Closest Body of Water to Atlanta with Edible Fish

[akbirdhunter]

Hi All,

I have fished quite a few bodies of water near Atlanta since moving here in late-2018. However, I've always been advised that anything south of Lake Lanier should be avoided as it pertains to eating what I catch. Therefore, I always catch and release. I'd like to start eating what I catch as it just makes things more fun.

What would be the GON community's suggestions of bodies of water near Atlanta where you would feel comfortable eating what you catch? This is just a general question but I don't own a boat and therefore bonus points for places where bank fishing is possible.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

We eat a lot of fish from Lane Lanier without concern, with due consideration of the Fish Consumption Advisory information published by the state.

http://www.eregulations.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Fish-Consumption.pdf

I wouldn't be slow to eat fish closer to Atlanta if the advisory suggested there was no problem. It's more that fishing pressure and population densities are sub-optimal for my fishing experience closer to Atlanta. I do hope one day to fish the Hooch and reservoirs down stream of Atlanta. I'd just stick with the info in the advisory.

 

[Batjack]

I have eat'n fish from every body of water I have fished in all over this state all of my life without any concern.

 

[seeker]

You have mail.

 

[Coenen]

Rainbow Trout from the Hooch Tailwater should be fine. As would warm water species from Bull Sluice I should think.

 

[akbirdhunter]

We eat a lot of fish from Lane Lanier without concern, with due consideration of the Fish Consumption Advisory information published by the state.

http://www.eregulations.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Fish-Consumption.pdf

I wouldn't be slow to eat fish closer to Atlanta if the advisory suggested there was no problem. It's more that fishing pressure and population densities are sub-optimal for my fishing experience closer to Atlanta. I do hope one day to fish the Hooch and reservoirs down stream of Atlanta. I'd just stick with the info in the advisory.

Appreciate the link here, I totally forgot about this as it's been a little bit since I reviewed the regs for this year. Will use as a reference moving forward!

Rainbow Trout from the Hooch Tailwater should be fine. As would warm water species from Bull Sluice I should think.

I'm surprised folks fish this, it looks quite a bit too rough based on videos I've seen.

Thanks everyone for the insights so far!

 

[akbirdhunter]

You have mail.

Replied

 

[Coenen]

I'm surprised folks fish this, it looks quite a bit too rough

Ecologically or literally?

 

[akbirdhunter]

Ecologically or literally?

Literally. I guess you can fish anything with the right gear.

To be fair, I've never actually visited. I've only seen videos of kayakers.

 

[Coenen]

Literally. I guess you can fish anything with the right gear.

To be fair, I've never actually visited. I've only seen videos of kayakers.

There are only a couple of real rapids on the Tailwater below Buford Dam. On low water, the entire thing is pretty tame. You've got to pick your spots to wade, but fishing from a float tube or kayak is easy-peasy.

 

[ryork]

I have eat'n fish from every body of water I have fished in all over this state all of my life without any concern.

Yep me too!!

 

[MattKelley]

I eat stripers and catfish from below morgan falls dam and brown trout from above. People always talk about how gross the chattahoochee is but don't mind floating and swimming in it all summer. I just make sure to keep my meat cold and not rupture intestines when I clean. Feel like those fish are in a lot cleaner environment than some of the hogs, chickens, and cows I eat.

 

[akbirdhunter]

I eat stripers and catfish from below morgan falls dam and brown trout from above. People always talk about how gross the chattahoochee is but don't mind floating and swimming in it all summer. I just make sure to keep my meat cold and not rupture intestines when I clean. Feel like those fish are in a lot cleaner environment than some of the hogs, chickens, and cows I eat.

You're probably right. Most likely cleaner than what a lot of us are buyin' at the local Publix even.

 

[Browniez]

If you tend to eat smaller specimens you are fine pretty much anywhere. They haven’t had the time to collect all of the nasty stuff working it’s way up the food chain (Mercury etc.)

I’ve eaten plenty of striper from downtown. As other have said compared to where store meat comes from I’m not really concerned.

I’d be more concerned about some of the stuff near the old paper mills and mining areas around the state line with TN/NC in all honesty.

 

[notnksnemor]

The Atlantic Ocean.

 

[fish hawk]

PCB's and heavy metals are bad stuff,they tend to build up in the fatty tissues of larger bottom feeding fish such as catfish and bass.If your concerned just keep the smaller bass and catfish less than 15 inches or bream and crappie.