An official website of the State of Georgia.
Visitors wishing to visit Lake Rutledge to fish can park in the parking lot located at the end of Lake Rutledge Road. Visitors wishing to visit Lake Brantley to fish can park at the end of the parking lot near the park office. Fish in both lakes include largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Channel Catfish, Black Crappie and Bluegill/Bream. Visitors must provide their own fishing equipment; however, the Trading Post offers for purchase a limited selection of bait and tackle.
Non-motorized boats, trolling boats and gas boats up to 10 HP are allowed. Boaters must follow GA Boating Regulations regarding life jackets/PFDs. Georgia law requires that anyone 16 and older have a fishing license in their possession, and abide by all GA fishing laws regarding size and quantity of fish kept.
You can purchase one online from the Electronic Georgia Licensing (EGAL) system or call 1-800-366-2661. Rest assured, by purchasing a license, you’re supporting the fisheries management and conservation of Georgia’s aquatic resources
Please note: The Hard Labor Creek Reservoir located in Walton County is not owned or operated by Hard Labor Creek State Park or the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Please visit hardlaborcreek.com for information on recreation opportunities at the reservoir.
Fish Attractors
An award-winning project: On March 2020, Commerce Middle School FFA created PVC trees to promote fishing habitats and attract fish to certain areas of Lake Rutledge at the park. These artificial fish attractors were made from PVC pipe, a bucket, and concrete and were donated to Hard Labor Creek State Park. The park geo-referenced the locations in the lake for fishermen to use. This is a great example of mixing resource management, park rangers, and volunteers to enhance recreation opportunities at our state parks.
Fish Attractors Map PDF - If you have the Avenza PDF reader app on your phone, you can download the map, open it in that app, and it should be able to give you a location when you are at that site. iPhone users: please download the map using “Safari search engine” instead of Google.
Other Information
For any questions, visit the Nature Center or call us at 706.557.3001.
