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For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 $79.99
Chattahoochee River 232 mi
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0 
Lake Allatoona 29 mi
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0 
Lake Lanier 13 mi
Photo: Clifflandis, CC0 1.0 
Etowah River 17 mi
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Georgia counties
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Fishing in Forsyth County, Georgia
Seat: Cumming. Population 251,283 (2020).
- 2lake pages
- 20launch sites
- 3trout streams
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Chattahoochee River: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Forsyth County, Georgia
Fishing Forsyth County: a quick look
With Cumming as its seat, Forsyth County belongs to the Northwest Georgia group on this site. 251,283 people (2020 Census) share 225 square miles of dry ground and 22.6 of lakes, rivers and marsh.
Size order puts Lake Lanier first among 2 county lake pages (38,001 acres together). Boaters have 20 public launch sites on the WRD map here, with 40 lanes on record. The usual operator is U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Trout water here covers 3 designated streams and roughly 129 miles. Delayed harvest rules cover a section of Chattahoochee River. The county counts 1 pier or bank site for fishing without a boat.
2lake pages
20launch sites
3trout streams
10shops and marinas
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Forsyth County ramps, lakes and streams plotted
Georgia DNR WRD Water Access Points, CRD coastal layers and WRD waterbodies, checked October 2026.
Lakes
Lake fishing around Forsyth County
| Lake | Acres | Type | Ramps | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Lanier | 38,000 | reservoir | 53 | largemouth bass, spotted bass |
| Family Pond | 1 | lake | 0 | channel catfish, bluegill |
Past the Forsyth County line, these lakes are closest to Cumming.
| Lake | From Cumming | Acres | Type | Ramps | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Pierce Park | 11 miles southeast | 1 | lake | 0 | channel catfish, bluegill |
| Hollis Lathem | 12 miles northwest | 334 | lake | 1 | largemouth bass, spotted bass |
| Watershed Y17 Lake | 15 miles southeast | 58 | lake | 0 | largemouth bass, channel catfish |
| Shorty Howell Park Lake | 16 miles south | 1 | lake | 0 | channel catfish |
| Hogan Lake | 17 miles southeast | 10 | lake | 0 | largemouth bass, channel catfish |
| Lawrenceville City Lake | 19 miles southeast | 24 | lake | 0 | largemouth bass, channel catfish |
WRD waterbodies and reservoirs layers, NHD areas, WRD access point species flags and WRD fishing forecasts.
Streams
Moving water across Forsyth County
- Chattahoochee Riverriver, 83.7 trout miles, 24 ramps
- Etowah Riverriver, 28.7 trout miles, 11 ramps
- Chestatee Riverriver, 16.6 trout miles, 2 ramps
Trout water in Forsyth County
The county has 129 designated trout miles on 3 streams; heavily stocked segments appear on 2.
River gauges in Forsyth County
| USGS gauge | Latest reading | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee R 0.76 Mi Us Mcginnis Fy Suwanee Ga | 3,520 cfs, 4.57 ft gage height | Nov 9 11:30 pm |
| Dick Creek At Old Atlanta Rd, Near Suwanee, Ga | 17 cfs, 6.12 ft gage height | Nov 10 12:00 am |
| Big Creek At Ga 9, Near Cumming, Ga | 23 cfs, -0.30 ft gage height | Nov 9 11:45 pm |
| Chattahoochee River Buford Dam Nr Buford, Ga | 912.12 ft gage height | Nov 10 12:15 am |
US Geological Survey provisional data, retrieved Nov 10, 2026 12:33 am ET. Provisional readings can be revised.
WRD Trout Fishing layer (designated trout streams), checked October 2026.
Trout waters
Forsyth County trout water by the regulations guide
Trout anglers get 1 printed destinations in the county; carry the trout license.
- Chattahoochee R
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, trout streams and destinations by county.
Ramps
WRD access points in Forsyth County
- Bald Ridge Creek Boat RampLake Lanier, 1 lane, dock, fee
- Bald Ridge MarinaLake Lanier, 2 lanes, dock, restroom, fee
- Bethel ParkLake Lanier, 3 lanes, fee
- Charleston ParkLake Lanier, 3 lanes, dock, fee
- Eagles Beak ParkEtowah River, carry-in launch, restroom
- Habersham MarinaLake Lanier, 2 lanes, dock, restroom, fee
- Keith's Bridge Boat RampLake Lanier, 2 lanes, dock, fee
- Long Hollow ParkLake Lanier, 2 lanes, dock, fee
- Lower Pool ParkChattahoochee River, 1 lane, dock, restroom, fee
- Mary Alice ParkLake Lanier, 3 lanes, dock, fee
- McGinnis Ferry Boat RampChattahoochee River, 1 lane
- Port Royale MarinaLake Lanier, boat ramp, dock, restroom, fee
- Sawnee CampgroundLake Lanier, 1 lane, dock, fee
- Shady Grove ParkLake Lanier, 1 lane, dock, fee
- Six Mile Creek ParkLake Lanier, 2 lanes, dock, fee
- Tidwell ParkLake Lanier, 3 lanes, dock, fee
- Two Mile Creek ParkLake Lanier, 1 lane, dock, fee
- Vanns Tavern Boat RampLake Lanier, 4 lanes, dock, fee
- War Hill ParkLake Lanier, 5 lanes, dock, fee
- Young Deer ParkLake Lanier, 3 lanes, dock, fee
Forsyth County piers and bank areas (1)
- Buford Hatchery Kids Pondbank fishing area, Family Pond
Georgia DNR WRD Water Access Points.
Stocking and records
Hatchery trout and records, Forsyth County
Georgia records from Forsyth County waters
| Species | Weight | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass, White | 5 lb, 1 oz | Lake Lanier | 1971 |
WRD 2026 Trout Stocking Frequencies and Weekly Stocking Report; WRD freshwater and CRD saltwater record lists.
Regulations
Special rules in Forsyth County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Black bass (all species combined) | 10 in total, only 5 of which may be Altamaha, Bartrams, Chattahoochee, Coosa, Shoal, Smallmouth, Suwannee, Tallapoosa | Open all year |
| Largemouth bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; minimum length 12 inches statewide (exceptions on listed lakes and PFAs) | Open all year |
| Spotted bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; no statewide minimum length (14 inches on Lake Lanier) | Open all year |
| Shoal bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total (only 5 may be shoal and other listed bass); minimum length 15 inches statewide (Flint River below Warwick Dam slot) | Open all year |
| Smallmouth bass | Counts toward 10 black bass total; only 5 of the 10 may be smallmouth and other listed bass; no minimum length | Open all year |
| Striped, white and hybrid bass | 15 in total, only two of which can be 22 inches or longer | Open all year |
| Crappie | 30 | Open all year |
| Bream (sunfish) | 50 in total | Open all year |
| Catfish | No limit | Open all year |
Statewide freshwater rows cover Forsyth County unless a water below has its own rule.
Forsyth County lakes and rivers with exceptions (5)
| Water | Rule |
|---|---|
| Chattahoochee River (Buford Dam to Peachtree Creek) | Trout fishing hours 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset; night fishing not allowed. |
| Chattahoochee River (Columbia Lock and Dam to GA Hwy 91 bridge) and tributaries | CLOSED to striped bass fishing and spear fishing from May 1 – October 31 each year. |
| Chattahoochee River (GA Hwy 20 to Medlock Bridge) | Artificial lures only (from GA Hwy 20 to the boat ramp at the National Park Service Medlock Bridge Park immediately upstream of GA Hwy 141); it is unlawful to possess any other type of bait. |
| Chattahoochee River (Sope Creek to US Hwy 41) | Section: from Sope Creek (off Columns Drive) downstream to US Hwy 41 (Cobb Parkway). Delayed harvest: from Nov. 1 – May 14 annually all trout must be released immediately and only artificial lures with one single hook per lure may be used and possessed (droppers allowed if each lure has one single h |
| Lake Lanier | Largemouth bass minimum length: 14 inches. Spotted bass minimum length: 14 inches. |
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations (effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), statewide limits and listed exceptions.
Local help
Bait, gear and guides of Forsyth County
Bait and fuel in Forsyth County
- Big T Fly Fishingfly shop, Suwanee
- Hammond's Fishing Centerbait and tackle shop, Cumming
- Shack Baitbait and tackle shop, Cumming
- Striper Steve's Fishing Chartersbait and tackle shop, Cumming
- Timber Ghost Hunting & Fishingbait and tackle shop, Cumming
- Whaley Venturesbait and tackle shop, Cumming
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 320 Peachtree Pkwysporting goods store, Cumming
- Bald Ridge Marinamarina, Cumming
- Habersham Marinamarina, Cumming
- Holiday Harbor Marina, 4700 Browns Bridge Rdmarina, Cumming
Who guides out of Forsyth County
- BIG FISH ON Lake Lanier Fishing Guide & Charterscharter, Lake Lanier, Cumming, (770) 598-5195
- Striper Steve's Fishing Charters – Lake Lanier Fishing Guidecharter, Lake Lanier, Cumming, (404) 580-3255
- Larry's Lanier Guide Service Incfishing guide, Lake Lanier, Gainesville, (770) 842-0976
Nearby
Near Forsyth County
Cities and towns of Forsyth County
- Cummingpop. 7,318
Next door to Forsyth County
- Dawson County15 miles north
- Hall County19 miles east
- Gwinnett County19 miles south
- Cherokee County20 miles west
- Lumpkin County25 miles north
Piscifun
Reels from Piscifun worth packing for Forsyth County
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In pictures
Photos of fishing water by Forsyth County
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Clifflandis, CC0 1.0
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Answers
Quick answers on the water in Forsyth County
How many WRD access sites list Forsyth County?
20 public launch sites are on the WRD map with 40 lanes recorded.
Which lake should a first visit to Forsyth County include?
Lake Lanier, at 38,000 acres.
Do I need a trout license in Forsyth County?
There are 3, near 129 miles, under the trout license rule.
What bass rules apply in Forsyth County?
A 10 fish black bass bag with a 12 inch largemouth minimum, except where listed.
Which shops in Forsyth County sell tackle?
Try Big T Fly Fishing, one of 10 listings.
Can I hire a fishing guide in Forsyth County?
3 guides and charters are based in the county.
Are there WRD fishing areas in Forsyth County?
No PFA lies in the county.
Which town holds the Forsyth County courthouse square?
Cumming, per the county listing.
How much is a license to fish Forsyth County?
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase. Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
Spend a fishing weekend in Forsyth County
Every lake and ramp above links to its own page.