Bartlett's Ferry Lake Fishing
A 5,850-acre Georgia reservoir in Harris County.
Pick for largemouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of West Point Lake: Mccunicano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bartlett's Ferry Lake by the figures
Inside Harris County, Bartlett’s Ferry Lake holds about 5,850 acres of fishable water. You may see it listed as Bartletts Ferry Lake as well. The closest Census town is West Point, roughly 13 miles from the water.
The WRD forecast names Georgia Power Company as the operator. Roughly 49% of its area falls inside Georgia, the rest in Alabama. WRD access points here list largemouth bass, spotted bass, hybrid striped bass, striped bass, channel catfish and black crappie. The shoreline has 2 public boat ramps.
For the largemouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 The state forecast for Bartlett's Ferry Lake
Wildlife Resources Division biologists publish a forecast for Bartlett's Ferry Lake; the passages below are quoted from it.
“The Georgia Power Company operates Bartlett's Ferry, a 5,850-acre reservoir (a.k.a. Lake Harding) on the Chattahoochee River along the Georgia-Alabama border just above Goat Rock Lake. The lake offers many boat docks and piers that provide good structure for concentrating fish. Anglers will find two available boat ramps on the Georgia side – one at Idle Hour Park and one at Blanton Creek Campground and Day Use Area.”
Forecast best bets on Bartlett's Ferry Lake: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Hybrid Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, and Catfish.
| Species | WRD prospect (quoted) |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Largemouth bass abundance has been relatively steady over the last few years. Fish in the 12-15 inch range will be the norm, but anglers may also have a chance to catch a few largemouth bass over 15 inches. The average catch weight of the larger fish is 1 to 2 pounds. |
| Spotted Bass | The spotted bass fishery is generally under-utilized. Given there is no minimum size restriction for this non-native bass species, anglers are encouraged to harvest their daily limit. Over half the spots are in the 7-12 inch range and weigh under a 1/2 pound. |
| Hybrid Bass | Hybrid bass anglers generally do well on Bartletts Ferry. For the fourth consecutive year, hybrid bass were stocked to supplement the population in 2025. As a result, many of these fish have now reached sizes suitable for anglers of all skill levels. |
| Striped Bass | Experienced anglers can find stripers exceeding 20 pounds. However, the warm water temperatures limit the number of the larger stripers the lake can support. Therefore, most stripers will be in the 18-inch range and weigh around 3 to 4 pounds. |
| Catfish | Fishing for catfish is considered good to excellent year-round on Bartlett's Ferry. Anglers can target blue, flathead, and channel catfish in Bart's. |
| Crappie | Our sampling showed Bartlett's black crappie abundance was below average in 2025 but fish length was 16% above the historic mean value. Most (76%) of the fish were Preferred (10-12") and Memorable (12-15") sized. |
| Other Species | Though not known for bream fishing, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, and shellcrackers/redear sunfish are all available in decent numbers. Bluegills are usually small and average around 4 to 5 inches. Redear sunfish generally grow much bigger than the bluegills – up to the 1/4 to 1/2 pound range. |
Georgia WRD fishing forecast for Bartlett's Ferry Lake, updated February 10, 2026. Read the full forecast.
Fish of Bartlett's Ferry Lake
The Bartlett's Ferry Lake species list joins WRD access flags with forecast and record entries.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD fishing forecast and WRD record lists; checked October 2026.
Public launches at Bartlett's Ferry Lake
- Blanton Creek Park2 lanes, dock, restroom, fee, Georgia Power
- Idle Hour Park2 lanes, dock, restroom, fee, Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Launch sites close to Bartlett's Ferry Lake
- Goat Rock MarinaGoat Rock Lake, 7 miles south
- R Shaefer Heard ParkWest Point Lake, 15 miles north
WRD Water Access Points layer and CRD coastal ramps, checked October 2026.
Today at the Bartlett's Ferry Lake gauge
US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District (CWMS) reading for Bartletts Ferry (GPC), recorded October 22, 2026; retrieved October 22, 2026. Values are provisional.
Regulations covering Bartlett's Ferry Lake
Georgia sets water-specific rules for Bartlett's Ferry Lake, printed in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations.
| Water as printed | Rule |
|---|---|
| Lake Bartletts Ferry (Harding) | Georgia-Alabama agreement water: Georgia or Alabama sport fishing license valid; Georgia statewide creel and possession limits apply. It is illegal to possess and fish with live blueback herring in Alabama waters covered by this agreement. |
| Species | Daily limit and size | 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 |
| Walleye | 8 | Open all year |
| Pickerel | 15 | Open all year |
| American and hickory shad | 8 | Open all year |
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; checked October 2026.
Close-by lakes lined up with Bartlett's Ferry Lake
Drive 6 miles to reach Goat Rock Lake, the nearest; Lake Oliver is the biggest close by.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Type | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartlett's Ferry Lake | 5,850 | 2 | reservoir | 11 | |
| Goat Rock Lake | 6 miles south | 940 | 1 | reservoir | 8 |
| Lake Oliver | 12 miles southeast | 2,150 | 1 | reservoir | 8 |
| Weems Road Lake | 16 miles southeast | 15 | 0 | reservoir | 5 |
| Lake Heath | 17 miles southeast | 22 | 0 | reservoir | 5 |
| Mountain Creek Lake | 17 miles northeast | 175 | 0 | lake | 5 |
WRD waterbodies, reservoirs and Water Access Points layers.
Spots by Bartlett's Ferry Lake
Lakes that pair well with Bartlett's Ferry Lake
- Goat Rock Lake6 miles south
- Lake Oliver12 miles southeast
- Weems Road Lake16 miles southeast
- Lake Heath17 miles southeast
- Mountain Creek Lake17 miles northeast
Gear and bait a short hop from Bartlett's Ferry Lake
- Lake Harding Marinamarina, Fortson, 4 miles
- Holland's Cornerbait and tackle shop, Fortson, 9 miles
- Geo Food Martbait and tackle shop, West Point, 14 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 6700 Whittlesey Blvdsporting goods store, Columbus, 16 miles
- Kinfolks Corner Stop & Shopbait and tackle shop, Columbus, 16 miles
- Ribitz Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Lagrange, 17 miles
Nearby towns for a Bartlett's Ferry Lake trip
- Antioch4 miles
- Piney Grove8 miles
- West Point13 miles
Bartlett's Ferry Lake, county by county
- Harris Countyseat: Hamilton
A Piscifun reel lineup for Bartlett's Ferry Lake
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Know what you hooked at Bartlett's Ferry Lake
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Hellion102792, CC BY-SA 4.0
Things to know before you fish Bartlett's Ferry Lake
What part of Georgia holds Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Georgia maps place it in Harris County, about 13 miles from West Point.
How big is Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Close to 5,850 acres of water.
Is there a public boat ramp on Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
WRD maps 2 public ramps; Blanton Creek Park is a good start.
Which species turn up in Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
largemouth bass, spotted bass, hybrid striped bass, striped bass, channel catfish, black crappie and white crappie, per WRD records.
Which rules cover Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Lake Bartletts Ferry (Harding): Georgia-Alabama agreement water: Georgia or Alabama sport fishing license valid; Georgia statewide creel and possession limits apply. It is illegal to possess and fish with live blueback herring in Alabama waters covered by this agreement.
Which Georgia license do I carry at Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
Where are crickets and shiners sold near Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Drive 4 miles to Lake Harding Marina.
What other Georgia lakes sit close to Bartlett's Ferry Lake?
Try Goat Rock Lake, around 6 miles away.
What does WRD expect at Bartlett's Ferry Lake this year?
WRD picks Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Hybrid Bass, Striped Bass, Crappie, and Catfish.
A weekend at Bartlett's Ferry Lake starts here
Licenses come from Go Outdoors Georgia; limits are on the next page.