Lake Sidney Lanier is a Reservoir located in Forsyth County, GA. Starting in the Lake Sidney Lanier has a total surface area of 59.8 miles. The Lake Sidney Lanier has an elevation of 1076 feet. Find maps, fishing guides and recreation info at Guidesly.

About Lake Sidney Lanier, GA

Lake Sidney Lanier is a water body that takes up about 38,000 acres or 150 square km of shoreline in the northern region of Georgia. It also flows out to the rivers of Florida and Alabama, other American states with which Georgia shares rights for the lake’s waters. Moreover, the lake is a reservoir operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that was one of the country’s biggest projects, solving certain issues the citizens were facing.

One of those issues began in the 1950s when Atlanta City was having problems with its water supply. The reservoir was the government’s solution to be able to put an end to it – a purpose it had eventually done upon its completion together with the Buford dam in 1956.

Today, the lake still provides a well-off water supply for the residents of Atlanta City. Furthermore, it also provides navigation and hydroelectricity and serves as good flood control for the Chattahoochee River.

All About Fishing in Lake Sidney Lanier, GA

Although a man-made reservoir, Lake Sidney Lanier has impressively big and diverse fish populations that have led to the lake being widely considered as healthy. The fish species that are abundant in the lake are the largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, catfish, spotted bass, and crappie. Aside from those species, small populations of brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout may also be found there.

While the big fish populations have led to Lake Sidney Lanier being labeled as “healthy”, the lake had its fair share of environmental problems to deal with still since its construction. One of the biggest issues it dealt with was the drought in 2007. The drought was a result of the lake’s new gauge not being calibrated properly and even the population in the suburban areas continuously growing. In order to combat this, the government had decided to ban outdoor water use for a certain time period, specifically from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M. The drought of Lake Sidney Lanier was an on-and-off event that had occurred in the country for about two years. During its time, many residents began to find objects that were left in the bottom of the lake during its construction in the 1950s such as boats, trash, and remains of roads. Due to this, local authorities made sure to act on it and clean up the lake.

Today, the lake is truly clean, healthy, and safe for fishing. The best spots in the lake to go to for recreational fishing would be the north and south end of the lake and its lower end and shallow coves. While in these spots, the best fishing technique to do is trolling using live bait. 

Fishing Seasonality

The best season to fish in Lake Sidney Lanier is the summer season which is from the months of July to August. While fish may indeed be bountiful though that would usually make fishing easier, the boat traffic and many fishermen visiting the lake in the midst of this season is what makes fishing difficult. This is why it is advised that people visit on the weekdays or late in the day if they would like to fish easily throughout the summer.

Aside from the summer season, the winter season which goes on from November to March until the area has also been said to be a great time to catch fish.

Meanwhile, when deciding to fish in more difficult seasons such as spring, it has been highly advised to fish near the area of the Chattahoochee River. 

Fishing Seasonality

The best season to fish in Lake Sidney Lanier is the summer season which is from the months of July to August. While fish may indeed be bountiful though that would usually make fishing easier, the boat traffic and many fishermen visiting the lake in the midst of this season is what makes fishing difficult. This is why it is advised that people visit on the weekdays or late in the day if they would like to fish easily throughout the summer.

Aside from the summer season, the winter season which goes on from November to March until the area has also been said to be a great time to catch fish.

Meanwhile, when deciding to fish in more difficult seasons such as spring, it has been highly advised to fish near the area of the Chattahoochee River. 

All About Fishing in Lake Sidney Lanier, GA

Although a man-made reservoir, Lake Sidney Lanier has impressively big and diverse fish populations that have led to the lake being widely considered as healthy. The fish species that are abundant in the lake are the largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, catfish, spotted bass, and crappie. Aside from those species, small populations of brown trout, brook trout and rainbow trout may also be found there.

While the big fish populations have led to Lake Sidney Lanier being labeled as “healthy”, the lake had its fair share of environmental problems to deal with still since its construction. One of the biggest issues it dealt with was the drought in 2007. The drought was a result of the lake’s new gauge not being calibrated properly and even the population in the suburban areas continuously growing. In order to combat this, the government had decided to ban outdoor water use for a certain time period, specifically from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M. The drought of Lake Sidney Lanier was an on-and-off event that had occurred in the country for about two years. During its time, many residents began to find objects that were left in the bottom of the lake during its construction in the 1950s such as boats, trash, and remains of roads. Due to this, local authorities made sure to act on it and clean up the lake.

Today, the lake is truly clean, healthy, and safe for fishing. The best spots in the lake to go to for recreational fishing would be the north and south end of the lake and its lower end and shallow coves. While in these spots, the best fishing technique to do is trolling using live bait.