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Lake Lanier 49 mi
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0 
High Falls Lake 40 mi
Photo: StephenGA, CC0 1.0 
Roswell 52 mi
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0 
Fulton County 49 mi
Photo: Scott Long, CC BY 3.0
Georgia lakes
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Lake Rutledge Fishing
A 229-acre Georgia lake in Morgan County.
Pick for largemouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo, nearby stand in for Lake Rutledge: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Morgan County
Meet Lake Rutledge
Lake Rutledge spreads across 229 acres, all of it inside Morgan County. A base in Rutledge keeps you about 2 miles from the shoreline. WRD lists it under the Gateway to Fishing program (Hard Labor Creek State Park).
WRD names largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, black crappie, bluegill and redbreast sunfish among its fish. You can choose from 1 public boat ramp.
229acres
1public ramps
8species listed
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What bites at Lake Rutledge
Fish below are the ones Georgia sources tie to Lake Rutledge.
Largemouth bass Hybrid striped bass Channel catfish Black crappie Bluegill Redbreast sunfish Redear sunfish Common carp
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD fishing forecast and WRD record lists; checked October 2026.
Access
Picking a ramp to start a Lake Rutledge day
- Hard Labor Creek State Park1 lane, dock, restroom, fee, Georgia State Parks (DNR)
Backup launches for Lake Rutledge
- Hard Labor Creek State Park, Lake BrantleyLake Brantley, 2 miles northwest
- Hard Labor Creek Regional Reservoir Boat RampHard Labor Creek Reservoir, 4 miles northwest
- Lake Varner Boat RampLake Varner, 12 miles west
- Marben PFA, Crossroads Boat RampCrossroads, 15 miles southwest
- Marben PFA, Greenhouse Boat RampGreenhouse, 15 miles southwest
WRD Water Access Points layer and CRD coastal ramps, checked October 2026.
Regulations
Daily creel and length rules for Lake Rutledge
| 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 |
For Lake Rutledge the statewide numbers stand, since no exception is printed.
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase.
2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027; checked October 2026.
Compare
Sizing up Lake Rutledge against close-by lakes
Nearest neighbor: Lake Brantley at 2 miles. Largest neighbor: Hard Labor Creek Reservoir.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Type | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Rutledge | 229 | 1 | lake | 8 | |
| Lake Brantley | 2 miles northwest | 45 | 1 | lake | 6 |
| Hard Labor Creek Reservoir | 4 miles northwest | 1,370 | 1 | lake | 5 |
| Lake Varner | 12 miles west | 850 | 1 | reservoir | 8 |
| Crossroads Pond | 15 miles southwest | 2 | 1 | Public Fishing Area lake | 3 |
| Boyle Lake Number One | 15 miles southwest | 5 | 1 | Public Fishing Area lake | 4 |
WRD waterbodies, reservoirs and Water Access Points layers.
Nearby
Beside Lake Rutledge
More Georgia lakes close to Lake Rutledge
- Lake Brantley2 miles northwest
- Hard Labor Creek Reservoir4 miles northwest
- Lake Varner12 miles west
- Crossroads Pond15 miles southwest
- Boyle Lake Number One15 miles southwest
Streams a short drive from Lake Rutledge
- Little River, Putnam County8 miles
- Apalachee River16 miles
- Murder Creek17 miles
Tackle counters serving Lake Rutledge
- Timbuktu Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Madison, 8 miles
- Blue Springs Marina, Incmarina, Buckhead, 19 miles
- Classic City Marinas, 1150 Julian Drmarina, Watkinsville, 19 miles
- Sinclair Marina, 1150 Julian Drmarina, Watkinsville, 19 miles
- Sinclair Marina/Classic City Marinas, 1050 Pembrook Lnmarina, Watkinsville, 20 miles
- J J's Magicbait and tackle shop, Covington, 20 miles
Towns that make a base for Lake Rutledge
- Rutledge2 miles
- Social Circle7 miles
- Bostwick7 miles
Counties around Lake Rutledge
- Morgan Countyseat: Madison
Piscifun
What to pack from Piscifun for Lake Rutledge
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In pictures
Pictures from Georgia water near Lake Rutledge
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Photo: StephenGA, CC0 1.0
Photo: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Scott Long, CC BY 3.0
Answers
Lake Rutledge, answered before you load the boat
Where in Georgia will I find Lake Rutledge?
It belongs to Morgan County, about 2 miles from Rutledge.
What acreage does the state map give Lake Rutledge?
Roughly 229 acres.
Does Lake Rutledge have a public launch?
1 public ramp, among them Hard Labor Creek State Park.
What bites at Lake Rutledge?
WRD sources name largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, black crappie, bluegill, redbreast sunfish and redear sunfish.
How many bass can I keep from Lake Rutledge?
Only statewide limits apply, for example 50 bream and 30 crappie a day.
Can a nonresident fish Lake Rutledge?
Georgia asks anglers 16 and older for a fishing license: $15 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, each good for 365 days from purchase.
Which listed tackle counter sits closest to Lake Rutledge?
Timbuktu Outdoors is around 8 miles from the water.
Which lake page lies nearest to Lake Rutledge?
The nearest is Lake Brantley, 2 miles off.
Put Lake Rutledge on the fishing calendar
Check the creel rules, then pick a ramp from the map.