February 7, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

We hope that the little bit of sunshine and warmer weather experienced this week primes your interest in getting outdoors to your favorite fishing spot – or a new place – sometime soon!

NEWS TO KNOW AND PLACES TO GO:

• Come see us at this weekend’s Fisharama/Turkeyrama!

  2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama: The Georgia Wildlife Federation’s 2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama starts TODAY! It runs 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! 

• From Marta to Marine Life? Since the first MARTA cars were deployed in December 2021, they’ve become thriving marine habitats, supporting coral, sponges, and sportfish like grouper, cobia and mackerel. Check out a fun video on the DNR Coastal Resources Division Facebook page at Facebook.com/CoastalGaDNR. 

This week, we have fishing reports from North, Central, Southeast and Southwest Georgia. Let’s take advantage of that little bit of warm weather before it turns cold again and Let’s Go Fish Georgia!

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

Lake Nottely Fish Attractors: (This report from Fisheries Biologist Josh Stafford) — Last week, WRD staff from the Gainesville office partnered with the agriculture program at Union County High School and Union County Parks and Recreation to build and deploy several new fish attractors at Lake Nottely. These attractors were created using plastic pallets donated by 48forty Solutions and cinder blocks and Christmas donated by the Home Depot in Athens.  These attractors should help concentrate fish, so they should be easier to find and catch by anglers.  You can find a map of all the fish attractor sites on Nottely on that lake’s “Fishing Forecasts” page at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Blue Ridge Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Lake Level 18ft. Clarity 10ft. Temp 43. February brings our coldest temps of the year. These cold temps will drive fish deep to more stable water temps. This time of year, I tell everyone find the deepest fish you can find and target those fish. Walleye hate light and love to lay in the deep water pinned to the bottom. Look for small groups of fish or individuals laying on the bottom near bait. A simple jig n minnow, small spoon, or soft plastic fished right in their face will usually draw a bite or two. Walleye can be super picky on color so switch between a few of your favorites to dial in the bite each day. As far as area or location this time of year it doesn’t seem to matter much as long as you’re looking deep, you’ll find a few fish here and there. Unlike most of the year in Feb you can sleep in a bit and get started around 9am vs well before sunrise for the walleye. You may not see the numbers this time of year, but the size of fish can’t be beat. With the fish feeding up for the spring run now is the time to catch some fatty females before they turn their attention to spawning vs eating.

Blue Ridge Lake Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — The Alabama (spotted) bass are schooled up and cruising the 20 to 40ft depth looking for bait balls to feed on. Spoons or live minnows, shad, or herring will get plenty of bites right now. Another option is fishing the backs of creeks with small swim baits. We are throwing the Cast Prodigy and Echo in the 3″ size on 1/8 or 1/4oz jigheads and letting it fall to the bottom then crawling it back on or just off the bottom. It the fish you’re targeting are suspended up high try a 3/8oz VMC hammerhead jig and trailer hook with the 3″ Prodigy fished real slow or vertically.

Carters Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Lake Level full +/- 10ft. Clarity 7 to 9 feet. Temp 45. Well, January was nothing less than stellar for the walleye fishing on this lake. As the temps on the surface cool the fish head deep looking for more stable water temps and this makes them a great target for trolling and jigging. This multi tactic attack has landed limit after limit of quality pre-spawn fish in the past few weeks. Depending on where you’re fishing the deal is the same Ole same Ole hit ‘em in the face. If they are willing to chase and fire up at baits trolling is the way to go. If the fish are pinned to the bottom of the lake, then switch to a vertical presentation and pound away. The fish have been typical big Carters fish in the 21 to 26″ range with a steady mix of male and females.  This lets you fish some big baits alongside your standard size walleye stuff.

Carters Lake Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — The baits noted above for walleye will draw the attention of the local striper population as well. The stripers have been cruising the creeks smashing schools of bait in the 35 to 55ft range early in the morning then moving out to the main lake points and creek mouths after the sun gets up in the sky. Live bait is always a good option if they won’t respond to the artificials. Another option is the Capt Macks umbrella rigs and the mini mack rigs pulled 150ft back.

Lake Allatoona Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Matt Driver, via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Allatoona is down 11.9 feet, and in the 50s. Bass fishing is fair. The water is stained in the upper and lower lake but fairly clear around the dam due to the recent rains. With the recent cold trend, the fish are moving back towards their deep water haunts so use the Staysee 90 making long casts on points working the bait very slowly. Jerk the baits down to the maximum depth and then reeling it very slowly with some pauses mixed in. Many angles have found using light 10-pound test Sufix clear line will get a few more strikes. The drop shot bite is better now. Once the sun comes up switch over to the drop shot. This is an easy rig and Sonar with the CHIRP frequencies can see these fish that are very tight on the bottom. Just be patient to find the right fish. A limit is possible once they get triggered by the other fish feeding. Concentrate on both deep structure as sonar can locate bait and feeding fish. On the bluff walls try fishing in the 40-to-50-foot range. Once you find bait use a drop shot or spoon to catch them. Use the 4.5-inch Yamamoto Flat Tail worm due to water clarity on the business end of the drop shot with a 3/8th or ½ ounce quick is using. Also, work on structure in the 15-to-20-foot range and pay attention to the sonar for bait and fish at the depth level that the bait is using.

Allatoona Crappie: (Report Courtesy of Hunter Moore with Moore Outdoorz Fishing Guide Service) – We took some clients out at the beginning of the week before the weather turned and had some great success. Several large slabs were caught hiding out in deep water areas close to structure and docks. He was pitching Red Rooster Daggers in the new UV colors (UV Melon, UV Smoke, UV Phantom & UV Shad) on a 1/16th oz. jig head and letting the jig slowly drop and then slowly reeling back to the top. This vertical jigging technique seemed to be working for these cold water crappie.

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

• Air Temp: High: 70 – Low: 21
• Wind: Up to 15 Mph Gusts
• Lake Level: Approx. 828′
• Water Temp: 38 – 43
• Water Clarity: Stained with a brownish/green tinge
• Area Fished: Little River, S-Turns, Victoria, Kellogg/Owl Creek & Block House
• Jigs Used: Tre’s Gold – Slab Dragon, Black & Blue – Slab Dragon, Albright Special – Kic’n Chic’n, ‘Lectric Chicken – Small Fry, MoonBug – Slab Dragon and Green Glimmer -Kic’n Chic’n.
• Technique: Trolling

What a difference a week makes! We went from last week’s arctic blast to this week feeling like an early spring! We got out a few days this week and found some Lake Allatoona Crappie starting to move around as the water temperature is changing. It reminds me of a funny saying about winter in the south: “You know it’s “winter” in the south when you switch from heat to A/C, to heat, to A/C to heat…all in the same day!” That describes this past week perfectly. Early in the week the water temperature was 38 degrees and by the end of the week the water in some places was up to 43! We saw roaming crappie, schools of crappie and crappie laying on the bottom, so we had to change up our trolling strategy from time to time to get them to bite. When the water was 38 degrees, we would see fish, but they were not active and we couldn’t buy a bite. That started to change towards the end of the week as the water temperature started warming. By Wednesday/Thursday the crappie started getting active. We were trolling a mix of 1/16th oz. and 3/32nd oz. jig heads as we were consistently seeing schools and roaming crappie suspended in the 8′ to 12′ range in open water. When I say “open water” this is usually in and around the mouth to the middle of the creeks. We saw crappie in 12′ to 18′ of water, meaning we would troll in water 12′ to 18′ deep and saw them suspended in 8′ to 12′. If they were not suspended, we saw quite a few glued to the bottom…you can see them on your down scan…little dots sticking off of the bottom. If you see fish on the bottom slow your boat down until your jigs start bouncing the bottom and speed up just a touch so that you don’t snag and see if that produces some strikes. As a general rule, we start out at .7 mph until we get an idea of the depth they suspended at and then either 1) Speed up or slow down or 2) Change the jig head weights to match the depth. This is where the Red Rooster Trolling Guide should come in handy for you for depths and suggested colors! As that water warms, the crappie will move shallow or move higher in the water column…sometimes within 1′ of the surface! If this warming trend holds, we are looking at a warm February which means the crappie are about to bust loose by this time next week. We are getting fired up and so should you! If you have not gotten your rods, reels, tackle and jigs in order…It’s GO TIME! If you don’t know what colors to choose, check out our Combo Packs, this will save you a lot of time with proven stained and clear water colors. 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!

Lake Lanier Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier is down 1.5 feet, and in the 40s. Bass fishing is good, the lake is currently one and a half feet below full pool and the water temperature is running around forty six degrees and rising. Overall, the lake is clear with some stain in the backs of the creeks and more up the rivers. The best bite over the last week has been the deep bite with either a spoon, a Damiki rig or a swimbait worked in the forty-five to sixty five foot range. The bass are hanging very close to the bottom, and you have to look hard, or you will miss them. Think of looking at ants crawling on the bottom. Once you get one to bite you will see numerous fish show up on your electronics. The good thing is it is possible to catch several fish out of these schools before they stop biting. They are not in all the ditches so you will have to run several slowly with you FFS to locate these schools. For the spoon a white half ounce Flex it spoon worked on ten pound fluorocarbon has been the best choice. For the Damiki rig a three eights’ head with a two eight paddle tail Keitech worked directly above the bass has worked well. three eighths to five eighths Spot Choker See Em head with the same Keitech paddle tail has been effective in covering ground in the ditches when slowly crawled right down the middle of the ditch. There is also a worm or jig bite off the ends of long points in the thirty-five to forty-five foot of water range. A quarter ounce shakey head with either a trick worm or a senko in the darker green patterns has been the most effective. Working a three eights or one half ounce jig in a crawdad pattern has also been producing fish on the same points but both these baits have to be worked very slowly. It is truly a game of hide and seek right now as the fish are not scattered in all the ditches but when you find them you can catch both numbers and size so Go Catch ‘Em!

Lake Lanier Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier stripers are looking for warmer temperatures and smaller bait. Shiners and small bluebacks have produced but you need to run and gun looking for receptive fish. Be patient trying different techniques once you locate them. The birds will help you locate the fish to so be prepared to throw your favorite top water plug. The warm temperatures will help over the next warmer weather. Downlines seem to be your best bet. Remember to 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 good the water temperature is 43 the fish are in large groups in open water and under docks. Crappie have been at depths of 10 to 25 feet above a 20-to-40-foot bottom. Crappie minnows have been 80 percent or more of the bite this week. Small1.25 jigs in gray or white have worked well. 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.

Angler Award Crappie at Lanier: (This report courtesy of Fisheries Biologist Josh Stafford) — Anglers have been hammering some big crappie on Lanier lately.  Check out these two slabs that were caught within the last two weeks. The first one, which weighed 2lb 6.4oz and measured 15 ½ inches, was reeled in by Mark Roa. Jason Hawkins caught the second one, which weighed 2 lb 10.9 oz and measured 15 ¾ inches. Both fish were caught on crappie jigs, and both were big enough to qualify for angler awards.  Congrats to these happy anglers on their stellar catches!

Lake Weiss Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Weiss Lake is down 3.2 feet, and in the 50s. Bass fishing is good and some are still on the creek and river channel ledges. The recent cold trend the fish are moving back towards their deep-water haunts so use the Staysee 90 making long casts on points working the bait very slowly. Jerk the baits down to the maximum depth and then reeling it very slowly with some pauses mixed in. Many angles have found using light 10-pound test Sufix clear line will get a few more strikes. The deep running crank baits and Carolina rigs are catching fish. A lot of bass are on secondary points and road beds.

West Point Lake Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — West Point Lake is down 7 feet, and in the 50s. Bass fishing is fair. Soon there will be waves of bass moving to the shallows. Shad are in the creeks and the bass will follow them in big numbers. The best bite through late week was up the river on the crank baits and that will get better with the warmup. Bass are after shad so find the bait and the bass will be close by. Once the bass get into the creeks in full force it’ll be a good opportunity for crank baits, jerk baits and spinnerbaits. Rat L Traps and Rapala Shad Raps will be good lures later in the day. Hit the banks, throwing at any piece of wood you see. Watch the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to get the most out of every cast. Make accurate casts to maximize your chances for a hookup. Chatter Baits and spinner baits after mid-day will draw some strikes. Senko’s in dark colors with little or no weight around any wood can work.

Bartletts Ferry Hybrid: (This report courtesy of angler George Mize) — Angler George Mize pulled in this solid hybrid last week at Bartletts.  We don’t have many details about George’s catch, but we can tell from the photo that George was not sad about getting this one in the boat!

Lake Hartwell Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Hartwell is down 2.8 feet, and in the 50s. Bass fishing is fair. Find the warmest water in the coves and along the banks as the sun peeked through during the week. Some bass took advantage of this and moved up to feed. Medium diving crank baits like the Rapala DT6 and Rapala DT Flat can be used to catch these bass along with RS Shad Raps. Zoom finesse worms in greens rigged with little or no weight will catch the bass that are hiding in the brush piles. Rig these baits on ten- or twelve-pound test line and a 1/0 or 2/0 Wide Gap VMC Hook. A very, very slow presentation will be the key here. Deeper water bass are still being taken on Carolina Rigs around submerged structure on channel ledges and around the deep-water boat docks. Twenty to twenty-five foot of water is not too deep to use those jigs and plastics on the Carolina Rigs at the southern end of the lake and around the I 85 bridge, deep water vertical jigging is still working for many anglers. River bass are biting mid-day up in the Seneca River anywhere from Portman’s Marina and North. The Tugaloo River along the points and along the small rocky banks are best.

TROUT REPORT

Mid-Winter Trout Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — January’s cold weather means fishing tactics and fly selection remain steady until the highly anticipated black caddis hatch arrives in February. The key adjustment this month is targeting the mid-day bite window, as fish are most active during the warmest part of the day. This approach holds true for both the creeks and the larger waters, such as the Upper and Lower Toccoa.

Toccoa Tailwater Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — For the Lower Toccoa, dry dropper rigs are performing well. Pair a Pat’s Rubber Legs with an egg dropper for reliable action. Streamer enthusiasts are also finding success with Sparkle Minnows and Mini Dungeons, which are enticing aggressive strikes in both high and low water. Don’t forget—let the fly swing! Many bites are coming on the swing at the end of the drift, so be patient.

Delayed Harvest Stream Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — On the Delayed Harvest (DH) section of the Toccoa, we’re seeing great success with Pat’s Rubber Legs, Rainbow Warriors, and Wooly Buggers. Fish are stacking up in deeper runs and responding well to these productive patterns.

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.

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. Find out more license plate information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates.

(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 DOWN 1.3 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair and secondary points seem to be the pattern. Be sure to get to the backs of the coves that have the highest concentration of bait. Use shallow to medium diving crank baits on the secondary points lake wide. The best ones to fish will be the ones with rock and sand in combinations. The #5 Shad Raps along with a Rapala DT6 has been the best baits. Some fish are after Chatter Baits in all white with a little chartreuse on the skirt. The bigger bass last week want the small cranks and hit any rip rap. The sun should shine this weekend, and the rip rap might be worth checking out with the Rapala RS Shad Raps and the Rapala DT10’s. The suspending jerkbaits, unweighted flukes, Senko’s and the Mooch Minnow on a lead head are moving shallow.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that early in February bass should still be caught deeper in the main lake and at the mouths of creeks around the bait schools where other species including perch are feeding. They will be caught on jigging spoons, drop shots, and jigs. However, later this month anglers will notice bass start to move shallower regardless of weather conditions are they prepare to stage for the spawn.

Tournament Report (courtesy of ABA news): Kerry Partain of Elberton, Georgia claimed first place at the Division 25 SC Northwest tournament, held at the Highway 72 ramp on September 8, 2024. Partain secured the win with an impressive total catch weighing 18.15 pounds, highlighted by a 4.35-pound bass. His first-place finish earned him a $500 prize, along with an additional $96 from the first-place option pot. The next tournament for Division 25 is scheduled for March 16, 2025, at Lake Hartwell. The Gum Branch Tournament Facility in Hartwell, Georgia will serve as the launch site. For more details, contact the division’s tournament director, Zach Green, at 478-733-6473 or visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports it was a decent January for striper, but they are hopeful for a better February. This month some striped bass will be caught around the same deep bait schools where other species are feeding, but other striper will be roaming. Following the birds and covering water with free-lines or planer boards is usually the best pattern – even though the birds were not especially helpful in January.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in late January a few crappie started to show up again around deep bait schools, and this month they will get more and more common. Early in the month they will take minnows fished around deeper schools of bait, while later in the month they will be caught trolling in the creeks as they begin to stage for the spawn.

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

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.5 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. Warm weather sent some fish shallow. Dead sticking a fluke might not be as effective as last week. Start off by checking out the ledges and drop offs and slowly work back up to the shallow water. Use the Down Deep Husky Jerks and Rapala DT14 on the ledges and switch to the Rapala DT10 and #5 and #7 RS Shad Raps later on in the day. Fish the wind blown points and banks. Go to the Weedless wonder lead head and a Zoom green pumpkin trick worm and pick apart the heavy cover. Lowrance Structure Scan technology can make the search a lot faster. Scan five times the depth of the water with the Structure Scan Side imagining technology and fined the bait and the bass will there close by.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Josh Rockefeller (706-513-6152) reports that in early February fish will still be related to deep brush or rock in the creeks and ditches, although very early in the morning they will often be found shallow – and even schooling – in the very backs of ditches. Fishing swimbaits and jigs will be effective all month, and of course increasing numbers of anglers will be out deep throwing a minnow-style bait in open water. As temperatures warm this month then fish will move towards their pre-spawn and then spawning locations and stay shallower more of the time.

Tournament Report: Clarks Hill recently hosted the first Bassmaster Opens tournament of the season. Despite inclement weather interfering with the beginning of the event, Virginia’s Chase Clarke bested the 163-boat field with a two-day total of 47 lb, 7 oz. Thomson Biologist Aaron Gray assisted with the launch on Saturday morning and with the live release boat during the afternoon weigh in.

Striper and hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during February fish will still move around a lot, and one day you could find a big school in one area but then overnight it could be 5 or even 10 miles away. Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service reports that February is one of the best months of the year for catching big fish. As the weather warms, they will begin to stage for the spawn and can be caught trolling in the backs of creeks. 

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that February should again be a very good month for catfish on Clarks Hill. Anchoring on creek channel ledges and fan-casting cut gizzard shad, white perch and herring will be the best way to target big blue catfish. So far this season the creeks have out-fished the main lake.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. Fish in an area with lots of sand on the banks. The shad are spawning in these and other pockets on ditches on the flats leading to the pockets. Rat L Traps are good search baits and can allow anglers to cover lots of water. Also, out on the ledges there are a few sweet spots and Lowrance Side Scan technology along with the C Maps can show anglers the best locations on the ledges. In the pockets, try spinnerbaits and jigs both swimming jigs and working a jig slow across the spawning flats. Some are still transitional, and patterns change from day to day. Bass are being taken in brush piles in 6 to 12 feet of water using jigs Carolina rigs with lizards or frogs and with Texas rigged worms. Green and red flakes in a Zoom mini lizard on a very light Texas rig on the shady side of docks is a good all-day tactic. 

Tournament Report (courtesy of ABA news): Grant Kelly of Milledgeville, Georgia, claimed victory at the AFT D72 tournament held on January 25, 2025, at Lake Oconee. Kelly brought a five-bass limit to the scales, weighing an impressive 17.48 pounds, to secure the first-place trophy and a cash prize of $765. His bag was anchored by a standout 6.08-pound bass. The next AFT D72 tournament is scheduled for February 8, 2025, on Lake Sinclair, launching from the Dennis Station DNR ramp. For additional information, contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.2 FEET, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. Keep an eye on the water temperature when fishing new water and try to stay around the warmest water. With Lowrance HDS machines turn on Heat Map on the Map screen and watch it all day for the warmest waters. Crank baits, big-bladed spinner baits and jigs have been best this week when fishing for shallow fish. The Spro Little John MD 50 in the fire craw color will get a bite when fished extremely slowly over primary and secondary points in the rivers, as well as short pockets located near deep water. A chartreuse and white spinner bait with a large gold #7 willow leaf blade slow rolled around laydown trees on the main river bank will get fewer bites but look for them to be big fish. A black and blue ¼ ounce jig is great for flipping docks in short pockets or docks that have brush around them. Many fish can be caught deep right now as well with most of the deep fish being in 28 to 40 feet of water. A gold spoon will catch these fish that are relating to bait schools in deep water. Try to find some kind of structure in the same depth the fish are holding. The Lowrance HDS Structure Scan system is very helpful for finding the fish and the fish holding structure.

Upcoming Events: The next AFT D72 tournament is scheduled for tomorrow, February 8, 2025, on Lake Sinclair, launching from the Dennis Station DNR ramp. For additional information, contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The spotted bass are on the long rocky points. Pick a #5 and #7 Shad Rap in crawfish and shad patterns. Try the new premium balsa wood Rapala Ott’s Garage Series Slim crank bait. Great wobble and side to side action for realistic movement, attracting large predators for deep set bites. This silent, flat sided body with VMC Black Nickel 1X Treble hooks. These are super sharp, and they will hold on better than most stock hooks. Use the crank baits on 8-pound Sufix clear line and bump the bait off the rocks. The rocks are slightly warmer bringing bait p shallow after mid-day. If the bass won’t eat the crankbait take a 3/8-to-1/2-ounce jig and work the same areas. Watch the Lowrance and fid the bait and deeper schools of fish in the mouths of coves. A Fish Head Spin or Flex It 5/8 ounce white and blue jigging spoon will catch these fish.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

The warming air and water temperatures have beckoned anglers back to the PFA, and they are reporting successful fishing trips!  Campground renovations have begun, with a projected completion date in 2026.  Bathrooms in the West Valley of the McDuffie Public Fishing Area are open; bathrooms in the East Valley (on the campground) remain closed.  Lime has been delivered to the PFA and will be added to our public fishing lakes later in February!

Bass: As water temperatures rise to the 60’s, bass will begin spawning.  During this time, bass will be much more aggressive and in shallow waters.  Using live worms will produce catches, but also consider using lures that mimic shad or bream in and around structure.

Striped and Hybrid Bass:  As with largemouth bass, hybrids and striped bass will begin moving towards shallower waters to feed in tandem with the rising water temperatures.  Live worms will be excellent for catching hybrids, but anglers should also consider using lures that mimic shad or bream when they need to cover more water.  Anglers may also have success using crankbaits, topwater lures, or plastics in and around the shallows.

Channel Catfish: Channel Catfish are being caught frequently on the PFA. Anglers should consider using chicken livers and fishing near the bottoms of the lakes.  Crankbait or lures that mimic bait fish may also produce angler success. Check out this awesome albino channel catfish caught recently at the PFA!

Bream:  Bluegill and redear are starting to become more active, and the bite will continue to get hot as water temperatures begin to reach 70 degrees.  Anglers targeting bream should use live worms and target shallow areas with structure.  Anglers may also seem some success using rooster tail lures and small jigs.

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 moderate with occasional big fish being caught. Most fish have averaged 2 to 5 pounds. Your best bets on lures are jerk baits, jigs, and crank baits around structures.

Bream: The bream fishing has continued to be good despite the weather, most catches are bluegill, but the occasional redear will be mixed in. Your best bet is to use red wigglers or cut up nightcrawlers on the bottom in 4-10 feet of water. 

Crappie: The crappie bite has been extremely slow after the winter storm. A few fish have been caught–all on jigs. Your best bet is to target them extremely deep and in open water, preferably around schools of shad. 

Catfish: Catfish have been extremely slow since the turn of the year, but the occasional fish may still be caught. Chicken livers and cut bait fish on the bottom and deep water will produce some bites. 

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: 48 -55 F.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: During the colder temperatures largemouth bass have been feeding on lethargic shad.  These feeding frenzies are often against or near a windblown shoreline.  A good lure choice would be a rattle trap, jerk bait, or any crank bait that closely resembles a threadfin shad.  Look for gulls feeding.  Take advantage of the warmer weather while it lasts.

Crappie: A few crappie have moved in to more shallow water and the numbers should increase as the temperatures stay mild.  Using a jig tipped with a minnow is your best bet.  Try different depths until you find them.

Bream: Bluegill and some shellcracker bite is slow but a few are being caught on or near the bottom. Bottom fishing with red wigglers and wax worms is your best bet.

Hybrid Bass: Bennett, Fox, Greenhouse and Otter have all been stocked with hybrid bass. Most lures work but fishing with liver on the bottom seems to work best.

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 this year. By fertilizing these impoundments, the base of the food chain can be significantly increased 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)

Wow! What a difference a week can make…again! This warmup has gotten the fish fired up all over the place. The smaller ponds and shallow systems have really fired off and saltwater is a little behind. Fishing should be great this weekend wherever you want to fish.

River gages on February 6th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 7.4 feet and falling
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 5.9 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 8.6 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 11.1 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 9.6 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 6.4 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 5.5 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 5.7 feet and falling

Full Moon is February 12th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Seth Carter and a buddy had a day to remember on Wednesday. They fished the lower river and caught around 30 bass up to 3 1/2 pounds. Seth said it was one of those days that it probably didn’t matter what you threw – they were just munching! They fooled them with crankbaits, worms, spinnerbaits, and jigs. He also caught his biggest chain pickerel (jackfish) ever during the trip.

SATILLA RIVER

Bill Stewart and I fished on Friday in the lower river and had a great day. We started by putting 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs tipped with minnows down deep. We caught a few nice warmouth and a big bluegill, but it was slow. As we worked along the bank, I switched to a chartreuse back pearl 2-inch Keitech rigged on a chartreuse 1/16-oz. Flashy Jighead (#1 Gamakatsu hook) and started casting. It wasn’t long before I knew that’s what we should be doing. We started picking up quite a few crappie up to 14 inches with that rig, and Bill switched over shortly after I had a few specks in the boat. We had one giant warmouth on a Tennessee shad Specktacular Jig, but everything else came on the Keitech/Flashy Jighead setup. We ended up catching 33 fish total (mostly crappie) and released all but a handful for Bill’s supper. A couple friends fished the middle river on Thursday and couldn’t find the specks, but they caught several bowfin, a pickerel, and a bass.

SAVANNAH RIVER

Mark Vick and Thomas Carroll fished the river on Friday at the beginning of the warm-up and put it on the crappie and fliers. They fished Tennessee shad Specktacular Jigs and Mirage Jigs but did not have to tip them with minnows. They ended up catching 52 fish total (kept 26). The water temperature was still 51 degrees, and they had to fish deep (12 to 16 feet deep) and around cover.

ST MARYS RIVER

Randy Hanson sent me a photo of a really nice striper that looked like it weighed about 8 or 9 pounds. He caught it this week in the lower St Marys. I also had a report of an angler in the middle river catching 17 crappie on Wednesday. He fooled them with minnows. 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.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Rob, Chelsey, Owen, and Evan came down from Canada to see the Okefenokee Swamp and fished with me 2 afternoons on the west side this weekend. The boys had a blast seeing all the wildlife, and all of them enjoyed pulling on lots of bowfin. We tried bottom fishing with jigs like we had been catching fish, but that simply did not work. Trolling Dura-Spins was the ticket to trigger bites, and we caught 26 fish the first afternoon and 19 fish the second afternoon. The best colors were white-white blade and crawfish-brass blade. Owen had the biggest bowfin at 6-lb., 3-oz. (his biggest fish ever), and the boys caught fish that earned them youth angler awards for bowfin, flier, and yellow bullhead. They caught a few fliers on sallies and super-sallies in the boat basin when not out on my boat. Brentz McGhin trolled minnow plugs on the east side this weekend and caught a handful of bowfin and a couple jackfish. Rusty Foshee fished with me on Thursday evening for 2 hours on the east side of the swamp, and we pitched sallies for fliers. We caught 76 fliers during the trip, and the 2 best colors were pink and chartreuse. We caught 8 or 10 on black gnat, but the other 2 were by far the best colors. We tried other colors, but they did not produce bites. Our biggest flier was 8 1/2 inches, and we had a dozen fish over 7 inches. Rusty kept 8 for a meal, and we released the rest. This warm-up should have the fish chewing right up until the next cold front. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.98 feet.

DODGE COUNTY PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Eastman)

Ken Burke fished Saturday for about 5 hours and had 4 bass that weighed just shy of 14 pounds. His biggest was a 6 1/4-pounder, and he had 2 others over 3 pounds. He fooled them with a Frittside crankbait. The water temperature rose to over 56 degrees that day. He returned Monday and had a fantastic day. He used the same crankbait and fooled 12 bass that weighed about 36 pounds total. His big fish that day was 6 1/2 pounds, and he had several others over 3 pounds. The water temperature rose to 58 degrees that trip.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton)

A couple of anglers fished the area over the weekend and reported catching 3 bass up to 3 1/2 pounds on Lake Patrick by throwing plastic worms and Rat-L-traps.

LOCAL PONDS

Jimmy Zinker has been catching some solid bass in Worth County farm ponds, but the topwater bite has been dead for him. Bigger Shad Raps have produced the best, and he had an 8-lb., 4-oz. behemoth inhale it on Monday. That was the biggest bass I heard about. Joshua Barber fished a pond Saturday and had 4 bass that ate stick worms. He also lost a big one on a topwater frog. I talked with a couple guys who fished live bait in a South Georgia lake targeting big bass, and they only caught a single 5-pounder on Sunday. I heard a couple of good reports from a Brunswick pond over the weekend. An angler fishing Saturday caught 15 bass up to just over 5 pounds. He returned in a couple days and had almost 20 bass, and had one that weighed 7-lb., 11-oz. I’m not sure what lures he was using.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Capt. Duane Harris fished with a friend on Tuesday in the Brunswick area, and they caught 3 redfish, 2 black drum, and a 17-inch trout in a few hours. Plastic curly-tails and Keitech swimbaits worked best for them. They had a 26 1/4-inch redfish on the smallest rig in the boat (crappie tackle), and it ate a chartreuse back pearl 3-inch Keitech rigged on a 1/16-oz. Flashy Jighead. That redfish was tagged, and they reported the tag number and released the fish. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) had some great trips this week. On Tuesday, he had Jim and Lloyd on the boat and got a limit of trout and limits of redfish on Fourseven lures and live shrimp under Harper Super Striker Floats. Jim is 80, but Capt. Tim said that he fishes like he was 20! On Wednesday, Bob and Bobby got on a good trout bite. They caught a limit of keepers and about the same number of shorts using Fourseven grubs. They caught 3 redfish and a nice sheepshead during their trip. Don and Debbie started off Thursday casting plastics and picked up 15 trout, but only 3 were keepers. They switched strategy and chased reds, and they found them. They caught their limit and left them biting. They caught their trout on Fourseven grubs and reds on paddletail swimbaits. They also picked up a nice black drum and 4 flounder, as well. The intimidator color was the best for the reds and the provoker color was best for trout this week. 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) 

FLINT RIVER

We are slowly warming up after a historic snow event in southwest Georgia. If the weather will continue warming, we will see fish activity increasing. Morone species such as white and striped bass will increase feeding to prepare for the upcoming spawn. Use live shad or any shad imitation bait. Largemouth bass will begin to move toward spawning grounds and will be actively feeding on warm days. Most lures will work.    

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

If the weather will continue warming, we will see fish activity increasing. Morone species such as white and striped bass will increase feeding to prepare for the upcoming spawn. Use live shad or any shad imitation bait. Largemouth bass will begin to move toward spawning grounds and will be actively feeding on warm days. Most lures will work. Catches of black crappie are being reported in deep bends around brush.    

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

The largemouth bass fishing is fair right now but should get better in the coming weeks. For now, while the water is cooler, continue to fish plastic lures and crankbaits slowly in about 10 feet of water. Also, deeper waters near the new fishing pier may produce decent bites this time of year. We are getting some reports of decent crappie fishing, but they can still be difficult to locate. Jigs and small spinning baits pitched near structure may produce some decent bites. Crappie fisherman are reporting great hybrid fishing right now and they are readily hitting top water baits.

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Silver Lake water temps are in the 50s and bass are beginning to bed.  Males are fanning and females are moving shallow.  Target flats and weedlines with your favorite creature baits and Texas rigged speed worm in watermelon red flake.  Big females will hide under the floating vegetation mats during the day.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

According to Ken Sturdivant at Southernfishing.com, Bass fishing is fair. The fish are on deep creek bends down the lake. Mid-day spinner baits down lake in the creeks may work but drag the baits slowly over the structure. Use the 1/2-ounce Stanley spinner baits with bright blades. With any sun warming look for the bass to move to the creek channels and points during the day. Use all black or all brown Strike King 1/2-ounce jig and a Pro Pork Trailer by Uncle Josh on the points. After a few days of warm weather, look for the crank bait and spinner baits cast on the bank cover and slowly worked to get small strikes. Watch the water temperatures all day and find the warmest water in the Northwest coves for any active fish. Any warmup next month should spark the fish to start to the shallows.

LAKE BLACKSHEAR 

Last week’s snowy weather is gone with this week’s weather going into the 70s, which might help increase your chances of getting something on your hook. Crappie bites have been remaining strong despite the cold last week, though people have found that it takes some work to get them to bite as the water temperature was down into the 40s. Those that are catching crappies are saying that ATX Litewire Hooks were successful in keeping bites going while not changing baits.

LAKE SEMINOLE
Ken Sturdivant reports that Lake Seminole is at full pool with water temperatures in the 50s. Bass fishing is fair. Be sure and have spinnerbaits and frogs on hand. The shad spawn will soon start with the full moon. The big fish have been hanging around grass points next to deep water taking advantage of it. Try a Lucky Craft spinnerbait around the grass lines and points. Work top water plugs around variations in topped out grass. Get to the lake early as these fish like to feed at dawn. Ten-inch worms worked slowly around grass points and outside clumps can produce big fish.

Related