I often get requests from readers of my column for information about lakes and ponds where anglers can go fishing without the need for a boat. There are actually several options available to anglers that do not own a boat.

Lake Sinclair offers several fishing areas where anglers can fish from piers or platforms. There are fishing platforms available at the Dennis Station Acess on Dennis Station Road, a platform near the Highway 441 Bridge across from Little River Park and a fishing pier below the Wallace Dam. Georgia Power has a number of facilities on Lake Oconee where an angler can fish from the bank or from piers near boat ramps.

If you’re looking for smaller fishing venues than Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, the state has numerous public fishing facilities where you can fish without the need for a boat. Some of those facilities offer rental boats for anglers to use.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has several Public Fishing Areas (PFAs) that are open to Georgia residents and three of these are relatively close to this area.  All Georgia PFAs are open Wednesday through Sunday sunrise to sunset. For detailed fishing information at the Georgia PFAs go to www.gofishgeorgia.com. Those PFAs close to this area include:

1. Marben Farms PFA three miles south of Mansfield in Newton and Jasper counties has 22 ponds ranging from one to 95 acres. The ponds at Marben contain largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie, and channel catfish.

2. McDuffie County PFA is located eight miles east of Thompson and includes 13 ponds ranging from one to 30 acres. The ponds at McDuffie contain largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and channel catfish.

3. Hugh M. Gillis PFA is located 12 miles east of Dublin and has a 109-acre lake containing largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, and crappie.

In addition, fishing is available at some of Georgia’s state parks and several are close to this area. For additional information about these and other Georgia’s state parks go to www.gastateparks.org or call 1-800-864-7275. The state parks located close to this area include:

1. Hard Labor Creek State Park that is located in Morgan County. The park has 275 acre Lake Rutledge and 45-acre Lake Brantley and those lakes are stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. For additional information about the lakes and fishing at Hard Labor Creek State Park, call 1-706-557-3001.

2. Hamburg State Park is located about twenty miles north of Sandersville in Washington County. Hamburg State Park contains a 225-acre lake that is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie. For additional about fishing at Hamburg State Park, call 1-800-864-7275.

3. A.H. Stevens State Park is located just north of Crawfordville in Taliaferro County. The park has a 2-acre and an 18-acre lake containing largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. For additional information about fishing at A.H. Stevens State Park, call 1-706-456-2602.

4. High Falls State Park is located just off I-75 between Forsyth and Jackson in Monroe County. The park has a 650-acre lake stocked with largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish. For additional information about fishing High Fall State Park, call 1-478-993-3053.

Therefore, for anglers without a boat the state does offer several options for your fishing pleasure. Give some of the ones listed here a try. Good fishing and see you next week.

 Outdoor columnist Bobby Peoples can be contacted via e-mail at brpeoples@windstream.net.