Ward Creek, Bartow County Fishing
Bartow County and Paulding County, designated trout water.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lake Allatoona: John Phelan, CC BY 4.0
First things to know about the Ward Creek, Bartow County
The Ward Creek, Bartow County is a Georgia creek running through Bartow County and Paulding County. Roughly 8 miles flow inside the state line. Plan around Emerson, around 4 miles from the river.
Some 7.4 miles are designated trout stream.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 How WRD manages the Ward Creek, Bartow County for trout
The Ward Creek, Bartow County follows the statewide trout season, open all year with 8 trout (brook, rainbow, brown and hybrids) statewide a day.
Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
WRD Trout Fishing layer (designated trout streams) and the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations trout section. Georgia trout streams.
The Ward Creek, Bartow County species list
The Ward Creek, Bartow County list combines access point flags with forecast and record entries.
WRD Water Access Points species flags, WRD trout layer and forecasts.
Put-ins for boats and kayaks on the Ward Creek, Bartow County
Plan on wading the Ward Creek, Bartow County; WRD lists no ramp for it.
WRD Water Access Points, Georgia water trails layer, USGS gauges.
Harvest rules in force along the Ward Creek, Bartow County
| 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 |
Limits from the 2026-2027 Georgia Hunting and Fishing Regulations guide; every Georgia limit on one page.
Short drives from the Ward Creek, Bartow County
Georgia lakes in the same area as the Ward Creek, Bartow County
- Lake Acworth9 miles
- Lake Allatoona10 miles
- Goldmine Lake near Braswell, Paulding County, 15 acres16 miles
- Manning Mill Lake17 miles
Crickets, shiners and line near the Ward Creek, Bartow County
- Bayne's Fishing and Outdoorsbait and tackle shop, Euharlee, 3 miles
- Lake Allatoonamarina, Cartersville, 4 miles
- Academy Sports + Outdoors, 453 E. Main Stsporting goods store, Cartersville, 4 miles
- Cohutta Fishing Company, 487 E Main Stbait and tackle shop, Cartersville, 5 miles
- SHL Luresbait and tackle shop, Cartersville, 6 miles
Places to stay close to the Ward Creek, Bartow County
- Emerson4 miles
- Cartersville4 miles
- Euharlee8 miles
- Acworth8 miles
More Georgia rivers near the Ward Creek, Bartow County
- Pumpkinvine Creek4 miles
- Possum Creek7 miles
- Two Run Creek, Bartow County11 miles
- Raccoon Creek, Paulding County11 miles
County pages that include the Ward Creek, Bartow County
Piscifun tackle chosen with the Ward Creek, Bartow County in mind
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Pictures of the fish at Ward Creek, Bartow County
Photo: Purefury182, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Nick Tobler (Cowturtle), CC BY 4.0
Photo: Steven G. Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0
The Ward Creek, Bartow County: quick answers for anglers
Which Georgia counties does the Ward Creek, Bartow County cross?
Look in Bartow County and Paulding County.
How many trout miles does the Ward Creek, Bartow County have?
About 7.4 trout miles, so a trout license is needed for trout.
Is the Ward Creek, Bartow County up or down today?
No active USGS gauge matches it.
How many public launches does WRD map on the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
No put-in on file.
How many fish may I keep from the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
Use the statewide freshwater limits.
What does it cost to fish the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
Designated trout water needs the $10 resident trout license (nonresidents $25) on top of the Georgia fishing license ($15 resident, $50 nonresident).
Where do I pick up bait on the way to the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
Closest listing: Bayne's Fishing and Outdoors, 3 miles.
What does WRD say swims in the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
rainbow trout, per WRD.
Which Georgia town sits near the Ward Creek, Bartow County?
Emerson, about 4 miles from the midpoint.
Pack the waders for the Ward Creek, Bartow County
Look at flow and the rules first.