December 13, 2024 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

What are you adding to your fishing holiday wish list this year? A new fishing pole, tackle box, reel or something like a fish finder or trolling motor? We hope that the holidays meet all your wishes and most of all, bring you the time to head to the water so you can spend some time wetting a line.

NEWS TO KNOW

This week, we have fresh fishing reports from Southeast, Southwest, North and Central Georgia. Don’t forget to make that fishing wish list and check it twice and then Go Fish Georgia!

(Fishing report courtesy of Capt. Bert Deener, Retired Georgia WRD Fisheries Supervisor, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

It’s been cold and warm, calm and windy this week. Folks almost always find some biting fish, and this week is no different. Grab your coveralls and get in on some of the best fishing of the year.

River gages on December 12th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 4.9 feet and falling
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 3.3 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 6.4 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 8.2 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 6.4 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 4.7 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 2.8 feet and rising
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 3.5 feet and rising

Full Moon is December 15th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

The river is getting right for lots of species. Jamie Hodge fished the lakes in the lower river two days this week and fooled his limit of crappie each day by spider-rigging minnows. His biggest fish were over a pound. Justin Lee and Caleb Turner bass fished the lower river on Tuesday and had a good bite. They fooled 6 bass and 3 pickerel by flinging bright-colored crankbaits. They tried plastic worms first but only had a few bites and no hookups. Bill Stewart fished with me in the lower river on Tuesday, and we caught a total of 30 fish (20 crappie – our target) of 6 species. We found crappie in the oxbows and caught them on 1/16-oz. popsicle and Tennessee shad Specktacular Jigs and 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs both with and without a minnow. We had 4 fish over a pound, and our biggest was 1-lb., 3-oz. We picked up a few nice bass on the crappie jigs, and Bill caught a 3 1/2-pounder on his confidence bait – a Texas-rigged black-fire tail plastic worm. The catch of the day was a 1-lb., 4-oz. redear sunfish (shellcracker) that inhaled a popsicle Specktacular Jig. We released it after a photo shoot. Another angler fishing the river that day fooled a great mess of crappie by easing along with 4 float rigs baited with minnows. Hunter Dean and a buddy had an awesome trip Sunday on the lower river after doing some hunting. They cast black/blue jigs and caught 6 bass – some of them really nice ones –  that weighed a total of 17 pounds.

ST MARYS RIVER

Fermen Dasher and his nephew Larry fished the middle section of river on Friday and had a really nice mess of bluegills and a few crappie and bass. They flung beetlespins, and Larry did best for bluegills by tipping his with a piece of worm. He returned on Monday and caught a couple dozen panfish, including crappie, bluegill, stumpknockers, and redbreasts. I fished the middle river on Friday and ended up catching 27 fish of 6 different species by myself. The best presentation was a 1/16-oz. Mirage Jig tipped with a minnow (2/3 of the fish on the jig were when it was tipped with a minnow and 1/3 with just a plain jig), but I also caught a few really nice fish on a Tennessee shad Specktacular Jig. My biggest crappie was a little over a pound, and biggest warmouth weighed 3/4 pound. Note: The Temple Landing Boat Ramp will be closed beginning 12/16 while the GA Wildlife Resources Division boat ramp crew rebuilds the ramp. It will be a much-improved facility when they finish the project. The projects typically take a few months to complete, but it is always weather and river level dependent.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

An angler fishing the east side on Saturday caught a nice mess of fliers by pitching red wiggler worms in the canal. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.94 feet.

LOCAL PONDS

Chip Lafferty had a GREAT trip at a Brunswick area pond on Tuesday. His biggest bass were 7-4, 6-3, and 5-13, and he had a handful of smaller bass, as well. Tripp has been whacking the bass this week in their Guyton area pond by slow-rolling catalpa-colored Satilla Spins. Joshua Barber fished a Manor area pond on Tuesday and caught a half-dozen bass and 4 pickerel. Swimbaits and speed worms worked for him. Jimmy Zinker fished a Worth County pond on Wednesday and caught 3 bass on a white spinnerbait in the cold, windy conditions.

DODGE COUNTY PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Eastman)

Ken Burke fished on Tuesday for 5 hours and caught 4 bass that weighed 12.75 pounds. He had a 5-pound kicker. The bass were chasing shad schools, and he fooled them by putting a crankbait (squarebills and lipless crankbaits) near them when they were busting bait. Find out more about this area at GeorgiaWildlife.com/dodge-county-pfa.

HUGH M. GILLIS PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Dublin)

Area staff said that the effort was low this week, but anglers caught some nice crappie by fishing the deeper timber with minnows and jigs. Find out more about this area at GeorgiaWildlife.com/hugh-m-gillis-pfa.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Even with the cold and wind, the trout and redfish bites were generally good. One trip was really slow, but everyone else who reported caught quite a few fish. Dane Clements and Wayne Canady caught a great mess of sheepshead in the cold this weekend. They caught 44 fish and kept a limit. Most of their fish were in the 2 to 8-foot depth range. Fiddler crabs were the ticket. Charles Sweat took his brother-in-law David to the St Marys area on Saturday. They worked for their fish, but they still caught 8 trout, a big sheepshead, a black drum, and a 28-inch bull red. Tail-hooked live shrimp worked for them. Sean Tarpley had a productive weekend in the brine around Brunswick. On Saturday he started at sunrise with the incoming tide and rode it up into the creeks catching trout all along the way (from his kayak). He used plastics (DOA paddle tails, E-Z Shrimp, and Z-man mulletron). His biggest trout was around 18 inches. Near some trees and deep holes he found the redfish and caught a bunch along with a 28-inch hybrid striped bass. What an unexpected monster! On Sunday he went back and started in the redfish hole and caught over a dozen reds. He used shrimp on a Capt. Bert’s Shrimp Hook the second day.  Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) fished with Bill Kelly and Pat Bisese on Monday and Tuesday and put it on the fish. They threw Fourseven lures 3.5-inch swimbaits and grubs on Zombie Eye Jigheads and Trout Eye Jigheads. They tried different colors but kept coming back to pink/blue (agitator) and Christmas tree colors. They had a couple limits of trout on Monday and then caught a bunch of redfish on the way in by floating shrimp under a Harper Super Striker Float. They did the same thing on Tuesday but started with the redfish. They caught redfish until their arms were sore, and some were really nice, oversized fish. Those big reds would not touch anything other than the 3.5-inch swimbait. Tim had been fooling them on a gold flake plastic shrimp, but they would not have anything other than the Fourseven swimbait that day. They finished Tuesday by fooling lots of trout drifting live shrimp under the floats. He piddled around Thursday with some new Fourseven plastics and caught trout on their straight-tailed worm and plastic shrimp. After your next trip to the Georgia coast, drop off your fish carcasses in the freezer at the Waycross Fisheries Office at 108 Darling Avenue. The Coastal Resources Division collects most inshore saltwater species so that they can determine age and growth for each species. All the supplies and information cards are in the freezer. Filet your fish then drop off the carcasses in the freezer. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is open Friday through Tuesday each week (closed Wednesday and Thursday) They have plenty of lively shrimp and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. For the latest information and their hours, contact them at 912-223-1379.

Blog Contributer Capt. Bert Deener guides fishing trips in southeast Georgia and makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures. Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook. For a copy of his latest catalog, call or text him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo.com).

(Fishing report courtesy of Caroline Cox, Fisheries Biologist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts) 

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Remember, the water level on the lake is still down and will start refilling on December 15.

Recently, regional fisheries employees from the Department of Natural Resources were out on the lake conducting their normal fall sampling. The survey showed that White Bass have started using the sandy flat areas in 10-15 feet of water, with just a few Striped Bass using this habitat as well. This number of Striped Bass in these areas will likely continue to increase as the temperatures decline. The team also caught a good number of Crappie in their samples. Age and growth data gained from this collection will be used in a statewide assessment of Crappie population dynamics conducted by graduate students at the University of Georgia.

Currently anglers number one catch is Crappies on the lake, with some large fish being recently pulled out! Top hits are occurring on ATX jigs, Sugar Bug jigs, Litewire jigheads, and live minnows. If you find yourself in some need of these stop by Flint River Outdoors.

Thanks for the photo use Flint River Outdoors, LLC.

LAKE SEMINOLE

With the arrival of colder weather, the Crappie and Hybrids/Stripers are BITING! Expect Crappie, Hybrid, and Striper fishing to be very good throughout the winter months. 

Ken Sturdivant with Southern Fishing Schools Inc. reports “It is time to get out the bream-colored lures as these are primary baits for bass now. Try the spinnerbaits and vibrating jigs to jerk baits. A 1/2-ounce double willowleaf Strike King Premier Plus spinnerbait in chartreuse and white is a good choice especially on feeding periods. This bait works well at fast speeds to generate a reaction strike. The Strike King Thunder Cricket can work can continue to produce daily. This bait has incredible action to it and a built-in trailer keeper hook that works. Jerk baits have worked well. The key has been working them fast and at an erratic pace. The Strike King KVD jerk bait in the 200 Series and the 300 Series in any shad color has worked well. The Strike KVD series is a local favorite jerk bait due to it casts so well and the action when worked at a fast erratic pace.”

Thanks for the photos: Hybrid/Striper (Captain Paul Tyre) and Crappie (Budd Smith) 

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

Water temperatures are around 60 degrees, and the bass fishing could be categorized as being fair. Crankbaits are working in the deeper cover. The fish are now transitioned into their winter pattern. They are moving out of the shallows to slightly deeper warmer water. Start the day working the deeper areas with crankbaits that are lipped and lipless. Carolina rigs pulled through the deeper cover are somewhat effective as well as spinnerbaits worked slower in the deeper water. Soft bait colors of choice appear to be watermelon, candy greens and black with chartreuse tails worked deep and shallow. Remember that as water temperatures cool, bass are a bit less aggressive so slow down all your presentations.

Anglers are still catching good numbers of crappie with both minnows and jigs. Anglers fishing with minnows near the bottom in 15 foot or greater have been catching crappie and nice sized channel and blue cats. Jigs and live scopes are seeing success fishing depths ranging from 10 to 20 feet. Jig color does not seem too important, but finding a good school of fish is the trick. Look for fish near cover on deep flats or near creek channel edges.

A recent gill net survey by the Fisheries Section indicated good numbers of hybrid striped bass in the 1-to-4-pound range, crappie up to 2 pounds, and good numbers of both channel and blue catfish. There were a few good-sized striped bass collected and anglers will know it if they hook into one of these large, hard-fighting, fish. 

FLINT RIVER 

Flows are down and water temps are dropping.  White bass fishing is good below the Lake Blackshear Dam.  Fish small topwater lures or small jerk baits.  White bass aren’t large, but the action can be fast and furious, and they pull good on light tackle.  Remember that striped bass season is now open below Albany Dam.  These fish have been surviving in thermal refuges all summer and are now freely roaming the river and ready to put on some weight for winter.  Fish large minnow imitations in topwater or swim baits. Bass fishing will be slowing down with the cold temperatures.  Think about slower baits or reactive type baits.      

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

The Lower Chattahoochee River flows have regulated back near normal. Catfish have been caught in deeper bends recently.  Crappie fishing is picking up also.  Target blowdowns and brush piles in deeper river sections.  Striped bass season is open south from Columbia Lock and Dam and should provide some good action.   

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

There have not been too many people targeting largemouth bass the past week with the cold stretch, but the few people who have been at it have seen success in deeper water with rubber worms moved very slowly thru the water. Crappie fisherman have had success trolling deeper waters with live minnows lately. Bream and catfish fishing and pressure has slowed as of late.

(Fishing report courtesy of John Damer, Fisheries Biologist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts) 

RESERVOIR REPORT

Blue Ridge Lake Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Temp 62F. Water Level -18ft (normal winter pool). Clarity 10ft. As with most area lakes cold fronts are the name of the game now. Prefrontal days are the time to hit the lake. Dropping pressure and overcast sky are go time for feeding walleye. This time of year, we like to vertical jig for big walleye. Spoons, blades, and jigs of all sizes are the go-to options right now. On cloudy days try some of the crazy walleye colors like fire tiger and chartreuse or wonder bread color patterns. On sunny days or post front conditions go smaller and natural colors like herring or crawdad and slow the presentations way down. Target depth is 35 to 90ft with the bigger fish typically being deeper. Vary your jigging rhythm and distance from the bottom until you find what they want. Location isn’t a thing as the fish are simply following the bait around so the old find the bait find the fish saying holds true this month. We are targeting the biggest fish of the year right now. It’s big fish fishing and not a numbers game, but if you’re gonna see a 10lb walleye it will be in the next couple months. The perch bite has been on and off with the weather as well. They really prefer it cold and stable. These are great options when the bright sunshine has the walleye bite shut down. Same tactics just a smaller presentation or add live minnows to the mix. These fish typically hold a bit shallower in the 20 to 40ft range.

Carters Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Temp 63F. Level full. Clarity 6 to 8ft. Old man winter finally showed up. Cold fronts are the name of the game now. Prefrontal days are the time to hit the lake. Dropping pressure and overcast sky are go time for feeding walleye. This time of year, we like to vertical jig for big walleye. Spoons, blades, jigs of all sizes are the go-to options right now. On cloudy days try some of the crazy walleye colors like fire tiger and chartreuse or wonder bread color patterns. On sunny days or post front conditions go smaller and natural colors like herring or crawdad and slow the presentations way down. Target depth is 35 to 90ft with the bigger fish typically being deeper. Vary your jigging rhythm and distance from the bottom till you find what they want. Location isn’t a thing as the fish are simply following the bait around so the old find the bait find the fish saying holds true this month. We are targeting the biggest fish of the year right now. It’s big fish fishing and not a numbers game but if you’re gonna see a 10 lb walleye it will be in the next couple months.

Carters Lake Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — The stripers are being pretty cooperative and feeding good in the mornings on a variety of live baits. Gizzards, alewives, and shiners have all put fish in the boat recently.  We are pulling planers again with flat lines in conjunction with our down lines. Most bites are coming within 35ft of the surface over various bottom depths. If you want to do away with the live bait and troll, the Captain Mack’s umbrella rigs and mini-Mack’s rigs are great options. I pull the full-size rigs behind the boat and the minis off the planers. 2 to 3mph seems to be working just fine. Anywhere you see bait on the graph with fish near it is the place to fish. Work the area around the bait and then move on.  Good luck and stay warm.

Lake Allatoona Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Matt Driver, via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Allatoona is down 9.1 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. December is a great time to be on Lake Allatoona and there are some giant spotted bass being caught. Water temperatures are dropping quickly into the low 50’s and will potentially go lower than that really soon. If the winter weather pattern for the first of the month continues to hold, the jerk bait bite will be in full swing. We are using multiple jerk baits right now. We are mixing it up between three depth ranges 3 to 6 feet deep, 6 to 12 feet deep and 12 plus feet. Depending on weather conditions, cloud cover and high pressure. Let the fish dictate which bait they prefer. We mainly key on the 6-to-12-foot range. Use the translucent shad patterns and an occasional chrome flash. Even though water temperatures are cold try and fish the bait as fast as possible as long the fish bite. If the bite slows slow down the bait, as well. We are targeting points and pockets that are windblown and are full of bait. There has been a mix of hybrids, stripers and spotted bass. A lot of the bigger fish have come when around stripers and hybrids. When things slow down and get a little tough try switching over to the Little Spotty jig and dragging it slowly on main lake rocks and bluffs. Fishing will continue to be great unless the water drops into the low 40’s and we see a shad kill. Typically, we don’t see that until January if we see it at all. Stay safe, and make sure you wear a flotation device and don’t fish alone. Hypothermia is a killer.

Lake Allatoona Crappie Report: (This report courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits) —

• Air Temp: High: 54 – Low: 21
• Wind: Up to 25 Mph
• Lake Level: Approx. 830.5′ and Slowly Dropping
• Water Temp: 52 – 54
• Water Clarity: Clear to light stain (Allatoona Green)
• Area Fished: Block House, Galt’s Ferry, Little River, S-Turns, & Victoria Areas
• Jigs Used: UV Shad – Dagger, UV Smoke – Dagger, Lemonade – Slab Dragon and ‘Lectric Chicken – Small Fry
• Technique: Trolling & Casting Jigs

Old Man Winter blew into Lake Allatoona this past week and knocked the crappie in the head! The cold nights and strong winds kept most of us indoors this past week. We did manage a few crappie trolling with a 1.7lb White Crappie! But it was tough and not much to report on from this past week. We got on the water on Saturday early morning until noon with only 5 crappie. It was 22 degrees when we got on the water around 0730…we were happy to see the sun pop over those trees! We trolled mouths of creeks, mid creek and even went shallow to see if the crappie may have moved into the shallows for warmer water. The crappie we did catch were mid creek in the 12′ to 15′ range…roaming crappie. We saw fish holding tight to brush, none suspended…which generally means they are hunkered down and not feeding. We trolled using 1/16th oz. jig heads and 3/32nd oz. jig heads to target deeper crappie but they were in no mood to chase jigs. The cold front that came in this week took its toll on the crappie and forced them deep as the overnight lows dipped into the 20’s and the couple of cold nights really slowed things down. We heard from some reliable sources during the middle of the week that they found crappie schools suspended in 20′ of water and would not bite! This is typical when the weather goes from one extreme to the other very quickly. The Allatoona crappie need some time to adjust to the rapid cooling of the water temps. The weather should stabilize next week and have a constant water temperature, and the crappie will start feeding again.

Lake Lanier Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier is down 4.1 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. The lake is currently four feet below full pool, and the water temperature is running in the upper fifties. Overall, the lake is clear. Well, winter fishing is here as the bass have moved into their winter areas. There are still bass to be caught in the shallower water with an A-Rig, spinnerbait, or crankbait but there are more fish in the thirty-five-to-sixty-foot range. Look for the narrower ditches running into the creeks that have a distinct ditch with structure scattered in it. A white or silver half ounce spoon, a Danika rig or a drop shot are great choices for these areas. Work these baits vertically down into the bass. If you can locate a ditch that also has shad in it that is a bonus. While a lot of the bass are within five feet of the bottom there are a good many that are cruising in the twenty-to-twenty-five-foot range. For these bass the FFS and the Damiki rig are a fun choice to target them with. Cast the Damiki past the bass, let it sink to the level they are and slowly reel it back with an occasional twitch. The fun part is watching them take the bait. The three eights Spot Choker with a three-inch swimbait is another great choice for working the ditches. Check the shallow end early then back out into the deeper sections while slowly working this bait along the bottom. While the ditch bite has somewhat ruled this week you can’t rule out the jig bite. You can work the jig deep into the ditches or target the rocky points out deeper. Any structure or ledge in the twenty-five-to-thirty-foot range is also a good place to try it. It’s cold but they are biting so bundle up and Go Catch ‘Em!

Lake Lanier Catfish Report: (This report courtesy of Jack Becker, aka Georgia Waterdog) — I fished mid-lake this week in Flat Creek and Balus. I found 59-degree water, and the temperature was within .5 degrees from top to bottom. I found very little bait and believe lake turnover affected the water quality, dissolved oxygen, in areas where I was fishing. I spent most of my time looking for bait or fish on my side scan. When I marked a few fish in the main creek channel going into Balus I put out planner boards and 2 free lines, moving at .2 to .5 mph. I use medium shiners and small trout throughout the winter months. I did not find any Stripers but managed to catch 3 nice size catfish. The biggest one took a trout 100’ behind the boat on a balloon with the bait 35’ behind the balloon. My next trip I will be looking further south in deeper water. Dress warm and stay safe.

Lake Lanier Mixed Species Report: (This report courtesy of Jack Becker, aka Georgia Waterdog) — Water temperature was 55.2 when I went out earlier this week. I promised a friend from Florida a trip, hoping to find stripers. With an air temperature of 28° and 7mph winds when we got on the water, I think he was wishing he was back in the Sunshine State. We launched at Sardis boat ramp and marked a lot of schooling within 100 yards of the ramp. We saw groups of gulls hitting the water and a few loons working the area.  We put out planner boards, down lines and 2 free lines. Several times we saw top water action that kept us interested   We were using shiners & small trout for bait. During the next 3 hours we only caught 1 spot and that was on a top water lure. We moved further north to the mouth of Ada creek & again put out our spread, when we saw seagulls working the area.  This time we were rewarded with a 17-inch white bass that qualifies for the Georgia angler award for my friend. It was caught on a small trout free lined 100’ behind the boat. He was really excited and said it made his day. Good luck out there. Jack Becker, aka Georgia Water Dog.

Lake Lanier Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lanier stripers are located in the northern creeks above Browns Bridge. Either river is producing so using the electronics and watch the birds as they will be actively hovering over the bait. Down lines seem to be the main method using shiners, trout, and bluebacks. Water temperature mid 50’s and trout can withstand the colder waters. There may see some top water so make sure and be ready and get as close as possible to get close to the fish and throw on top of the boiling fish and hang on. Cold conditions are forecast this week so make sure you wear your life jackets.

Lake Lanier Crappie Report: (This report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier crappie fishing is currently experiencing increased activity as water temperatures reach the 50s. Recent weather changes have stimulated the fish, with larger crappie becoming more prevalent. Catches this week have been at depths of 10 to 15 feet above a 20–30-foot bottom. While crappie minnows have shown reduced effectiveness this week, black and green jigs, specifically the ATX D2D jig or a gray hair jig from Sugar Bug have proven highly productive. For your best fishing experience, consider using the following equipment: a one-piece ACC Crappie Stix rod and reel paired with 4- or 6-pound test K9 line. Further optimizing your efforts, a Garmin LiveScope, protected by a sonar shield cover, and a Power Pole are highly recommended.

Lake Weiss Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Weiss Lake is down 3.3 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is fair. Even in the cold weather this doesn’t stop the fish from feeding. The action on this lake this time of year can be a lot of fun with some solid Coosa River spotted bass. The most consistent patterns for Weiss in December is covering a lot of shallow bars and points with Rat L Traps and with Echo and MR6 crankbaits. These three baits can produce some consistent action throughout the winter months. The top water bite along sea walls and rip rap areas early morning and late evening with a small Whopper Plopper can also produce well, especially if it’s during some of the warmer days.

West Point Lake Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — West Point Lake is down 10.3 feet, and in the 60s. On August 8, 2024, the lake was slowly drawn down to 626 feet below pool October 10, 2024, and stay down for dam maintenance. The lake will be at 635 full pool by January 14, 2025. Bass fishing is fair, and the bite is starting to slow down as winter sets in. Look for shad in shallow flats, on secondary points and the mouth of any shallow cove or pocket. In the upper Coosa River starting at Three Mile creek all the way to Mayo’s Lock and Dam. The bass are busting shad on top of the water in the mouth of any cove or pocket and any shallow flat near the main river channel. These active feeding fish can be caught on a variety of Shad imitation lure’s very shallow running crank baits, Rat L Traps, spinner baits, smaller 3-to-4-inch swim baits are catching these very aggressive fish, Carolina and Texas rigged plastics are also catching fish, the bass are hitting top water baits also. Little River is also producing some great Spot fishing in the upper part on the old river ledges and the steep rock banks, a drop shot rig with a 4-inch worm, or a small craw is working great.

West Point Linesides: (This report courtesy of angler Dustin Pate) — We’ve been on a pretty good bite lately, so I figured I’d throw up some pictures from a recent trip. I’ll always choose to chunk lures over live bait if the bite allows it. Yesterday was as good as you could ask for the first week of December. These are some summer migrators heading back to their winter areas. They are fattening up on big gizzards to get ready for the winter.  We also caught a couple bonus big hybrids too.  There will be some big number trips in the next few weeks with the smaller fish as they all group up on the south end, but I’ll take these while they are around!

Lake Hartwell Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com)– Lake Hartwell is down 4.7 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is fair. The fish starting to stack up in creeks, ditches, and major pockets. Water temperature dropping and the bass are really keying on bait to fatten up for the winter. Good electronics are crucial. Find the bait and fish on the Lowrance. Now drop shot rigs and the jigging spoon will mimic the bait they are feeding on. If there is any fish really active or if it is windy use the Fish Head Spin and a shad Zoom Fluke or the Alabama rig with a Zoom Swimming Fluke Jr. trailers. Keep a McStick jerk bait and a Zoom Super Fluke on the deck because the bass will still come up busting bait on the surface. Be ready especially on foggy mornings and overcast days.

TROUT REPORT

December Trout Streams Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — Low water will be the biggest factor in trout fishing this December. Most rivers and creeks are gin clear and have the lowest flows of the year. This will make wild fish incredibly spooky and tougher to catch. On the upside, stockers will likely be fish in a barrel. Being easier to find will make fishing earlier in the month much easier and similar to how the month of November rounded off. Look for trout to be holding in deeper troughs as they will be highly exposed to predators in their typical, and more shallow, late fall holding water. Move slow and keep your disturbances down for wild fish and look for smaller flies to work best. Less casting and more looking will land you more fish this month. Our latest video shows you just why this is so important. Small stoneflies and mayflies have been common around mid-day. Caddis hatches have slowed but a few can be seen on warm afternoons. Emerging midges have been staples the past few weeks and should become even more important throughout December. Dry flies and nymphs in the size 16-20 range have been the best imitations.

Wild Trout Report: (This report courtesy Jeff “Dredger” Durniak at Unicoi Outfitters) — Headwater streams are still low and clear and even colder than last week. Spoilcane was very skinny and an icy 38F at 11AM today (12/6). You’ll do much better on warmer, lower elevation trout waters right now, especially if they’re on south slopes that catch more sun. If you insist on bluelining, focus on nymphs or small jigged leeches after lunch.

DH and Other Stocked Streams Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — For stockers, junk flies (eggs, worms, mops) have been producing huge numbers in the recently stocked DH stretches as well as the regularly stocked waters. Once the fish get educated on these flies, go to smaller size and profile nymphs with a much more finesse presentation to target these trout. Look for the deepest water around to find the largest concentrations of theses trout. Depth will mean comfort until the winter rains raise the water levels. The other stocked streams in North Georgia, such as Coopers Creek, Dicks Creek, and Rock Creek have seen some good-looking browns, brooks, and rainbows, that seem to be finding ways to avoid the normal angling traffic.

DH Report: (This report courtesy Jeff “Dredger” Durniak at Unicoi Outfitters) — The bite has been slower than in past weeks due to colder water temperatures, but folks are still catching enough fish to put up with frozen fingers and toes. Bigger, lower elevation streams and those below dams are running slightly warmer, and water temps reaching the mid-40’s can spur a decent midafternoon bite.  Smith DH was 46F at 11AM today, and a fishing friend said he had already caught two trout on a zebra midge after just 15 minutes a-stream.

Chattahoochee Tailwater Trout Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — The Chattahoochee River below Buford Dam is still dingy from fall turnover. Not ideal for beginning fly anglers and inexperienced waders. Fish can still be caught but North Georgia is often a better alternative at the moment. By the end of the month the water should clear and offer a better opportunity for anglers to get outside this winter. Midges should be all over the menu for the next few months.

The Dredger’s Weekly Report: (This report courtesy Jeff “Dredger” Durniak at Unicoi Outfitters) — Unicoi Outfitters puts out a full fishing report every Friday.  Although this week’s report was not yet posted as of this writing, you should be able to find it at blog.angler.management/ later today. You can also take a look at last week’s report, which I’m guessing will be very similar to the report for this week, since conditions have not changed much.

Parting Trout Note:  Want to do more to support trout fishing in Georgia?  Consider upgrading to a Trout Unlimited license plate this year. Aside from being a great looking tag, each purchase or renewal of a Trout Unlimited license plate directly supports Georgia’s trout conservation and management programs. Hatcheries and wild trout efforts both benefit from the trout tag.

(Fishing report courtesy of Hunter Roop, Fisheries Biologist and Central Georgia Region Supervisor with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts) 

RESERVOIR REPORT

The reservoir reports below are brought to you by Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report, with contributions from Region 3 WRD Fisheries staff, local guides, and anglers.

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 60’S

Bass: Bass fishing is good. Fish are feeding heavy on shad. Most of the bait and bass seem to be in the pockets and creeks. Look for the small pods of bait on the electronics. Mark the area with GPS and now use a drop shot or a jigging spoon.  Swap back and forth with these baits to see what they want. This can change hourly throughout the day. Catch some bigger bass this time of year on a jig or a Fish Head Spin with a Zoom pearl Fluke. As the water cools to 50 degrees in December concentrate more on the jigging spoon in the creeks or ditches on the main lake.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that in December bass will move deeper in the main lake and at the mouths of creeks. By the end of November, they had already moved out to 25-35 feet and the bite was very good. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. 

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that December is one of the best months of the year to fish Russell for striper, and fish will group up in the mid-lake. Whether you opt to throw artificial lures at feeding fish or cover water by pulling herring on free-lines and planer boards, following the birds is key. 

Crappie (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in December he will not usually target crappie, although they are sometimes a by-catch, but yellow and white perch will be caught in excellent numbers. They will be caught on minnows fished around deeper schools of bait. 

Catfish (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that December is not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up channel catfish or even a big flathead before it gets too cold.

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 4 FEET, 60’S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The fish are running points toward the backs of creeks. Square bill crankbaits in shad and red craw colors are the best. Also throwing a Buckeye Lures Goby Sled on the points with rock is catching fish, as well. As December comes, we will see the fish moving into the ditches, and that is when the lake gets hot. Fishing deep in the old ditches can be found using the C-Map technology. These areas can produce good results this time of year especially after a warm rain. Little River and their short creek and coves continue to produce. As the water turns off cold and dry during the month the water should remain clear and it will cool down in the low 50’s and the lake level should drop.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in December there should be two major groups of fish. Once temperatures get below 55 degrees there will be some bass in the creek ditches that can be caught on The Sled and blade baits. At times these fish will get very shallow. There is another group of deeper fish out on the main lake focused on bait schools that can be caught on minnow imitations or underspins fished around bait in open water or over humps and other structure. 

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during December many fish should move into the backs of the creeks. As the fish get shallower and scatter out in the backs more anglers will switch over to free-lines and planer boards, but there are also always fish that can be caught on down-rods. 

Crappie (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service reports that in December there should still be some fish ganged up around mid-depth brush piles and submerged timber in creeks. Generally, creeks in the middle and upper part of the lake will fish best, and crappie will eat minnows or jigs. As more fish start to roam, however, the bite usually slows down. 

Catfish (courtesy of SC Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that December is one of the best months of the year to catch a big catfish on Lake Thurmond, and if anything, fishing is likely to improve from what has already been an excellent fall bite. Anchoring on deep structure is the most consistent way to catch large blue and flathead catfish this month. The creeks can be good depending on whether bait has moved into them, and gizzard shad and white perch are hard to beat for the bigger fish. This year all signs point to a good creek bite.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 60’S 

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. Try fishing a small chrome and blue Rat L Trap and flipping docks with a shaky head worm or jig to catch fish. The shad are still heading back into the pockets but finding the bass with them has been difficult. Look for a good afternoon bite with a few days of sun and warmer temperatures. Focus on rock and hard bottoms that will warm with the sun, as well as dock pilings if that occurs. Try fishing deep in the old ditches that can be found using the C-Map technology. These areas can produce good results this time of year especially after a warm rain. Richland Creek and Sugar Creek and their short creek and coves can produce. This is all about electronics too. As the water turns off cold and dry during the month the water should remain clear and it will cool down in the low 50’s and the lake level should drop.

Bass 2 (courtesy of Lake Country Fishing Reports): Anglers from Oconee’s weekend tournament last Saturday reported overall good fishing, but challenging conditions. Water temperatures were fluctuating between low 60s and upper 50s and slightly stained water. This week’s rain will no doubt further muddy the water and require high-visibility lures like black or chartreuse. Most anglers were fishing jibs, shakey head, the drop shot, or chatterbaits. Half the boats failed to land a 5-fish limit, and there wasn’t a very consistent pattern producing large fish.

Linesides (courtesy of Captain Doug Nelms with Big Fish Heads): Clients are putting a hurt on some nice linesides in the morning window! Just today, we chased birds and landed 37 nice fish in 4 hours. Casting pearl white flukes and Sassy Shads seem to work well, especially in pre-frontal conditions. If we get a good cloudy and drizzly day, be sure to get on the lake and get in on the action!

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.7 FEET, 60’S 

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. Finding the bait is the key. Otherwise, it can be a long day. The bass fishing has been much tougher. Use the chartreuse and white Little Earl Crankbait. The better fishing has been from Rooty Creek north toward Shoulder Bone. Jig and pigs in the blowdowns and monster worms on docks are taking the better fish. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and Rat L Traps have been the moving baits working. Look for the bass to settle into their normal winter pattern now that the water temps should stabilize and hopefully fall at a slower rate. Crankbaits in shad and crawfish patterns and a Rapala #5 Shad Rap in crawfish pattern is hard to beat. ChatterBaits and spinnerbaits will work flipping docks and blowdowns.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL FEET, 60’S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The water is cold, but the fish are still eating. Drop shot rigs, fish head spins and spoons are the best early baits. After mid-day, go down lake and use the bone brown Rapala DT6 on a spinning reel and hit the shallow pockets around the dam. Early hit them in the head with a small Hopkins spoon. Try the Zoom u tail worms on a Texas rig and peg the sinker. Use the greens and purple colors on the Texas rig in the warmer waters in the lower lake coves. Fish slowly with the DT6 Rapala DT6 crank baits in shad or hot mustard and use the stop and go retrieve. Stay down lake and use the dark larger worms and jigs on the trees and docks. Flip docks with a Texas rigged Culprit red shad worm. The larger worms in red and are fair and add the Jack Juice garlic scent on soft lures and use the Mega Strike scents on any hard baits. Make casts to the same location often and stay in the brush.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

McDUFFIE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of Fisheries Technician Nick Brewer) —

Recent downward temperature shifts have generally slowed angler success on the PFA, but patient anglers that seek out fish in their deeper, offshore habitats can still the fish.  

Bass: Fewer bass are being caught compared to the fall.  Consider using a crankbait around deep structure in ponds for the best chance of success.  

Striped and Hybrid Bass:  Anglers should try chicken livers in areas with lots of bird activity for the best chance of success.  Many small hybrids and striped bass are being caught in Clubhouse and Bridge Lakes.  Flyfishers are reporting success with herring-imitating flies (Gamechanger or Somethin’ Else).    

Channel Catfish:  The catfish bite remains active.  Some anglers are reporting catfish caught in the 4–9-pound range.  Anglers are reporting the most success fishing either chicken livers or stink baits on the bottom. 

Bream:  Bream on the PFA are not being caught frequently, anglers targeting bream should use live worms in and around shallow, visible structure during peak sunlight periods for their best chance at catching bluegill and redear sunfish.  

Reminder: Live fish/minnows are not allowed on our PFA!

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of Fisheries Technicians Amory Cook and Deven Thompson) —

Bass: The largemouth bite should be good this month. Try to focus on fishing near deeper main lake structures like standing timber, brush piles, main lake points and underwater creeks channels and humps. Baits to utilize this time of the year should consist of jigs, small paddle tail swim baits on jig heads, squarebill crank baits, deep-diving crank baits, Alabama rigs, and probably the most effective of all–jerk baits. Mid-mornings and late afternoon into the evening are the best times to go for them to allow the water temperatures to warm up a few degrees.  

Bream: Despite the cooling temperatures, the bream bite has been exceptional! Over the last two weeks we have had many reports of people filling their 15 fish limit with good sized bluegill with a few monster-sized bluegill and redear mixed in! Most if not all these fish have been caught on red wigglers fished on or very closely to the bottom on the west side of the lake, especially on or around the dock. This time of year, in my experience, crickets will also produce good fish. Afternoon window is the best time to go for them. 

Crappie: So far, we have not had many reports on crappie catches this month, but that is most likely due to the times people are usually fishing for them. Night fishing seems to be the trick this time of the year, and the later in the night, the better in my experience. Small jigs will always get bites, but the larger fish seem to be going after live minnows under green lights the best! 

Catfish: To my surprise, we have had many catfish, at times even large ones, being caught during this cold front! Night crawlers and small chunks of chicken liver seems to be producing the catches but don’t be hesitant to utilize small, live bait or cut bait. Deeper parts of the lake should hold them throughout the day, and then later into the evening, right before sunset, they seem to come up shallow to feed. 

Hybrids: In past years, Flat Creek has been stocked with hybrid striped bass, although reports of angler catches of hybrids have been far and few between. Larger minnows or shiners will always do the trick when targeting them. Lures such as lipless crankbaits, medium diving crankbaits, and spoon/blade baits can give you a good chance at catching Flat Creek’s linesides as well. Deeper water or main lake points where shad are present will be where you can find them. If you happen to catch any hybrids, please call and report the catch to fisheries staff at the Region 3 office at: (478)-825-6151.

ATTENTION ANGLERS: Flat Creek PFA staff are conducting an annual angler (creel) survey on the lake this year. If you are approached by a PFA staff member after your fishing trip, please take a moment to answer their questions and share information about your fishing success (or, lack of success, whichever may be the case). These surveys are a valuable management tool that can improve our understanding of the fishery and ultimately improve fishing quality on the reservoir.

MARBEN PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of WRD Fisheries Technician Jacob Landry) –

• Marben PFA Information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/marben-pfa
• Water Level: All the ponds are full or nearly full with the exception of Otter, Lower Raleigh, Little Raleigh, and Upper Raleigh. Margery is under renovation and closed till further notice.
• Water Clarity: Clarity varies but most water bodies have up to 24-46” visibility.
• Surface Temp: mid-to-low 60s.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide 

Bass: Bass have moved into their winter habits.  Plastic worms and crankbaits should work well.  Bass will be preying on shad as they school.

Crappie: The crappie are still in deeper water suspended over woody habitat.  Use jigs tipped with minnows or a “search-style” bait such as a curly tail jig.

Bream:  The shellcrackers and bluegill bite has slowed but a few are being caught on the bottom in deep water with worms.

Other: Look for schooling shad and / or gulls feeding on lethargic shad as the temps drop.  Hybrid bass and largemouth will be taking advantage of the struggling shad.

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