January 24, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

Who would have thought Georgia would have TWO snow events during the first month of 2025? Good news is that the daylight hours are starting to tick longer and we can begin looking forward to more sunshine to help us get outside to our favorite fishing hole.

NEWS TO KNOW AND PLACES TO GO:

• 2025 Atlanta Fly-Fishing Show: The annual Atlanta Fly Fishing Show is January 31 – Feb 2 at Gas South Arena. Renowned fly anglers , casting demos and the International Fly Fishing Film Festival plus new rods, reels, lines, accessories, clothing, waders, boots, books, DVDs and anything else you “need” to improve your fly-fishing experience.
• 2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama: The Georgia Wildlife Federation’s 2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama is Feb. 7–Feb. 9, 2025 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry Georgia. This family-friendly event features a multitude of vendors, door prizes, nature crafts and activities for kids, retriever demos, snake shows, falconry experts, and other wildlife encounters. Learn fishing techniques at the world-famous Bass Tub! 

This week, we have fishing reports from Central, Southeast, Southwest and North Georgia. Enjoy the extra daylight and use it to extend your time when you Go Fish Georgia.

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

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.

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The majority of the bass being caught are the spotted bass. Main lake points will the pattern and use the #7 Rapala Shad Raps and the Rapala DT10 and DT6 are working. Some anglers are using the Rapala OG8 flat baits on the main lake. Fish from Rocky River down to markers #16 and past towards the dam. Deep water running near the channel markers are the best places. The spotted bass are good fish and long casts, and slow cranking is the key. Try the jigging spoons for the deep suspending bass. Light tackle and 1/2-ounce spoons are working mid-day. Carolina rigs on heavy stumps fields in the deeper water and on the channel, ledges is another good choice. The bite will usually be nothing more than added weight to on the line so be prepared for anything unusual while fishing.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that in January bass should still be caught deeper in the main lake and at the mouths of creeks. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots and jigs. Often, they will be grouped up with other species and on minnows you can catch a mixed bag.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in January the bite should be even better than in December as fish should get into tighter groups in the cold. Whether you opt to search for feeding fish by throwing artificials or covering water by pulling herring on free-lines and planer boards, following the birds is key.

Crappie & Perch (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in January he will not target crappie, but white and yellow perch will be caught in excellent numbers and they will pick up a few crappie. The fish will take minnows or spoons fished around deeper schools of bait.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that January is not a month when very many people will be targeting catfish on Russell, but if you concentrate on deep water you can pick up a few channel catfish around bait schools.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is slow. 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 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. 

Linesides (courtesy of Doug Nelms with BigFishHeads Guide Service): There is a huge school of schooling stripers that are presently at mid-lake on Oconee. The fish are ranging in size from 2 – 4 pounds. If you hit the time of day just right the spoon bite is outstanding. 

Upcoming Events: The next AFT Division 72 tournament will take place on January 25, 2025, at Lake Oconee, launching from Sugar Creek Marina. For additional information, please contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.7 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. With the weekend warming up the bass should respond. It’s still cold so go with the tried and proven tactics, jigs, flat sided crank baits and a spoon and add the shakey head. The largemouth bass are holding tight in the deeper water and expect them to give in a little at the daytime temperatures rise warm. Lots of warm weather has flowed in and the bass feel it. Any jerk bait and a deep diving Rapala will work well along the edges of the points. With the wind blowing in on these points there can be a good bite with a stop and go retrieve. Let the bait sit longer than normal to get some action. Carolina rigs in real deep water is where some anglers prefer to fish on the colder mornings while others are still depending on that deep water vertical jig bite. All these combinations are worth using to see which one is doing the best job on the day.

Black bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in January patterns will depend on weather conditions, but there should be a big group of fish in the creek ditches that can be caught on blade baits. Sometimes they will go shallow. There should also be a group of deeper fish out on the main lake that can be caught on underspins, jigs, or swimbaits fished over humps and around bait.

Upcoming Event: The first tournament of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens will take place on Clarks Hill on January 23 – 25 out of Wildwood Park in Appling. With more cold weather in the forecast, this event has the potential to bring impressive bags to the 3:15 weigh-ins.

Striper and hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during January fish could get harder to catch in cold conditions, but often they will continue to feed as they fatten up in preparation for their attempt to spawn. Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish in the deep channels. Although free-lines and planer boards will catch fish, down-rods should continue to be reliable. 

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service reports that in January some fish should still be on mid-depth brush piles and submerged timber in the backs, but others will be suspended in the creek channels. Crappie will eat minnows or jigs tipped with minnows this month. It can be one of the more difficult months to catch crappie on Clarks Hill. 

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that January can sometimes be a good month for catching big catfish on Lake Thurmond, but the drastic cold snaps and general swings in temperature can also make fishing inconsistent. Some days they may feed heavily, and then they may not feed for the next couple of days. In general anchoring on deep structure is the most consistent way to catch large blue and flathead catfish this month. Gizzard shad and white perch are hard to beat for the bigger fish.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is slow. This week hit the rip rap and other rocky banks for are holding fish are being caught with small to medium crank baits, jigs and soft plastics. But the shallow rocks should be located very near deeper water. Never overlook the dock patterns on the lake any time of the day. This lake has a lot of docks covered with brush. Some good cranking choices are a Shad Rap RS #5, Thunder Shad, Deep Little N, Rapala DT10 and Fat Free Shad #5 & #6 in the chartreuse, shad and silver patterns. Jigs should be in the ¼ to 3/8-ounce sizes with a plastic or pork trailer. A Zoom Pro Chunk or a #11 Uncle Josh pork chunk will both work. For soft plastics, try a Zoom Finesse worm with a 1/8-ounce weight rigged Texas style or the same worm on a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce jig head. Boat houses and docks along the main river or just inside the mouths of coves are holding some fish. Docks with lots of brush under and around them are the ones to look for.

ABA-AFT Results: The most recent tournament took place on January 18, 2025, and launched from the Dennis Station DNR ramp. Matt Henry once again earned first place by creeling a 17.86 five-fish bag including a 6.74 lb kicker bass. As reported last week, Matt has been on a hot streak recently, taking first place in December and January tournaments on Oconee and Sinclair.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): 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 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)-

The snow, cold, ice, and wind have lightened traffic at the PFA and pushed the fish out to their deeper winter haunts. You might have to punch through some ice sheets lining the bank this weekend, but in reality most of the ice and snow will have come and gone. A string of warm, sunny days will pull fish into the shallows, so keep an eye on the forecast for the middle of next week!  

Bass: Fewer bass are being caught on the PFA by anglers.  Consider slowly fishing a crankbait, jig, or a 1/4 oz spoon around deeper structure in larger lakes like Bridge or Willow for the best chance of success.

Striped and Hybrid Bass: Anglers should use 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.

Channel Catfish: Anglers on the PFA are still catching catfish.  Some anglers are reporting catfish in the 4-9 pound range.  Anglers are reporting the most success fishing either chicken livers or stink baits fished on the bottom.  Jones, Clubhouse, Bridge and Beaver Lodge Lakes were all stocked with more than two thousand pounds of catchable-sized catfish recently, which should make catfishing light work on warm, sunny days when they will be most active.

Bream: Bream on the PFA are not being caught frequently, anglers targeting bream should use live worms in and around structures in the lakes during peak hours of sunlight.

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 bass fishing has been continuously picking up, with bass anywhere from 10 inches to 7 pounds being caught. Your best bet would be to target them in deeper water near structure. Lures to use this time of the month would be hard and soft jerk baits, deep diving crank baits and jigs. Other notable lures are Alabama rigs, stick baits (also known as spooks, top water walking baits), and paddle tail swim baits on a jig head.

Bream: The Bream bite has slowed down a little bit, but larger fish have become more common. Your best bet would be red wiggler’s fish on the bottom in 4-10 feet of water. Crickets fished under a cork near the bottom may also produce some good quality fish.  

Crappie: Surprisingly, the Crappie bite has been extremely slow despite the perfect conditions. Most of the fish have been schooled up in the last bit of deep water that remains in the lake, making access to them difficult. Boat fisherman should have no issue locating them and when you do, jigs that resemble shad colors should produce fish. Bank fisherman should still be able to pick off a few as well. When targeting the crappie from the bank this week, look for sections of the bank that drop off quickly and then cast your lures out as far as you can and then slowly swim them back, most strikes should happen in the 2-to-4-foot range of depth. Other techniques that may produce Crappie is live minnows under light at night, especially around the dock. Furthermore, using blue, black and or chartreuse colors on rainy days should also produce some good fish.  

Catfish: The catfish bite is finally starting to slow down due to cooling temperatures, but catches can still happen! Live and cut bluegill fish on or near the bottom will always get the attention of a good size catfish. Chunks of chicken liver fished on the bottom and deeper sections of the lake will also produce good numbers of smaller catfish.

Boaters Note: Due to the extremely low lake level, please use caution when unloading/loading your vessels.

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 PFA FISHING REPORT (Courtesy of Fisheries Technician Jacob Landry)

• Marben Public Fishing Area
• Water level: Several of the smaller bodies of water are slightly low but the larger lakes are full pool . Margery is under renovation and closed until further notice.
•  Water clarity: Clarity varies but most water bodies have up to 24-48” visibility.
•  Surface temperature: 50s.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Bass have moved into their deep winter habits and fishing has slowed. Slowly fished soft plastics such as worms or creature baits should work as well as crank baits. Bass will be hitting shad as they school. Due to decreases in temperature look for lethargic shad or gulls diving to take advantage of.

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. Alternatively jigs with a float could be used with a slow retrieve.

Bream: Bluegill and some shellcracker bite is slow but a few are being caught on or near the bottom. Red wigglers and wax worms are a good choice for bait.

Management Note: Marben Fisheries staff have been applying lime to select lakes on the area this week to increase the alkalinity of the water, which will make pond fertilization more effective later on this year. By fertilizing these impoundments, the base of the food chain can be significantly increased in order to support greater numbers, growth, and size of fish for anglers to pursue at Marben PFA. 

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

We just thought last week was cold….. This week’s snow and ice storm was crazy! The bite beforehand was very good most places, and some folks even found them after the storm. Work your presentation very slowly if you fish this weekend after the extreme cold. Fish are catchable, but lethargic.

River gages on January 23rd were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 6.4 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 6.1 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 8.5 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 10.1 feet and rising
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 7.8 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 7.0 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 10.4 feet and rising
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 6.7 feet and rising

New Moon is January 29th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Bobby and Hadrian fished with me on Saturday before the front came through. We trolled Dura-Spins the first couple of hours and had very little success. We staked out and bottom fished with 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs tipped with dead minnows and cut bait rigged on 1/16-oz. Shrimp Hooks (3/0 hook) in several places, and that was the ticket. The fish did not want to chase a spinner, but they ate the slowly presented baits. Hadrian and Bobby ended up catching 21 bowfin and a chain pickerel (jackfish). Hadrian had a bowfin big enough to earn him a youth angler award from the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. At one point a curious otter entertained us by swimming around the boat and checking us out. Matt Rouse fished the east side boat basin after work on Monday and fooled a nice bowfin and pickerel by casting a black/chartreuse Dura-Spin for about 10 minutes. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.80 feet.

SATILLA RIVER

Rusty Foshee fished with me Friday afternoon for a few hours on the lower river, and we caught 39 total fish. We had a 4-pound bowfin, a channel catfish and white catfish, 3 crappie, and the rest warmouth. Most of the warmouth were really nice fish over 8 inches and up to 9 inches. Water temperatures were really cold – 43 to 45 degrees, and the fish were lethargic. We had to work the baits right around the bottom, and the best presentation was a 1/16-oz. Mirage Jig tipped with a minnow or worm (the minnows fooled the biggest fish). It was a blast catching those nice fish on ultralight gear!

LOCAL PONDS

Jay Turner and his son Drew fished a Savannah area pond Wednesday right after the snow ended. They caught several nice crappie in the 10 to 11 inch range on 3-inch Keitech swimbaits and Zombie Eye Jigheads, and Drew had a 7-pound bass inhale the tiny offering during a couple hour morning trip. After warming up at the house, they returned that afternoon to catch a few for supper. The bigger fish chewed that afternoon. They flung the same baits as in the morning and caught a couple dozen specks, but 3 of them were around 16 inches and 2 pounds (on scales). They released 2 of the monsters and kept a 2-pounder and 5 smaller fish for supper. Instead of using a cooler, they just laid them in the snow until they were ready to head to the house to clean them. They had a great fish fry that evening. I missed a report last week from an angler fishing a Baxley area pond. He fooled a limit of small crappie by spider-rigging minnows.

SAVANNAH RIVER

Mark Vick and Thomas Carroll fished the Savannah for two hours on Friday and whacked the crappie. They pitched popsicle and Tennessee shad Specktacular Jigs tipped with minnows for 28 crappie and a dozen big fliers. They kept 12 of the slabs for supper. The fish were deep – in 16 to 19 feet of water, and the water temperature that day was 44 degrees.

ST MARYS RIVER

Randy Hanson fished the middle St Marys this week and caught some channel catfish, crappie, and bowfin (up to 5 pounds). They ate minnows fished on the bottom for him. I got a report of an angler fishing the middle St Marys on Saturday and catching a good mess of crappie from the deep holes. There were also a few redbreasts mixed in his creel. He was casting Crappie Assassin plastics. Note: The Temple Landing is currently closed 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.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton)

The big crappie have started biting for anglers fishing from the Lake Patrick Pier. Lamar Green from Alapaha fished the area this week and caught some slabs. His biggest was 2-lb., 5-oz. and it ate a minnow.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

The best report I heard all week was from Jay Turner in the Savannah area after the snow. He followed up his great Wednesday trip to a pond with a bank fishing trip to an area near his house where he has caught trout in the past. He flung the same Zombie Eye Jighead and 3-inch Keitech swimbait on the same rod and reel and 6-lb. test that he caught crappie the day before and smashed the trout. He caught trout on almost every cast for an hour (he said he had 35 trout from 15 to 18 inches) and had a half-dozen redfish mixed in, as well. He kept a half-dozen trout and a redfish fresh on top of the snow while he fished. He piled a couple handfuls of snow in the bed of his truck, plopped the fish on, then a few more handfuls of snow, and the fish chilled great on the short drive to the house. If you can find where the trout are hanging out, you can catch a bunch in the wintertime. Capt. Duane Harris took Mona Mounts and her grandson on Sunday in the Brunswick area. They worked several holes to no avail but then got on a few nice trout in a small creek. Miles Smith had a good trip in the Brunswick area. They caught a great mess of trout this weekend. Tommy Sweeney fished from the bank in the Brunswick area on Monday afternoon and caught some nice trout. He flung a copper crackle Zombie Eye Jighead and plastic shrimp for a half dozen fat trout up to 18 inches. Another guy in the area using live shrimp could not buy a bite that day. But he told Tommy that he had caught a bunch of trout there the day before on live shrimp. Every day is different! After your next trip to the Georgia coast, drop off your fish carcasses in the freezer at the  GA Wildlife Resources Division 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

This week the weather has decided to bring us more winter cold and snow! Make sure you are careful out on the water in these below freezing temperatures. We might feel the cold the crappies seem to have not, with them still being the most prominent catch. Though maybe the fish feel the cold a little bit as the most consistent biting time is in the afternoon.

LAKE SEMINOLE

Ken Sturdivant with Southern Fishing Schools LLC reports that bass fishing is slow. Mostly smaller bass are being taken fishing the grass lines and pockets with lightly weighted plastic worms, flukes and spinnerbaits. Mid-day spinner baits down lake in the creeks may work but drag the baits slowly over the structure.

“Hobby Explorers” participated in a bass tournament this past weekend and reported that fishing was tough on Lake Seminole. They report that “On our first day we had 3 fish at almost 6 lb…really tough out there just throwing an Alabama rig and dragged a Carolina rig for a little. On day two we came in with a limit gladly, for 8.59 lb! So, we finally found some fish the second day. We switched it up a little and started flipping, I also threw a swim jig for a little as well.”

Lake Seminole Fishing Guide, Captain Paul Tyre, reports that the big crappie continue to bite on lake Seminole, brining in some slabs on his most recent trip.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

The current winter chill is having the expected effect on fishing. According to Ken Sturdivant at Southern Fishing , bass fishing has been slow. The fish are feeding on shad. Many have hunted hard for few fish and most of the fish seem to be suspended in about 15 feet near main lake ledges. It’s going to take a few days, and time, before they get back to normal. The majority of the baitfish are still located on the main lake so that’s the main forage now. Carolina rigs and crankbaits are going to be prime choices. The presence of deep water near grass seems to be the key when it comes to a bite. The flats between Creek Town and Lake Point are a good place to start.  

FLINT AND CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVERS

A historic snowstorm hit the southeast on Tuesday.  Fishing will be very slow as water temperatures are very low.  If you do go fishing, think slooow baits in deep bends for any species.  Reaction type baits may work on sunny afternoons around rocky areas that will heat up faster. Thanks to Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce for the photo.

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Fishing overall and fishing pressure remains low this week. The water is muddier than normal this week with recent rains. Fish all of your baits slower than normal for a better chance at bites. The coming weeks should bring warming water temps and better fishing.

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Silver Lake: Water temps are into the low 50s and crappie fishing is heating up.  Minnow tipped jig under a slip cork just off the bottom is  hard to beat. Bass fishing is slow.

House Pond: Hybrid striped bass provide consistent action during these colder months.  The most action is coming from trolling small swim baits and casting inline spinners near the feeders.  These big bluegill are moving to deep water.  Be patient and focus on standing timber and deep stumps.  Live grass shrimp are the best bait for these brood gills, but wigglers are a close second.

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

North Georgia was spared the snow this time and temperatures are on the rise. Reservoirs should thaw for the weekend and provide ample opportunities to get out there and wet a line. If you don’t feel like braving the elements, now is a good time to organize your tackle and inventory your gear. If you venture out, dress warm and be sure to wear a lifejacket. Check out the tips and tricks from the local experts. Just look at what local guide Ken Bearden landed at West Point Lake.

TROUT REPORT 

Trout (courtesy of John Lee Thomson, Region 2 Fisheries Management Supervisor) — Frigid water temperatures have trout sluggish and slow to bite. You can find the warmest water and therefore the most active trout in Georgia’s tailwater trout fisheries. Aim for trout the Chattahoochee River below Bord dam and the Toccoa River below Lake Blue Ridge.

If smaller north Georgia trout streams are your thing, fish the afternoons, and fish deep. Trout will be holding near the bottom, and you will need to get your baits down to them. Another tip is to watch the overnight temperatures. This weekend should provide some relief from the coldest nights and stream temperatures will quickly recover from nearly frozen conditions sparking an awaking of their appetite.

Winter Trout in North Georgia (courtesy of guide Zach Chapman, zac@shadycreekexpeditions.com) — Winter on the trout streams of northeast Georgia offers a unique and rewarding experience. While the cooler months might mean fewer numbers of fish caught, the quality of fish you land often makes up for it. This time of year, trout are slower and more deliberate, but they’re also less pressured, giving anglers a real chance to target some impressive fish.

Flies to Use in January and February

1. Streamers – Winter is the perfect time to tie on a streamer. These patterns, imitating baitfish or leeches, can entice bigger trout to leave their cover. On days when trout aren’t actively feeding, a well-presented streamer often provokes an aggressive strike. Patterns like Woolly Buggers, Slumpbusters, Zonkers, and many other micro streamers are definitely on the menu. Focus on deep pools, undercut banks, and log jams. The sudden appearance of a somewhat larger meal is a rare sight for winter trout, making streamers irresistible.
2. Nymphs – Nymph fishing remains a staple for winter trout anglers. Patterns like Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ears, Zebra Midges, and Copper Johns in smaller sizes (16–22) are great options. Pair them with tungsten beads to ensure they reach the bottom quickly, where trout are likely holding. Small and black seems to never fail this time of year, so don’t forget to pack a few classic black midges in your box.
3. Euro Nymphing – January and February are excellent months to break out the Euro stick and employ tight-line nymphing techniques. Euro nymphing allows you to get your flies down quickly and keep them in the strike zone longer. Target the deep runs and plunge pools where trout tend to stack up in colder water. The precision and depth control of this method make it a go-to strategy for anglers looking to maximize their success.

What to Expect on the Water — Winter trout fishing requires a more deliberate approach. With colder water temperatures, fish are less active and tend to hold in deeper, slower-moving pools. Use this time to slow down your presentation, focusing on areas with structure or where currents naturally concentrate food. Expect shorter feeding windows, often during the warmest part of the day.

Winter in northeast Georgia brings challenges, but it also rewards those who are willing to adapt. Whether you’re drifting a nymph through a deep run or enticing a trout with a streamer, every cast brings the promise of a trophy fish. As you brave the cold and dream of dry flies and warmer weather, remember that this season has its own kind of beauty. The solitude, the slower pace, and the thrill of hooking into a quality trout make it all worthwhile.

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 11.7 FEET, 50’S (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing Schools) — Bass fishing is slow. Now fish are in the winter hideouts. Cold fronts become more frequent and the suspended fish patterns are going to be predominant. Fish are suspended in the 10-to-12-foot range. Drop shot rigs, spoons and a jig will be the best lures this week. It’s going to take a few days before they get back to normal. Jigging spoons like a .6 Flex It, Hopkins Sh orty 45 and Bomber Slab spoon have all worked well recently. Chrome, white, and chartreuse are the best colors to try along with gold during cloud cover. The majority of the baitfish are located on the main lake so and this is the main forage.

Allatoona Weekly Crappie Fishing Report (Courtesy of Red Rooster Baits)

The cold weather & wind was with us for most of the week, but we were able to get out on Wednesday and Friday to find a few of those Lake Allatoona January crappie! It was tough fishing this week, but we saw some glimmer of hope towards the end of the week. Red Rooster and Jeff “Crappieman” Albright teamed up on Wednesday for a few hours. The sun was out but it was cold and windy with not much to show for 4-6 hours of fishing. We managed a few trolling 1/16th oz. jig heads and 3/32nd oz. jig heads for those deeper crappie. The water temperature is 38 degrees in the north end of the lake and between 41 to 43 degrees from Victoria to Kellogg. These cold overnight temps are keeping the crappie suspended and not very active. Friday was the best day of the week to be on the water in terms of temperature and wind, 60-degree temps after lunch and 3 mph wind made it a great day to be trolling. The morning bite was a little slow but the afternoon bite from 2-5 was better as the water warmed a bit and we caught a few on 1/16th oz jig heads and 3/32nd oz. jig heads trolling at .7 to 9 mph. The crappie were scattered and roaming suspended anywhere between 4′ to 12′. Several nice 13″ to 14″ crappie were caught in the afternoon. Looking ahead to next week another cold spell is coming with the threat of snow! January fishing on Lake Allatoona is hard to predict due to the weather as it brings in rain, cold and wind. We are looking forward to some stable weather and temps in the coming weeks! Be sure to check out our “Stained Water Combo Jig Packs” if you need an idea what colors typically work for us on Lake Allatoona this time of year! Lord willing, we will have another report for you next week. Be sure to check out the archives for January 2024 and see what we were doing this time last year!  

GEORGIA POWER RESERVOIRS IN NORTH GEORGIA— During the coldest months of the year, walleye will sluggishly take advantage of opportunities to feed on blueback herring.  On the smaller mountain lakes, the greatest concentration of bluebacks is close to the dam where they can absorb the warmth that radiates off the concrete.  Hopefully, walleye will be suspended underneath the herring at depths greater than 25-feet.  Try vertically jigging near the dam or downlining a blueback herring to catch suspended fish.

WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 9.1 FEET, 50’S (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing Schools) — Bass fishing is fair. The south end of the lake is the best fishing area this week. Ride the creek mouths with the Lowrance Structure Scan and find the old roadbeds or any old pond dam. The fish are there. Fish the mouths of all major coves and creeks around West Point Dam. Maple Creek, Veasey Creek and Stroud Creek are all good places to fish. The fish are bunched up together in 25 to 30 feet of water. There are schools of bass, hybrids and small white bass bunched up now. Use the vertical jigging spoons on the bottom. Find the fish on the Lowrance Down Scan and vertical jig using a 1/2-to-3/4-ounce spoon. The large mouth, whites, spots, hybrids and crappie are all bunched together. Some fishermen have had some success trolling for hybrids on the south end of the lake, but activity is relatively slow right now and will continue until the water begins to rise and warm. 

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 2.6 FEET, 50’S (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing Schools) — Bass fishing is slow. Fish in the Tugaloo River area both north and south of the 85 bridge. In the first part of the mornings work the back part of the creek arms and main lake pockets with a crank bait. Use the flat sided crank bait in deeper water in the 8-to-12-foot zone to catch them. As always, this time of year look for the areas the sun is on first. This water as warms the quickest and can be very productive. There is a light stain that will help keep some of these fish shallower than normal specially the areas that are getting more sun. Continue to look for the bait as this continues to be key as it always is during the winter months. So, take the time to find the bait and fish these areas thoroughly. Some key areas have been the clay and rock especially areas that have deeper water nearby this allows those fish to move up and down in the water column with little effort. Key baits are a flat sided crank bait, jig and a shaky head. For the jig and shaky head anything in a green pumpkin color is good this time of year. Key for will be to continue to move throughout the day if they do not bite, within 10 minutes of fishing an area pick up the trolling motor and moved on. When they bite slowed down and work the area with several baits before moving on to the next area. Some anglers found bites of the main lake areas. Continue to work the main lake area as the winter moves in. 

LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 1.6 FEET, 40’S 

Lake Lanier Bass (Courtesy of Phil Johnson, pjohnson15@hotmail.com 770 366 8845) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is clear and slight staining in the backs of some creeks and up the rivers. With the colder weather the fishing patterns are staying fairly consistent which means ditch bite. A lot of the bass are located in the thirty-five-to-sixty-foot range in the narrower ditches. Structure can help but finding the bait is critical. As the water cools over the next few weeks the bait will lock down in areas but for now, they are still constantly moving so be prepared to do some searching. The three eights ounce Pro Model Spot Choker with a three-inch Cast Echo in either the Ozark, Blue Back Herring or White Pearl has been very productive when worked slowly, and I mean slowly, in the ditches. A half ounce War Eagle jigging spoon in either white or chrome has worked well on top of and around the balls of shad. Be prepared to move with the bait and look for the bass to be scattered around the bait balls. With FFS it’s interesting to watch the bass chase the bait and go through the bait balls. Be sure to try and keep the spoon vertical under the boat to avoid snagging the structure. For the bass they haven’t gone deep. There is a crankbait bite happening with either a RKCrawler 55 or a DT6 in the crawfish green pattern on rocky banks. The bass seem to be off the sides of the points and down the banks more than on the points. A shakey head with a green pumpkin trick worm will also draw strikes on the rocky banks and deeper boat docks. The bite is still good but be sure to be careful with the colder weather. Know how to layer for the cold and always have on your lifejacket. We will be at the Atlanta Boat show January ninth through the twelfth so be sure to stop by the Southern Fishing School exhibit and see us. Stay warm and Go Catch ‘Em. 

Lake Lanier Striper (Courtesy of Buck Cannon) — Lake Lanier water temperature is in the low to mid 40’s and the fish have bunched up in tight schools. So, using your electronics locate the bait and watching the bird activity should help you catch some nice fish. The down lines has produced some good results. Shiners, trout and herring are the bait of choice. Always have your favorite top water lure tied on just in case you can get to the action before they go down. River and creek channels where you see an underwater curve and points in the areas. Remember to wear your life jacket it’s very cold. 

Lake Lanier Crappie (Courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton) — Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good the water temperatures have dropped into the low 40’s. Recent snow and cold front have moved the fish into large groups under docks. Catches this week have been at depths of 10 to 25 feet above a 20-to-40-foot bottom. Crappie minnows have been 90 percent or more of the bite this week. 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. 

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