Lake Tugalo Fishing
A 600-acre Georgia reservoir in Rabun County and Habersham County.
Pick for largemouth bassPiscifun Chaos Pro CNC baitcasting reel25% OFFSale $97.99 Photo of Tallulah Falls Lake: Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick look at Lake Tugalo
The surface of Lake Tugalo measures 600 acres, found in Rabun County and Habersham County. It also answers to Tugaloo Lake. Tallulah Falls is the nearest town on the map, near 2 miles out.
Water releases here are managed by Georgia Power Company. About 69% of the mapped surface lies on the Georgia side, the rest in South Carolina. The state lists largemouth bass, spotted bass, walleye, yellow perch, white bass and bluegill for this water. WRD maps 1 public boat ramp here. Shore access includes 1 pier or bank fishing site.
For the largemouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 The latest WRD prospects for Lake Tugalo
WRD fisheries staff wrote this outlook for Lake Tugalo.
“Lake Tugalo is a beautiful 600-acre lake formed by the Tallulah and Chattooga rivers. Owned and operated by the Georgia Power Company, Lake Tugalo lies on the Georgia-South Carolina border near the city of Clayton. The steep canyon walls and small waterfalls that surround the forested shoreline create unusual scenic beauty.”
Best bets named for Lake Tugalo: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Redbreast Sunfish, Bluegill, Shellcrackers and White Bass.
| Species | WRD prospect (quoted) |
|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | Catch rates for Largemouth Bass in Lake Tugalo have remained high and stable over the course of the last few years, with this year continuing that pattern. Anglers will mainly catch bass in the 1 – 2 pounds weight range, but the chance for trophy-sized individuals still remains. |
| Spotted Bass | Lake Tugalo's steep, rocky shoreline provides favorable habitat for Spotted Bass. Spots have resided in the lake for more than a decade, but the population has not soared during this time frame as it has in other nearby reservoirs. |
| Walleye | Walleye are relatively abundant in Lake Tugalo, giving this reservoir the distinction as one of the best Walleye lakes in Georgia. This year was no different from the norm, having excellent catch rates with multiple individuals captured in each gill net. |
| Yellow Perch | A successful Yellow Perch fishery with trophy individuals also exists as a by-product of the Walleye fishery, with Walleye feeding on the perch to keep numbers low and allowing perch to achieve maximum growth and size. |
| White Bass | White Bass are not overly abundant in Lake Tugalo, but a fishable population persists despite this. This year catch rates matched the average for prior sampling events and individuals were most commonly seen in the 1 – 2 pound range. |
| Bream | Bluegill, Redbreast Sunfish, and Redear Sunfish are plentiful in Lake Tugalo. Bluegill and Redbreast Sunfish in the 6 – 8 in. range are very common around downed timber and stream outlets in the upper half of the lake. |
| Catfish | Lake Tugalo was once known by local anglers as a great catfish lake. However, as time went on their numbers dwindled into almost non-existence. |
Georgia WRD fishing forecast for Lake Tugalo, updated June 18, 2026. Read the full forecast.
What anglers catch at Lake Tugalo
Species shown for Lake Tugalo come from WRD access point records, its forecast and the record book.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD fishing forecast and WRD record lists; checked October 2026.
Launch sites at Lake Tugalo
- Stoneplace Boat Ramp1 lane, dock, Georgia Power
Piers and bank spots WRD maps on Lake Tugalo
- Stoneplacefishing pier, Georgia Power
More launches a short tow from Lake Tugalo
- Yonah CampgroundLake Yonah, 2 miles south
- Tallulah Gorge State ParkTallulah Falls Lake, 3 miles west
- Lake Yonah Boat RampLake Yonah, 4 miles south
- Walker Creek Boat RampLake Hartwell, 5 miles southeast
- Hall's MarinaLake Rabun, 5 miles northwest
- Lake Rabun Beach Rec AreaLake Rabun, 7 miles west
WRD Water Access Points layer and CRD coastal ramps, checked October 2026.
Rules for keeping fish at Lake Tugalo
The 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations names Lake Tugalo in its exceptions; those rows are below.
| Water as printed | Rule |
|---|---|
| Tugaloo Lake | Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: see the Georgia-South Carolina border waters chart (white bass 10, trout 5, bass 10 with 12-inch largemouth minimum, walleye/sauger 8, aggregate game fish 40). |
Two-state rules covering Lake Tugalo
| Species | Where | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Striped bass, white bass and/or hybrid white-striped bass | Savannah River and its tributaries downstream of J. Strom Thurmond Dam | 2 in total, both of which must be 27 inches in length or longer |
| Striped bass | Lake Richard B. Russell (Russell Dam to Hartwell Dam and Lake Secession Dam) and all tributaries | 2 per day, only one of which can exceed 34 inches in length |
| Striped bass or hybrid bass or combination | Lakes Hartwell and Clarks Hill | 10; Only 3 may be over 26 inches |
| Striped bass or hybrid bass or combination | Lake Russell | 2; Only 1 may be over 34 inches |
| Striped bass, hybrid bass, white bass or combination | Savannah River downstream of Clarks Hill dam | 2; 27-inch minimum length limit |
| White bass | All border waters covered except for Savannah River downstream of Clarks Hill dam | 10; No size limit |
| Trout | All border waters covered | 5; No size limit |
| Bass (largemouth, spotted, redeye, smallmouth or combination) | All border waters covered | 10; 12-inch minimum length for largemouth bass |
| Walleye or Sauger or combination | All border waters covered | 8; No size limit |
| Aggregate of all game fish (does not include catfish) | All border waters covered | 40 |
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.
Lake Tugalo measured against its neighbor lakes
Within this group, Lake Yonah lies closest at 3 miles, and Lake Rabun covers the most water.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Type | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Tugalo | 600 | 1 | reservoir | 11 | |
| Lake Yonah | 3 miles south | 330 | 2 | reservoir | 10 |
| Tallulah Falls Lake | 3 miles west | 63 | 1 | lake | 8 |
| Lake Rabun | 5 miles west | 834 | 3 | reservoir | 6 |
| Lake Seed | 10 miles west | 240 | 1 | reservoir | 9 |
| Black Rock Lake | 13 miles north | 17 | 1 | lake | 5 |
WRD waterbodies, reservoirs and Water Access Points layers.
Near Lake Tugalo
Backup lakes near Lake Tugalo
- Lake Yonah3 miles south
- Tallulah Falls Lake3 miles west
- Lake Rabun5 miles west
- Lake Seed10 miles west
- Black Rock Lake13 miles north
Rivers close to Lake Tugalo
- Bad Creekunder a mile
- Camp Creek, Rabun County3 miles
- Tallulah River3 miles
Shops on the way to Lake Tugalo
- Rabun Boat Housemarina, Lakemont, 6 miles
- Blackhawk Trophy Flyfishingbait and tackle shop, Clarkesville, 10 miles
- Bait Jacuzzibait and tackle shop, Eastanollee, 14 miles
- Dutch Boat Storagebait and tackle shop, Martin, 16 miles
Georgia towns that sit close by Lake Tugalo
- Tallulah Falls2 miles
- Tiger9 miles
- Clayton10 miles
The counties along Lake Tugalo
- Rabun Countyseat: Clayton
- Habersham Countyseat: Clarkesville
Reels from Piscifun worth packing for Lake Tugalo
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
Photos of fishing water by Lake Tugalo
Photo: Rivers Langley; SaveRivers, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Thomson200, CC0 1.0
Photo: Thomsonmg2000, CC0 1.0
Photo: pseabolt, CC BY 3.0
Straight answers on Lake Tugalo
Which counties touch Lake Tugalo?
The lake sits within Rabun County and Habersham County, about 2 miles from Tallulah Falls.
Does Lake Tugalo rank as a large Georgia lake?
About 600 acres.
Which ramp should I use on Lake Tugalo?
There are 1 public ramp, such as Stoneplace Boat Ramp.
Which species does WRD list for Lake Tugalo?
The state ties largemouth bass, spotted bass, walleye, yellow perch, white bass, bluegill and channel catfish to it.
Does Georgia write special rules for Lake Tugalo?
Tugaloo Lake: Georgia-South Carolina agreement water: see the Georgia-South Carolina border waters chart (white bass 10, trout 5, bass 10 with 12-inch largemouth minimum, walleye/sauger 8, aggregate game fish 40).
Do I need a Georgia license to fish Lake Tugalo?
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
Which shop on the list is closest to Lake Tugalo?
Try Rabun Boat House, roughly 6 miles off.
Which lakes neighbor Lake Tugalo?
Lake Yonah, about 3 miles away.
Is there a WRD forecast for Lake Tugalo?
Top targets per WRD: Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Walleye, Yellow Perch, Redbreast Sunfish, Bluegill, Shellcrackers and White Bass.
Make Lake Tugalo your next Georgia lake day
Buy the license online before you leave and read the limits above.