What is the deepest lake in Georgia?

Of the lakes with a published depth, Carters Lake is the deepest at about 450 ft.

Deepest lakes in Georgia: 10 lakes ranked by depth

Which lakes in Georgia go deepest? These 10 have a published maximum depth, from Carters Lake at about 450 ft down.

Deepest first

#	Lake	Deepest	Size
1	Carters Lake	about 450 ft	3,200 acres
2	Lake Blue Ridge (Blue Ridge Lake)	about 246 ft	3,300 acres
3	Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill)	about 180 ft	71,100 acres
4	Richard B. Russell Lake	about 167 ft	26,600 acres
5	Lake Lanier	about 160 ft	38,000 acres
6	Lake Allatoona	about 145 ft	12,000 acres
7	Lake Burton	about 120 ft	2,780 acres
8	Lake Harding	about 111 ft	5,850 acres
9	Lake Oconee	about 102 ft	19,100 acres
10	Nottely Lake	about 98 ft	about 1,790 acres

1. Carters Lake

Carters Lake spreads over 3,200 acres of water. The lake is near Ellijay. Like most lakes its size in Georgia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. It goes down to about 450 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Georgia's deepest lake, held back by the tallest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River.

Carters Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Lake Blue Ridge (Blue Ridge Lake)

Lake Blue Ridge (Blue Ridge Lake) spreads over some 3,300 acres. The lake is within an easy drive of Alpharetta (about 51 miles). It is the Toccoa River behind Blue Ridge Dam. The usual Georgia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. It goes down to about 246 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. A deep TVA reservoir fed by the Toccoa River in the North Georgia mountains.

Lake Blue Ridge (Blue Ridge Lake) today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill)

Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill) spreads over 71,100 acres of water. Striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie and catfish are the draw. At about 180 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Lake Thurmond (Clarks Hill) today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Richard B. Russell Lake

Richard B. Russell Lake covers 26,600 acres of water. The lake is within an easy drive of Athens (about 34 miles). Richard B. Russell Dam holds it on the Savannah River. The usual Georgia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, striped bass and catfish. It goes down to about 167 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Federal regulations ban private development along its shoreline, keeping it largely undeveloped.

Richard B. Russell Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake Lanier

Lake Lanier spreads over 38,000 acres. The fish here are striped bass, spotted bass, largemouth bass and crappie. It goes down to about 160 ft.

Lake Lanier today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Lake Allatoona

At some 12,000 acres, Lake Allatoona is a big lake. It holds spotted bass, striped bass, crappie and catfish. It goes down to about 145 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Lake Allatoona today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Lake Burton

Lake Burton spreads over some 2,780 acres. The lake is about 6.8 miles east of Clayton. Lake Burton Dam holds it on the Tallulah River. Spotted bass, largemouth bass, white bass and crappie are the draw. The deepest water is around 120 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Georgia Power's highest-elevation lake, known for clear water in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The water is known for being clear: lighter line and natural colours help.

Lake Burton today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Lake Harding

Lake Harding is a reservoir of some 5,850 acres. It lies about 3 miles northwest of Valley. The usual Georgia mix applies: largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. At about 111 ft deep, it stays cooler below the surface well into summer. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start.

Lake Harding today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Oconee

At 19,100 acres of water, Lake Oconee is a big lake. It lies about 22 miles north of Athens. It is the Oconee River behind Wallace Dam. Like most lakes its size in Georgia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, white bass and catfish. It goes down to about 102 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Georgia's second-largest reservoir, formed on the Oconee River below Wallace Dam.

Lake Oconee today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Nottely Lake

Nottely Lake covers about 1,790 acres. The lake is about 4.8 miles southeast of Blairsville. Nottely Dam holds it on the Nottely River. Like most lakes its size in Georgia, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, catfish and bluegill. It goes down to about 98 ft. A TVA flood-control reservoir near Blairsville with mostly undeveloped national-forest shoreline.

Nottely Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

The clearest of them

Lake Burton is known for clear water. On a clear lake fish see a long way: lighter line, natural colours and longer casts make the difference.

Fishing deep water

Deep lakes reward slow, vertical fishing: drop a jig or a spoon to the depth where fish show on the sonar and work it right there. In spring and fall the fish come shallow and any method works.