Atlanta's quick escape and the best spotted bass in the Southeast.
Allatoona is the lake you can reach after work on a Friday, which is exactly why half of northwest Georgia loves it. Red clay shores, clear water, and a laid-back crowd that's there for the same reason you are — a quick reset before Monday.
The Friday-Night Launch
Get the boat in the water by six, find a cove on the southern end, and drop anchor. The kids swim, the adults float, and the sun goes down behind the pines. By dark you're either grilling on the pontoon or heading back to a cabin — either way, the weekend has officially started.
“Allatoona isn't the biggest lake in Georgia. It's the one you can actually get to.”
Come back at dawn for the spotted bass — they bite hard on a shaky head in fifteen feet of water along the points, and a good morning here will ruin you for every other lake in the state.
