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Georgia · Fishing
Appling, Georgia sits in Columbia County just a few miles from the western shore of Clarks Hill Lake, one of the largest reservoirs in the eastern United States, and that geography shapes nearly every fishing option in the area.
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Appling, Georgia sits in Columbia County just a few miles from the western shore of Clarks Hill Lake, one of the largest reservoirs in the eastern United States, and that geography shapes nearly every fishing option in the area. The five access points listed on Roamze range from full-service marina launches at Thurmond Marina to the more relaxed pier setups at Lake Springs and Below Dam South Carolina, which sits just across the state line on the Savannah River tailwater below Thurmond Dam. Mistletoe State Park and Wildwood Park round out the lake-fishing options, each offering shoreline and pier access without requiring a boat. The lake holds largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, bream, and catfish, and the tailwater below the dam adds a different fishery with cooler, oxygenated water that attracts different species and different tactics. Whether you are launching a bass boat at Thurmond Marina or walking the pier at Lake Springs with a spinning rod, you can find productive water within a short drive of Appling's center. Crowds are manageable compared to metro-Atlanta reservoirs, and most access points have parking that handles a trailer rig without much hassle on weekday mornings.
The listings here split into two categories: lake fishing on Clarks Hill Lake at spots like Thurmond Marina, Wildwood Park, and Mistletoe State Park, and pier fishing at Lake Springs and Below Dam South Carolina. The tailwater fishery below Thurmond Dam at the South Carolina site fishes differently from the main lake, so it is worth treating as a separate trip with different gear expectations.
You do not need a boat. Lake Springs and Below Dam South Carolina both offer pier access, and Mistletoe State Park and Wildwood Park have shoreline spots that are fishable on foot. Thurmond Marina is the best choice if you are launching a trailered boat, as it has the infrastructure to support that.
West Dam
~9 min drive
A worthwhile stop near SC.
Modoc
~9 min drive
A worthwhile stop near SC.
Amity Recreation Area
~18 min drive
A worthwhile stop near GA.
Hawe Creek
~21 min drive
A worthwhile stop near SC.
Lake Thurmond (J. Strom Thurmond Lake)
~9 min drive
Easy
Lake Russell (South Carolina)
~1h 5m drive
Moderate
Clarks Hill
~10 min drive
A worthwhile stop near SC.
Wildwood Park
~2 min drive
A worthwhile stop near GA.
Lake Springs
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near GA.
Soap Creek Marina
~24 min drive
A worthwhile stop near GA.
Parksville
~16 min drive
A worthwhile stop near SC.
Thurmond Marina
~6 min drive
A worthwhile stop near GA.
You need a valid Georgia fishing license for all Georgia-side locations, including Thurmond Marina, Wildwood Park, Mistletoe State Park, and Lake Springs. Below Dam South Carolina is on the South Carolina side, so you will need a South Carolina license there. Clarks Hill Lake itself sits on the state line, and both states offer reciprocal agreements for the main lake body, but confirm current reciprocal terms with Georgia DNR or South Carolina DNR before your trip since these agreements can change.
Early morning and the last two hours before sunset are consistently the most productive windows for bass and bream on Clarks Hill Lake, particularly in warmer months when fish move shallow during low-light periods. The tailwater below the dam at the South Carolina site can fish well throughout the day since dam releases affect water temperature and current more than the sun angle does.
Spring, from late February through May, is the strongest overall season, covering the pre-spawn and spawn periods for largemouth bass and the crappie run. Fall, from September through November, is a close second as water temperatures drop and fish feed aggressively before winter. Summer fishing is productive early in the morning but slows significantly once the sun is up and the lake surface heats up.
