! Might just have to make a trip back!


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## Troutman3000 (Jul 6, 2010)

Rangerboats said:


> Need some help with the deer?? Good for your uncle. I just know that I know people you have tried to fish it have been asked to leave due to they are not resisdents or have some sort of pass that allows them. I haven't fished it since I left the golf business, but I still know the GM of the course!! Might just have to make a trip back!




Let me know if you go.  I would love to hit that one up.


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