An 850-acre drinking water reservoir owned by Newton County, Lake Varner opened to the public in 1992 and has produced excellent fishing ever since. First known as “Cornish Creek Reservoir,” this 850-acre impoundment was built in 1991 to provide an additional source of water for county residents. The lake opened to public fishing in 1992 and although some unique regulations are in place, anglers continue to flock to the lake to get in on the hot action. Much of Lake Varner remains virtually uncharted water. Since all boats are limited to electric motors only, the upper ends of the lake distant from the single access point get very little fishing pressure. Also, prospecting for offshore structure is a time-consuming task without a gasoline motor. Lake Varner is not an extremely deep lake. In the main creek channels, the water is close to 20 feet deep. The deepest point on the lake is near the dam and has 38 feet of water. Lake Varner’s waters are usually clear, and aquatic vegetation is abundant. The lake has one public access point on the east side near the dam. The access point has a paved boat ramp, parking, fishing pier, and shoreline fishing area. The lake offers good fishing for several panfish species, and specimens up to 10 inches are common. Anglers targeting bluegill, redear sunfish, and crappie should have no problem finding the main ingredient needed for a fish fry. The bass fishing in Lake Varner has been excellent from the start. Several ponds were flooded when the lake was built and trophy fish were possible from opening day. In the years since the lake opened, fish populations have expanded to fill the lake, and since growth is good, even more trophies are available. Several bass weighing more than 13 pounds have been caught, and many of the bass weigh 2 pounds or more. Key species: largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, crappie.