How to use our fishing calendar
Planning your next fishing trip in Athens, United States ? Today is a good day for fishing. Our comprehensive fishing almanac combines our popular solunar tables, moon times, sunrise and sunset times, and a 7-day fishing calendar so you always know the best fishing times in your area. We analyse major and minor solunar bite times, rate each day on a five-star scale, and pair it with localized weather forecasts so you can quickly tell whether today is a good day to fish without juggling multiple tabs. Be sure to bookmark this page so you never miss a bite. view bite times...
- Check our unique Solunar Clock for precise solunar tables and the best moon phases.
- Use the forecast calendar section to sync bite times with major weather changes.
- Analyze the forecasted weather conditions, such as wind, barometric pressure and rain to plan your fishing session.
- Jump to the 7-Day Fishing Calendar for an extended fishing forecast, then explore nearby fishing spots on the interactive map.
Fishing in Athens, Georgia centers around the fertile reservoirs, rivers, and farm ponds that surround this classic college town. Anglers target abundant bass, crappie, catfish, and sunfish in nearby Lake Oconee, Lake Hartwell, Lake Lanier, and the Middle Oconee River, with year-round opportunities for both boat and bank fishermen. Whether you prefer power-fishing rocky points or finesse tactics in clear creek arms, the Athens area offers diverse freshwater fishing for every skill level. read more...
Sun and Moon Times
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Nautical Twilight begins:Sunrise:
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Sunset:Nautical Twilight ends:
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Moonrise:
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Moonset:
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Moon over:
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Moon under:
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Visibility:14%
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Waxing Crescent
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Distance to earth:395,907 kmProximity:23 %
Moon Phases for Athens
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good Day
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major Time:01:49 am - 03:49 am
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minor Time:09:06 am - 11:06 am
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major Time:02:21 pm - 04:21 pm
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minor Time:07:37 pm - 09:37 pm
Current Fishing Weather
Wind Speed and Direction
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Wind Direction and Speed are one of the most important aspects for choosing a fishing spot. An offshore wind can help land-based anglers with longer casting distances, while an onshore wind will make kayak fishing safer. Often fish will also move to certain feeding areas depending on the wind direction. Check out the long term wind forecast at the charts below.
Fishing Barometer
Atmospheric Pressure:
Change since midnight:
Trend for next 6 hours:
Atmospheric or Barometric Pressure affects fish activity. The best fishing can be had on a rising barometer and also the time just before it is falling. A steady barometer in the higher ranges can also mean good fishing. A falling or low barometer reading without much change is usually not a very good time for fishing.
UV Effect on Fishing
As a rule of thumb, the higher the UV index, the deeper fish will move. Shallow water fishing is best done at times with a low UV index. When the UV is high, stick to early mornings, late evenings and shaded areas. The effect is less noticable in deeper water, but often a higher UV index can produce good results in the deep.
7 Day Fishing Weather
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Fishing Overview Athens
Fishing near Athens, GA revolves around a network of lakes and rivers within an easy drive of town, including Lake Oconee, Lake Hartwell, Lake Lanier, and the Middle and North Oconee Rivers. These systems offer productive largemouth and spotted bass fishing, excellent crappie, dependable catfish action, and plentiful bream for casual anglers and families.
Seasonal patterns are key around Athens. In late winter and early spring, bass on Hartwell, Lanier, and Oconee stage on main-lake points, channel swings, and the first secondary points in creek arms. Work jerkbaits, Alabama rigs, and underspins for spotted bass over 15–30 feet of water, and use slow-rolled spinnerbaits or jigs for largemouth around rock and wood. As water approaches the low 60s, bass push shallow into pockets and coves; Texas-rigged creature baits, wacky-rigged worms, and floating worms excel around docks, bushes, and laydowns.
Crappie in area reservoirs peak in late March through April. Look for them around bridge pilings, brush piles, and dock posts in 8–15 feet early, then 2–6 feet at the height of the spawn. Tiny tube jigs, hair jigs, or small minnows under a fixed or slip float are the staples. Slow-trolling (spider-rigging) open flats and creek channels on Lake Oconee is particularly effective when fish are scattered.
Summer in the Athens region means early and late windows for bass and all-night opportunities for catfish. On clear lakes like Hartwell and Lanier, spotted bass pull out to humps, timber lines, and offshore brush in 20–35 feet. Drop-shot rigs with finesse worms, shaky heads on bluff walls, and topwater walking baits over points at dawn and dusk are consistent producers. Largemouth on Oconee relate more to shallow to mid-depth cover; flip jigs into grass and docks, or run buzzbaits and frogs along shady banks early.
Catfishing stays strong all summer on the Oconee River and in the river arms of local reservoirs. Channel and blue catfish relate to channel edges, outside bends, and deep holes below current breaks. Cut shad, chicken livers, or dip baits on slip-sinker rigs fished right on the bottom will draw steady bites, especially from sunset through midnight. Target the head of holes or the downstream edge of points where current slows.
In fall, baitfish push into creeks and coves across the Athens-area lakes. Bass follow, and power-fishing shines. Cover water with squarebill crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and lipless cranks around wind-blown banks, riprap, and shallow brush. This is also prime time for surface schooling action on Hartwell and Lanier, where spotted, hybrid, and striped bass blitz threadfin shad—keep a topwater plug or fluke-style soft plastic ready to cast into breaking fish.
Key habitats around Athens include rocky points, red-clay banks, standing timber, flooded brush, docks, and river-channel structure. On the Middle and North Oconee Rivers, focus on current seams, outside bends, and woody cover for bass, bream, and catfish. Small crankbaits, inline spinners, and weightless soft plastics are ideal for wading or kayak anglers who want to cover runs, pools, and eddies efficiently.
For consistent success, match your tactics to water clarity and pressure. On the clearer lakes east and north of Athens, lean on natural-colored finesse baits, light line, and subtle presentations. On more stained water, especially after rains, go with chartreuse-based crankbaits, bulky jigs, and noisy topwaters. Year-round, Athens, Georgia offers diverse freshwater fishing options within a short drive, from trophy-minded bass and catfish missions to relaxed, numbers-oriented bream and crappie trips.
Interactive Fishing Map for the greater Athens area
Beaches and Bays are ideal places for land-based fishing. If the beach is shallow and the water is clear then twilight times are usually the best times, especially when they coincide with a major or minor fishing time. Often the points on either side of a beach are the best spots. Or if the beach is large then look for irregularities in the breaking waves, indicating sandbanks and holes. We found 1 beaches and bays in this area.
Beulah Bay - 14.68123399461km
We found a total of 40 potential fishing spots nearby Athens. Below you can find them organized on a map. Points, Headlands, Reefs, Islands, Channels, etc can all be productive fishing spots. As these are user submitted spots, there might be some errors in the exact location. You also need to cross check local fishing regulations. Some of the spots might be in or around marine reserves or other locations that cannot be fished. If you click on a location marker it will bring up some details and a quick link to google search, satellite maps and fishing times. Tip: Click/Tap on a new area to load more fishing spots.
Collier Branch - 2.96763005523km , Montgomery Lake Dam - 3.5522345617km , Brookwood Forest Lake Dam - 3.64726454585km , Montgomery Lake - 3.80736041826km , Muddy Creek - 3.94008143041km , Braly Lake - 4.0265756516km , Thomas Pond - 6.08165484101km , Anderson Pond - 7.32799121291km , French Mill Creek - 8.30620162764km , Fourmile Branch - 8.36894209158km , Lake Creek - 8.72181718267km , Old Schoolhouse Branch - 9.61142179194km , Kaufman Branch - 9.87988963122km , Beauchamp Branch - 10.07596571641km , Round Island Branch - 10.29156792055km , Blair Swamp - 11.61521799921km , Beckham Branch - 11.80340505737km , Littrell Dam - 11.84968487543km , Pine Swamp - 11.85443843561km , Witty Creek - 11.90198472976km , Coffman Branch - 12.04569626852km , Copeland Branch - 12.10023603657km , Broyles Branch - 12.3354893724km , Witty Branch - 12.81412395798km , Gravel Branch - 12.83925597211km , Round Island Creek - 12.88379403193km , Briley Creek - 12.90309975019km , Sulphur Creek - 12.95435530992km , Lawson Lake Number 2 Dam - 13.06985844797km , Swan Creek - 13.95324412338km , Antiock Dam - 14.33815715008km , Cairo Branch - 14.59097390433km , Beulah Bay - 14.68123399461km , Hamilton Spring Branch - 15.23477872284km , Leslie Branch - 15.5372885672km , Lentzville Branch - 15.77021206913km , Knox Creek - 16.11105170587km , Copperrun Branch - 16.24388061661km , Dublin Branch - 16.42566525812km , Gallus Island - 16.96745640187km
Harbours and
Marinas
Beaches
Bays
Wharfs
Points,Reefs,etc
Latest Catches
uploaded by: Cms_4
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uploaded by: Jeffrey Kolbek
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uploaded by: rich77
uploaded by: rich77
uploaded by: rich77
uploaded by: rich77
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