Lake Yonah Fishing
A 330-acre Georgia reservoir in Habersham County and Stephens County.
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First things to know about Lake Yonah
Lake Yonah is a Georgia reservoir of 330 acres located in Habersham County and Stephens County. Another name in use for it is Yonah Lake. For fuel and food, Tallulah Falls sits about 3 miles off.
Georgia Power Company runs the dam and the water level. The Georgia share of the lake is near 53%, the rest in South Carolina. Species flagged for it by WRD include walleye, yellow perch, largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass and channel catfish. There are 2 public boat ramps on it.
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The WRD forecast for Lake Yonah reads in part as follows.
“Lake Yonah is a 330 acre run-of-the-river type lake near the City of Toccoa that is operated for hydropower by Georgia Power Company. Walleye and largemouth bass are the featured species in Lake Yonah but spotted bass, white bass, yellow perch, bream, crappie and catfish also occur in moderate numbers.”
WRD points anglers on Lake Yonah toward Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Bass.
| Species | WRD prospect (quoted) |
|---|---|
| Walleye | Lake Yonah’s small size and abundant Walleye population make this reservoir an ideal place for catching Walleye in Georgia. Fall gill net sampling from this year captured mostly smaller individuals, but the chance to land a big one still remains. |
| Yellow Perch | A successful Yellow Perch fishery with trophy individuals also exists as a by-product of the Walleye fishery on Lake Yonah, with Walleye feeding on the perch to keep numbers low and allowing perch to achieve maximum growth and size. |
| Bass | Catch rates for Largemouth Bass and Spotted Bass came in about even with each other this year, with their size distributions also sharing in similarities. |
Georgia WRD fishing forecast for Lake Yonah, updated February 17, 2026. Read the full forecast.
The Lake Yonah species list
Every fish here is named for Lake Yonah by a WRD source.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD fishing forecast and WRD record lists; checked October 2026.
Ramps that put trailers into Lake Yonah
- Lake Yonah Boat Ramp2 lanes, dock, Georgia Power
- Yonah Campground1 lane, dock, restroom, Georgia Power
More public ramps around Lake Yonah
- Stoneplace Boat RampLake Tugalo, 3 miles north
- Walker Creek Boat RampLake Hartwell, 3 miles southeast
- Tallulah Gorge State ParkTallulah Falls Lake, 4 miles northwest
- Hall's MarinaLake Rabun, 7 miles northwest
- Lake Rabun Beach Rec AreaLake Rabun, 8 miles northwest
- Nacoochee ParkLake Rabun, 9 miles northwest
WRD Water Access Points layer and CRD coastal ramps, checked October 2026.
Harvest rules for Lake Yonah
Special regulations for Lake Yonah appear in the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations, shown first below.
| Water as printed | Rule |
|---|---|
| Yonah 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). |
Border water limits on Lake Yonah
| 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.
Lakes near Lake Yonah side by side
Of the lakes around Lake Yonah, Lake Tugalo is nearest (3 miles) and Lake Burton is largest.
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Ramps | Type | Species listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Yonah | 330 | 2 | reservoir | 10 | |
| Lake Tugalo | 3 miles north | 600 | 1 | reservoir | 11 |
| Tallulah Falls Lake | 4 miles northwest | 63 | 1 | lake | 8 |
| Lake Rabun | 6 miles northwest | 834 | 3 | reservoir | 6 |
| Lake Seed | 11 miles northwest | 240 | 1 | reservoir | 9 |
| Lake Burton | 15 miles northwest | 2,775 | 3 | reservoir | 11 |
WRD waterbodies, reservoirs and Water Access Points layers.
Within reach of Lake Yonah
Neighboring lakes to Lake Yonah
- Lake Tugalo3 miles north
- Tallulah Falls Lake4 miles northwest
- Lake Rabun6 miles northwest
- Lake Seed11 miles northwest
- Lake Burton15 miles northwest
Creeks and rivers around Lake Yonah
- Davidson Creek3 miles
- Little Panther Creek3 miles
- Bad Creek3 miles
Bait and tackle stops near Lake Yonah
- Rabun Boat Housemarina, Lakemont, 8 miles
- Blackhawk Trophy Flyfishingbait and tackle shop, Clarkesville, 10 miles
- Bait Jacuzzibait and tackle shop, Eastanollee, 12 miles
- Dutch Boat Storagebait and tackle shop, Martin, 14 miles
- Harbor Light Marinamarina, Lavonia, 23 miles
- Harbor Light Marina Southmarina, Lavonia, 24 miles
Georgia towns handy to Lake Yonah
- Tallulah Falls3 miles
- Toccoa8 miles
- Tiger11 miles
Which counties share Lake Yonah
- Habersham Countyseat: Clarkesville
- Stephens Countyseat: Toccoa
Piscifun reels to rig up for Lake Yonah
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Scenes from the water around Lake Yonah
Photo: Mccunicano, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Chanilim714, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: JJeffTV at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
Lake Yonah in a few quick answers
Which Georgia town makes a handy base for Lake Yonah?
Head for Habersham County and Stephens County, about 3 miles from Tallulah Falls.
What size is Lake Yonah on the state map?
Georgia data give 330 acres.
Where do I launch a boat on Lake Yonah?
Try Lake Yonah Boat Ramp, one of 2 public ramps.
Which fish do Georgia sources tie to Lake Yonah?
Expect walleye, yellow perch, largemouth bass, spotted bass, white bass, channel catfish and white catfish.
Are there exceptions to statewide limits on Lake Yonah?
Yonah 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).
Is a trout license needed at Lake Yonah?
Reciprocal agreements let a Georgia license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident) cover the shared border water as the guide lists it.
Is there a bait store close to Lake Yonah?
Rabun Boat House is the nearest at 8 miles.
Is there another lake near Lake Yonah?
Lake Tugalo sits 3 miles from it.
What are the best bets on Lake Yonah?
The forecast names Walleye, Yellow Perch, and Bass.
Circle a Saturday for Lake Yonah
Read the posted rules and keep your license on you.