# Where are the best 9.9hp restricted lakes?



## BigBubbaBass (Sep 6, 2014)

Hey everyone. I have not been on here in a LONG time but I am starting to get back into fishing. In fact, I recently bought a boat from a guy on this forum however I am not sure where to put it in. I bought a 16ft jon boat with a 9.9hp motor because I want to fish the smaller/calmer lakes rather than those with high traffic where my boat would be washed away.

I live in between Atlanta and Decatur so I am not really sure where to find these lakes. The closest one I am aware of is Stone Mountain but I have not had much success there in previous years. I would prefer to not have to drive a couple hours to get to these lakes, but if there are big fish there then I might make the effort 

Any advice on where the good (small) lakes are and what to use is highly appreciated.

Thanks!


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## Todd71673 (Sep 6, 2014)

Welcome back Bubba, good we can get your boat muddy next time! lol  Well besides "the Rock" ya got Fort Yargo in Winder. I would suggest getting a stand to take the gas motor off from time to time. That would open up your options for electric only. But 16' with a 9.9, would do well in the backs of the creeks on lakes as big as Lanier, or even Oconee and Sinclair. You just need to learn when to avoid the big lakes.


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## BigBubbaBass (Sep 6, 2014)

I am also looking for electric lakes. The guy I bought it from used it on West Point and on rivers but I do not know anything about fishing rivers and West Point is too far. Any electric lakes you would recommend?


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## kevincarden (Sep 6, 2014)

High Falls lake. Kinda SE of Griffin off I-75. Big Bass and Hybrid


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## Hotwater (Sep 7, 2014)

Ditto on High Falls.


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## BigBubbaBass (Sep 7, 2014)

Any others?


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## Fishin & Hunting (Sep 7, 2014)

Juliet, the Georgia Power Lake, 25 hp restriction.


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## Mr. P (Sep 9, 2014)

Here's a list of the more popular electric / small lakes around metro Atlanta. 
EO = electric only. No gas motor mounted on boat.

Stone Mountain Lake. (Inside SM park 9.9hp gas)
Ft Yargo  (Near Winder off SR316 or I-85. 9.9 hp gas)
Cedar Creek Res (Off I-985 Gainesville, exit 24 EO)
Lake Varner (Near Covington. Also known as Cornish Creek reservoir. EO)
Black Shoals. (Rockdale county off SR20 EO.)
Bear Creek.  (North of Winder. SR 330 EO)
Lake Horton  (Fayetteville area EO)
JW Smith   (Hampton. EO. Closed during winter)
Hard Labor Creek State Park. (Near Soc Cir/Rutledge)
Charlie Elliot WMA. (3 lakes w/ramps WMA lic req'd. EO)
Lake Lathem (Cherokee Cty off Ga400 EO)
High Falls Lake (Off I-75 exit# 198 Jackson Ga. 9.9 hp)

These are all public accessable lakes. Some Atlanta metro counties have county resident only lakes and none of these are on this list.

No shortage of water to fish but like any new water, you're gonna have to put in some time to develop patterns and confidence spots. Stn Mtn yielded 4 sacks over 20 lbs in ONE tourney this year with Big String over 24 lbs. Not bad fishing for a 350 acre lake 15 mins from downtown Atlanta.


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## GThunter5 (Sep 10, 2014)

Great post Mr P


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## BoosterC (Sep 10, 2014)

Mr. P said:


> Here's a list of the more popular electric / small lakes around metro Atlanta.
> EO = electric only. No gas motor mounted on boat.
> 
> 
> ...



Charlie Elliot is not EO on Fox and Bennett.  Gas motors can be used at only at idle speed on those two lakes.


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## WOODSWIZE (Sep 10, 2014)

Google "Small Georgia lakes open for fishing". You will see where to go -its a great GA DNR based webpage showing a bunch of choices -I have been using the site for over 15 years now, and have found many good & not so good ponds/lakes. It will list contact info for each as well as the rules, fee's, etc. Good luck.


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## needmotime2fish (Sep 10, 2014)

Two more EO lakes:  (1) Tribble Mill (Gwinnett Co.); (2) Commerce Watershed lake (not far from the dragstrip behind the outlet mall in Commerce).


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## jwoody79 (Dec 5, 2014)

How is Juliette this time of year? I have never been and trying to decide where to go on Sunday.... Varner and Juliette are the 2 I am trying to decide between unless there is somewhere that would be better this time of year???


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## The Longhunter (Dec 5, 2014)

Lake Chapman (Sandy Creek Park) Athens Clarke County, EO.


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## Cricket Chunker (Dec 6, 2014)

One more thought is a lot of the EO lakes will let you use a boat with a gas motor "attached" as long as you only use the trolling motor.  But some are pure EO with no gas motors allowed in the gate.  Usually this info for a specific lake can be found in a google search or by a quick phone call to the agency who operates the lake.

So just because it's an EO lake, does not mean you always have to take the gas motor off the boat to fish there.


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## shawshank (Dec 7, 2014)

WOODSWIZE said:


> Google "Small Georgia lakes open for fishing". You will see where to go -its a great GA DNR based webpage showing a bunch of choices -I have been using the site for over 15 years now, and have found many good & not so good ponds/lakes. It will list contact info for each as well as the rules, fee's, etc. Good luck.



This is the best advice I have ever got on finding a ton of small lakes. You can even find the waters by county.
Thanks Woodswize!


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## DAWG1419 (Dec 8, 2014)

Bear Creek is closed for the winter. Lucas used to shut down also.


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## The Longhunter (Dec 8, 2014)

DAWG1419 said:


> Bear Creek is closed for the winter.



I haven't physically checked but unless Jackson County has changed something it's open Sat. and Sun.


At least that is what is on the books.


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## Mr. P (Dec 9, 2014)

The Bear Creek boat ramp is CLOSED from Dec 1st thru Feb 28th. It reopens March 1st. They started this last year and it continues on. The web site implies that the bank fishing area is open year round as well as homeowner access for the houses that have access to the lake front.

JW Smith is open March thru October and is closed Thurs and Fridays.

Lake Lucas has many "closed dates" Like July and August for example as well as some holidays. It closes from around Nov 1st thru March 1st. It is only open 3 days a week also. Best to check their web site before taking a trip down there.


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## Mr. P (Dec 9, 2014)

MOST EO lakes don't allow motors to be on the boat. Horton allows a motor if it is "up and OUT of the water." Yargo allows up to 9.9 but you can use a big bass boat motor to put the boat on and off the trailer only. Stone Mountain allows up to 9.9. If motor is larger than 9.9 you must REMOVE the prop and the prop cannot be stored on the boat. Varner, Black Shoals, JW Smith, Cedar Creek do not allow any combustion motors to be on the lake. 

Best advice was given before to check the web site for the various lakes to be sure of the rules regarding gas motors on EO lakes. If you have a jon boat with a 9.9 or smaller they aren't that much trouble to remove. If you have a bass boat and want to fish these small lakes using your trolling motor you'll have a problem on many of the lakes.


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## bigchooch58 (Dec 9, 2014)

sweetwater park is very overlooked


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