March 7, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

It’s a crappie time on the water right now…and by that I mean, it is a FANTASTIC time to fish for crappie! Across the state, folks are pulling in the crappie, so get on the water this weekend and catch’em.

NEWS TO KNOW

• Fish and Learn: Are you hooked on fishing and want to learn more? Our Fish-N-Learn 2 is an intermediate level program designed for those interested in learning more about the basics of bass fishing! Event scheduled for April 25-27 (but you have to register by Apr. 9). Participants will stay and dine at the Charlie Elliott Conference Center.  The weekend will include fishing at Marben PFA as well as educational programs on equipment, fishing regulations, and species identification. Cost is $130.
• Go Fish Harvest: Go fish at the Go Fish Education Center – the Spring Harvest is on Now. You can fish the stocked casting pond and keep up to 8 fish per person every Friday, Saturday, & Sunday this March!
• CoastFest: CoastFest is an annual event held by the Coastal Resources Division that is dedicated to celebrating and educating the public about the rich coastal heritage and natural resources of our region. The festival, scheduled for March 22, will have a wide range of activities, exhibits and live entertainment.
• Blue Ridge Trout and Outdoor Adventures Festival: Go ahead and put this trout fishing and adventure planning event on your calendar for April 26 – it’s sure to be a good time for all! 

This week we have fishing reports from North, Central and Southeast Georgia. Southwest Georgia will be back with a report next week. Whether you plan to have a “crappie” fishing day or not, we are glad that you Go Fish Georgia!

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 6 FEET, 50’S — Bass fishing is fair. Soon the bass will move up shallow and have two things on their mind food and spawning. Now anglers will need to cover water. Crankbaits, scroungers and Chatter baits will be the best lures. Use the Picasso spinnerbait with white willowleaf blades or a willowleaf/Colorado blade combo. Fish the spinnerbait on wind-blown points. The Picasso Aaron Martens Shock Blade Chatter bait in white and blue is a great cover bait. Fish it on points in laydown trees. They are the best areas to target. For the Scrounger use a 1/4-ounce jig head tipped with a Big Bite Baits alewife 4 inch Jerk Minnow fished on 10 pound Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon. Make a long cast and just slowly reel it back. The scrounger may get several bites before the fish actually loads up. The scrounger will produce hybrid, striper, white bass and spotted bass. It will make for an interesting day. The areas around Illinois Creek, the mouth of Little River and the Sweetwater Creek area have been really productive.

Crappie (Courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits):

• Air Temp: High: 75 – Low: 37
• Wind: Up to 25 Mph Gusts
• Lake Level: Approx. 834′
• Water Temp: 48 – 52
• Water Clarity: Heavy Stain to Muddy
• Area Fished: Little River, S-Turns, Victoria, Kellogg/Owl Creek & Blockhouse Area (Clear Creek/Tanyard)
• Jigs Used: Black & Chartreuse – Talon 2.0, Tannic Flo Orange – Talon 2.0, Pappy’s Magic – Slab Dragon, Black & Blue Flake – Kic’n Chic’n XL, Sour Grape – Kic’n Chic’n XL, Cajun Chicken – Kic’n Chic’n XL, Chicken Pox – Kic’n Chic’n XL and June Bug – Kic’n Chic’n.
• Technique: Trolling

The first half of the first week of March 2025 was pretty good for Lake Allatoona crappie fishing! We got out on the water before the mid-week weather and wind and was able to net a few Allatoona slabs! It’s hard to believe that we are moving into Spring crappie fishing but it’s here and it’s time to schedule some days off! The first part of spring on Lake Allatoona is a matter of timing as the weather can be a bit unpredictable. Make sure to keep an eye on the weather as the temps can be up and down, the wind usually gets up in the afternoon, so you have to plan accordingly. The water temperature, depending on the area of the lake, was between 48 and 52. When we get into 52 – 56 water temps it is go time! The water will warm up faster in the shallow flats, cuts and creeks and will fire the crappie up and they will be ready to eat. We are finding crappie anywhere from 18′ suspended in 10′ – 12′ of water up to 6′ of water. We are still seeing a lot of crappie glued to the bottom due to fronts and pressure. We are trolling a mix of 1/24th, 1/16th, and 3/32nd oz. jig heads to cover a range of water at different depths. We are seeing a lot of singles and doubles with a few schools here and there. This could and will change overnight once the temps stabilize and the water goes from low 50’s to high 50’s and 60’s. The crappie will start schooling up and moving in and out of the shallows.

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is good. Bass are beginning to move up and will be located in shallow waters with the warmth of the sun. Focus on banks in spawning coves that are receiving most of the day’s sunlight. We have had our best luck by covering long distances using mid depth crankbaits with medium to slow retrieve. Use Bomber or Bandit mid depth crankbaits in bright colors for dirty water and shad patterns in the clearer water. Once the fish show up on the Lowrance stick with them because they have been really grouped up and feeding on bait. A Bill Lewis Rat L Trap or an Excalibur XR50 Rattle Bait in the chrome black back colors will also produce fish on windier days. The most productive areas have been chunk rock and red clay banks close to the main river. On the southern end of the lake, use the same mid depth crankbaits in natural shad patterns. When cover is present slow down with a 1/2 ounce All Terrain jig in dark colors or a 3/16-ounce Davis Baits shaky head tipped with Zoom trick worm all colors green. Do not expect many bites from probing the thick cover, but they will be larger fish.

Walleye (Courtesy of Kyle Rempe, Georgia DNR Fisheries Biologist) — Walleye at Lake Hartwell have slowly been making their way upstream through the Tugaloo River, with GADNR samplings picking up more individuals each week as water temperatures continue to edge towards 50 °F. The addition of a few cold days during the first week of March has partially slowed this process, although some eager Walleye are already staging near Yonah Dam. Expect things to really pick up next week once the weather warms and stays consistent. The opportunity to catch some large fish over the 4-pound mark should present itself to lucky anglers trolling for them along the river.

LAKE LANIER 

Bass (Courtesy of Phil Johnson, (pjohnson15@hotmail.com or 770 366 8845)) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently about one foot over full pool, and the water temperature is running from forty seven to fifty degrees. Look for the temperature to rise back into the fifties with the warmer weather. The backs of the creeks and up the river areas are still stained while the main lake remains fairly clear. Be aware that there is still some significant debris floating so stay alert for it. With the temperatures that we are going to have and the longer days it is definitely the transition time of the year for the bass. They are making a move into less than thirty feet of water for both the bait and to spawn. A variety of baits are working now so you can pick your favorite to fish all day and catch fish. A three eights Spot Choker paired with a three-inch Keitech in the Electric Shad or Tennessee Shad color are working well in the backs of the creeks in less than thirty feet of water. An Alabama rig worked on the windy rock areas has been producing some good fish also. In the stained water work a craw pattern RK Crawler around the secondary points and on the rocky areas. The worm bite has really picked up around the docks near the deeper water and on the secondary rocky points. A three sixteenths shakey head with a Trixster Tamale worm in green pumpkin green, a watermelon red or sand color Zoom trick worm have been the main colors used this week. The key has been to work the worm very slow. The jerk bait bite seems to have just started particularly in the lower river areas and should pick up as the water temperature rises. As it warms watch for the bass to get even shallower as they prepare to spawn. It’s a great time to be on the water so Go Catch ‘Em!

Crappie (Courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton (770 530 6493)) — Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good. As of Wednesday, the water temperature is 47 the north end of the lake is full of debris and the water is chocolate milk mid lake is clean and clear the large fish are in small groups roaming in open water and in large groups under community docks Crappie have been at depths of 2 to 6 feet above a 20-to-40-foot bottom. Crappie minnows have been most of the bite this week and for jigs. Small 1.25” jig with grey and purple tail 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 with an Atx lure company jig. Further optimizing your efforts, a Garmin LiveScope, protected by a sonar shield cover, and a Power Pole are highly recommended.

Stripers (Courtesy of Tad Murdock, Georgia Wild Trout Fly Fishing Guide Service) — The striper bite on Lake Lanier is finally on the rise after being incredibly sporadic for the last month with fish being spread out. Most fish have found their way to the mid lake area or above and are beginning to congregate as they roam the shallows. Main lake and secondary points with a fair amount of bait (not too much bait) are what you will be looking for. Striper are cruising fast and can be difficult to keep pace with. Use what is left of the birds and keeping your eyes on the horizon for any surface activity on overcast days. Schooling fish should be moving fast to corral shoals of bait so make your casts count as the feeding frenzies tend to not last long. The dock light bite has also been fair if you can manage your way onto the lake in the early AM. Use stealth when approaching these lights as the fish do see a good bit of pressure in these areas. The striper will be on the feed if they remain unspooked.

WEISS LAKE 

Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — WEISS LAKE IS DOWN 3.2 FEET, 50’S — Bass fishing is fair. These fish are normally holding on the sides of the structures along a fast tapering drop off. These are the bait to rig up this week. Jigging spoons like a .6 Flex It, Carolina rig, drop shot rig, jig head and worm, jig, Little George and a Rocket Shad. On some days a large deep diving crank bait will also draw strikes. Docks and boat houses are producing a few fish, including larger bass. Look for docks located very near deep water that have lots of brush under and near them. Small to medium crank baits and lightweight jigs are the primary baits during winter.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 6.4 FEET, 50’S — Bass fishing is good. Some fish move shallow feeding around rip rap by all the bridges and a small Rat L Trap is an easy bait to fish fast and cover a lot of water. Fish the bridge at Yellow Jacket access several times a day. Up lake throw a ½ ounce football jig on ledges and brush piles for some great jig action. Down lake fish are deeper and more skid dish. For versatility try the Berkley Powerbait MaxScent Flat Nose Jerk Shad. Whether it’s using a jig head for finicky bass at mid depth or a double fluke rig on schooling bass, the jerk shad fits the bill. Try also drop shotting as well as a great trailer for a bladed jig plus they come with the irresistible smell. There are very soft plastic baits that provide the year around flexibility and multitechnique adaptability of the Gary Yamamoto Hula Grub. Fish are still in the 8-to-10-foot range up lake above the 109 bridge. Use a 3/8-ounce Fish Head Spin rigged with a Zoom fluke or a 1/2 Rat L Trap around the rocks. Throw jigs and shakey heads on light line around the shoal markers and drop offs. Good skirt colors for the jigs is Texas Craw, PB&J and watermelon craw.

RIVER REPORT 

Middle Chattahoochee White Bass (Courtesy of angler Dustin Pate): We had really good trips on the river last weekend. The white bass are filling back in nicely after the big rain and cold snap. We fought through the wind on Saturday and put together a really good day. Sunday, we fished after lunch and the weather conditions were much better and the bite reflected it. We stayed on the fish all afternoon and left them biting to beat the dark back to the ramp.

The fish aren’t really up towards Franklin yet. We did find a few random ones up that way just hitting a few spots, but they were very few. The area from Snake Creek to Ringer is a much better option right now. Your typical sandy banks with 3-6 foot of water should have fish on them. We didn’t find many groups that you could sit on until late yesterday evening. Mainly just covering as much water as you can. You could go back and repeat areas after letting them rest and pick up additional fish.

Water temps are in the 54-56 range. Top baits were the Berkley Flicker Shad, Sick Fish Jr. (3/10 oz. head), and Strike King Slabalicious (1/8 oz. head).

TROUT REPORT

Wild Trout (Courtesy of Tad Murdock, Georgia Wild Trout Fly Fishing Guide Service) – Spring has arrived really early this year and the trout activity has picked up considerably. The warmer days we have had for the last two weeks in February have warmed the creeks. Still seeing plenty of midges and winter stoneflies across North Georgia with BWOs and black caddis joining in on the festivity. A couple species of small caddis (size 16 or smaller) have begun emerging leading to a productive dry fly bite on the small mountain creeks. Both Brook trout and wild rainbows have joined in on the action. The tandem dry fly rig is having the best luck for these wild trout. I have been leading with a size 14 or bulky size 16 caddis and stimulator pattern, then trailing with a thin size 18 or 20 caddis, mayfly or midge pattern in the rear. On days when the activity is slower, a dropper will clean up what doesn’t fall for the dries.

Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing (Courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Unicoi Outfitters) — Dredger hit Smith DH on Monday afternoon. The parking lot was full, but he found a spot and pulled in. He hit a few pools and runs in his downstream hike and struck out for the first hour. The fish didn’t want the swing, the strip, or even the real black winter stoneflies fluttering about in the sunshine. The air was 60F and the water, 46 (Note: Smith DH was 48F yesterday afternoon). The high sun had fish stuck to the bottom, where Dredger visited them via three split shot.  Best bugs were a tiny black bugger, peach egg, and hares ear soft hackle. His handful of spunky bows came from two prime pools via the dead dredge (drift).  They sure were fun on his 7.5-ft, 3-wt blueline rod. If you’re heading to Smith, go early or late to miss the midday crowds, and bring some small, dark dries with you. They were working for some Smith anglers yesterday afternoon.

Wes’ Hot Fly List: 

• Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl, quill gordon , parachute Adams, Dry emerger blue wing olive, rage cage black caddis, little black stone.
• Nymphs & Wets:
• DH streams: slush egg, Pink tag jig, Frenchie, Zebra midge, hares ear nymph and soft hackle, micro girdle bugs, chewy caddis,
• Mountain streams: Pheasant tails, micro girdle bugs, prince nymphs, ruby midge.
• Streamers:
• Sparkle minnows, mohair leeches, UV polar jigs, mini shimmer buggers.

Trout Info: To learn about Georgia’s diverse trout fishing opportunities including the latest stocking information, check out the Georgia DNR Trout Fishing page at GeorgiaWildlife.com/Fishing/Trout. 

Trout Tag: 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

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.5 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. Colored to stained water can be found up in the rivers and creeks due to rain and high winds last week. This should clear up some during the weekend as better weather approaches. The blue backs are still traveling in schools up and down the lake and daytime temperatures should climb soon. Keep using those the Rapala DT16’s along the channel ledges and the Minnow Raps on the deep side of the main lake points. Also try a slow rolling 1/2-ounce White Terminator spinner bait along those lay down trees. Concentrate the majority of these efforts on those in ten to twenty feet of water. The wind-blown banks and points will be the better ones to fish, especially those that get the early morning sun. Fish each area thoroughly and make several presentations in each area. The slower the bait is fished, the better the chances of a strike.

Tournament Summary (courtesy of ABA News): Cy Casey and Lily Smith emerged victorious at the American Bass Anglers Couples Series season opener, North GA Division 5, held on Clarks Hill Lake. The tournament saw a mix of seasoned competitors and new teams showcasing impressive fishing skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship as anglers battled for top honors. Casey and Smith, newcomers to the division, delivered an outstanding performance, securing first place with a total weight of 17.60 pounds. Their success was highlighted by Cy Casey’s 5.83-pound catch, which earned him both the Men’s Big Bass title and the largest bass of the tournament.

Striper and Hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that in March fish will move shallower off channel points, and first thing in the morning there should be a really strong bite right at daybreak. After that it will be more of a grind with deeper down-rods, although some anglers will pull planer boards across points.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that – except for the wind – March is one of the best months of the year for catching crappie on Clarks Hill. Generally, fish are feeding heavily in preparation for the spawn and then actually spawning, and they will be shallow in the backs of creeks and coves as well as along the banks around cover. Long-line trolling, tight-lining, and casting a cork with a jig/minnow at the bank will all catch fish. 

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson reports that March can also be a good month for catching large catfish on Clarks Hill, although again the wind can be problematic. Anchoring in shallow water where fish are feeding on threadfin and gizzard shad is generally the best pattern.

Now That’s a Crappie! (Report submitted by Aaron Gray, WRD Fisheries Biologist) — The National Crappie League recently hosted a tournament on Clarks Hill. Nick Dowda and Matt Outlaw led the 17-team field with a 10 fish bag of 24.80 pounds. Chris Waters topped the Big Fish race with a 3.16 pound slab. Tournament anglers and weekend warriors alike have reported that Fishing, Pistol, Soap, Germany, and Big Hart Creeks are all consistent producers. Fish are gradually making their way shallower as the water warms and the spawn approaches. Most anglers are still starting their pursuit in mid-range depths in and around wood structure, then gradually moving shallower as the day goes on or the fish move out elsewhere in the creeks. If fishing with artificials, be sure to carry several trusted colors if and when the crappie decide to get picky!

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. All over the lake and spoons and jigs are the only baits getting strikes. Be sure to have the drop shot rigs with a small Bass Trix rigged and checkout any point at 30 feet or less. Keep the spoons to 1/2 ounce and work the humps and old roadbeds all over the lake. The best tip is to keep moving until the active fish are found. It’s cold all over the lake and the bass are just not active. Watch for a warmup to get the fish moving. Slow presentations are required. Use smoke or green worms, lizards and dark jigs. Small Rat L Traps in bleeding shiner and #5 Shad Raps are fair on points on light line. And always fish and rip rap on the bridges as the sun warms this water and the shad will spawn there. Work crank baits on points the inner creek humps and old roadbeds all over the lake. The mid lake humps close to the bridge has a lot of deep water close by and in front and behind the bridge there are huge stands of trees. Spooning and worms can make the fish bite.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in March fish will be scattered all over the lake, but they will also move shallower. Pulling live herring on free-lines and planer boards is usually the best pattern.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in March fish will start to move shallower, and depending on weather conditions there will often be a strong spawn this month. It can happen very fast once air temperatures get into the 70–80-degree range, and usually the biggest fish spawn first. Trolling jigs is usually the best pattern until fish are actually bedding, and then they can be caught casting jigs or minnows to the shallows.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that in March catfish will start to bite better again, and they can be caught on shallow points with cut herring.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The lake is heavy stain up the rivers, the further down the lake you go the clearer the lake gets. It is clear from Jumping Rock to the dam. Lower Richland creek is clear. The bass are moving into the mouths of the creeks as the water warms. Some good fish are coming up the rivers on wood structure. Try the Jenko CD7 a good medium diving crankbait. Good components color schemes cast ability and action it is a good all day lure. This crankbait is available in 12 vibrant colors. From bright craw patterns to chartreuse colors for muddy water all the way over to natural patterns for clearer water there is a color for almost any conditions. With a body length of 2.16 inches and the ability to dive up to 9 feet the CD7 perfectly exemplifies a medium diving crankbait with a compact profile. This style bait works exceptionally well as the fall fades into winter. But because of its size and effective depth range it’s also a lure that will catch fish year round. Jigs are have been producing well in these areas. Down the lake spinner baits fished on rock have been producing as well. Soft plastics fished under docks is also producing good numbers.

Tournament Alert (courtesy of ABA news):  The next tournament in the AFT D72 division is scheduled for March 8, 2025, on Lake Oconee, departing from Sugar Creek Marina. For any questions or further information, please contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

Oconee Derby Week 2 Update (courtesy of Doug Nelms): The high winds tested the bravery and, in some cases, the buoyancy of Oconee Derby anglers and their trusty watercraft this week. The bite could have been red hot, but only a handful of die-hards will know for sure as many opted to sit out the whitecaps and blistering cold for another day. Assuming those curious bystanders eventually take a peek at the Week 2 rankings, they’ll find that appellative alliteration may have been secret sauce this week since Barry Bishop and Nick Knapp currently top the leaderboards in the striper and crappie categories for Week 2. Barry managed just 2 oz shy of a 10 lb lineside and sits in 3^rd for the overall derby standings, and Mr. Knapp’s catch earned him the 5^th place spot overall for crappie. With the warm weather settling in next week, I fully expect to see some new faces in new places all over the leaderboards. If interested in learning more and joining in on the fun, visit www.Oconeederby.com/leaderboards.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.2 FEET, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is slow to fair, but a good catch is also possible. The best patterns seem to work for only short periods of time before the angler is forced to again change tactics. The one constant is that a school of fish or an area with scattered bass must be worked slow and methodically. There may be only one or two active fish in a group of dormant bass and patiently saturating the area with many casts is the best option. Riprap along the bridges and trestle in Little River is producing bass nearly every day with crank baits and jigs. Try a Rapallo Shad Rap RS or jointed Shad Rap in fire tiger and silver blue. Retrieve the bait very slowly parallel to the rocks. A one or two second pause every few seconds during the retrieve can draw the interest of a sluggish fish. Also try a deeper running crank bait like a Rapala DT10 or a ½ ounce Fat Free Shad. For the jig, use the lightest weight possible for the conditions. A ¼ to 3/8-ounce jig will more easily slide across the rocks and fall slower than heavier baits. Try a Zoom Pro Chunk or Super Chunk Jr. in blue or green pumpkin as a trailer on the jig. Main river points, humps, and flats are holding groups of fish that will usually feed some every day. Some bass are also showing up along the rocky bluff banks up the Oconee River. Again, crank baits and jigs are the most reliable baits to use.

Sinclair GON-tel: New to fishing Lake Sinclair? The GON community offers some good information for early season fishing tactics at forum.gon.com/threads/has-anyone-been-to-sinclair-lately.1065579/#post-14605135.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass are in the deeper natural structure and the deep water pockets off the rivers and creeks. The cold fronts dropped the water temperatures, and the fish are relating to sharp drops and heavy cover all over the lake. Tussah Creek is a good area all year with plenty of docks and clearer water. With the cold water, these fish feed less often and usually deeper. Sharp drops instead of slopping areas are easier for the fish to move up and down. They do not expend a lot of energy in cold water. The 1/2-ounce Stanley jig with the #11 Uncle Josh pork trailer is the one of the best wintertime lure. As the fish get colder, they will have to be coaxed into striking these baits. The more the fish see the bait the likelihood of drawing a strike increases.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Bass have begun spawning at McDuffie PFA.

The bream are biting at McDuffie PFA!

Warming temperatures continue to beckon anglers back on the PFA and they are reporting successful fishing trips!  Liming has been completed on PFA lakes to condition water for fertilization this spring.  More than 30 stumps were added to Willow Lake to increase fish cover–this should substantially increase locations for anglers to target whether fishing on the bank or by boat.  With daylight savings time, anglers will have more time for fishing in the evening before the great diel migration to Jones kicks in at sunset.

Bass: Bass have begun spawning on the PFA. Anglers targeting bass should fish the shallows using shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or plastics that imitate baitfish.  Fishing in vegetation using top water lures such as frogs may also produce bites on the PFA. 

Striped and Hybrid Bass:  Hybrid and Striped Bass are beginning to move to shallow water.  Anglers should consider using flukes, paddle tail swimbaits, or other lures that mimic baitfish in the shallows.  Anglers will also have success fishing with chicken livers just off the bottom of the ponds. 

Channel Catfish: Channel catfish have been biting consistently throughout the winter and will feed even more aggressively in the spring! Anglers can target catfish using chicken livers or nightcrawlers fished directly on the pond bottom or use lures mimicking smaller baitfish. 

Bream:  Bream are biting! Anglers should target areas with structure using live worms or crickets for the best chance of success. Some anglers have caught bream using rooster tails. 

Reminder: live fish/minnows are not allowed at McDuffie PFA.

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

Flat Creek PFA Bluegill.

Flat Creek PFA Black Crappie catch.

Bass: Bass fishing has been good with some trophy-sized bass being caught. Your best bait choice will be flukes and jerk baits off deeper banks, and live bluegill/shiners around cover.

Bream: Bream fishing has been fair, and you can expect to catch a limit of quality fish.  Louisiana pinks and red wigglers are a great bait choice. (CAPTION: A nice bluegill caught on Red Wiggler from the bank.)

Crappie: Crappie fishing has been excellent with many slabs reported being caught. During the day, jigs will work best. At night, live minnows fished under light will produce good fish. (CAPTION: This 15″ Crappie had high hopes of becoming the new Flat Creek PFA lake record, but fell just short of the mark. The angler will still receive an angler award for his impressive catch.)

Catfish: Reports on catfish bites have been few and far between; however, determined anglers will be rewarded for their efforts. Worms, chicken liver, cut baitfish, or your own smelly concoction should work fine for bait.

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: All ponds are full.
• Pond Closures: Margery, Hillside, and Clubhouse ponds remain closed while under renovation.
• Water clarity: All ponds are very clear with some ponds reaching over 46 inches in visibility. The exception to this is Dove Pond which remains murky due to rain.
• Surface temperature: Water temperatures during the first part of March are in the mid 50’s; however, temperatures may enter the 60’s during a string a warm March days.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Anglers fishing for bass on smaller ponds should see success as these ponds will warm quickly, and bass will transition to their shallow, pre-spawn habitat. Black, blue, and purple plastics worms are effective, with some success coming from small spinner baits and jerk baits.

Crappie: A few crappie have pulled up shallow and numbers should increase if water temperatures stabilize in the low 60s.  Using jigs tipped with minnows will put bites on the line as crappie get ready to spawn.  Use electronics to locate schools of crappie or adjust your bobber to fish different depths until you find them. White and chartreuse jigs retrieved slowly with a float or by trolling have also produced good catches.  Fox and Bennett are good targets for spring crappie at Marben PFA.

Bream: Several catches of shellcracker have been seen.  Most continue to be caught on the bottom in the smaller ponds with wax worms and pink worms, however fishing has been slow.

Hybrid Bass: Hybrid bass are a big hit at Bennett and Greenhouse.  March is hit or miss but when its good its good.   Fish when you can, but typically a few mild or warmer days preceding a cold snap will induce feeding and increase your chances for success.

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

This has been typical late winter weather this week – all over the place! It’s a challenge, but rewards can be excellent this time of year if you pick right. The bass, crappie, seatrout, redfish, flier, pickerel, and bowfin bites are very good right now. As you’ll see in the reports, some folks chose right this week!

River gages on March 6th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 6.3 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 5.4 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 9.8 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 10.2 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 10.1 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 8.0 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 4.2 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 6.0 feet and steady

Full Moon is March 14th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

SAVANNAH RIVER

Mark Vick and Thomas Carroll fished the river on Friday and got on warmouth and crappie. The crappie bite slowed some with the rising river, but they still caught 8 slabs. They also fooled 14 nice warmouth. All of their fish ate Tennessee shad Specktacular Jigs or popsicle Warmouth Whacker Jigs. Daniel Rhodes and his dad fished a different section of the river and had a monster mudfish on a black/chartreuse Specktacular Jig. They also had several warmouth and big fliers.

ST MARYS RIVER

The Temple Landing is currently closed while the GA Wildlife Resources Division boat ramp crew rebuilds the ramp. The new slab is poured, and the crew is working to dress out the ramp and improve the parking area. The project is winding down, and it should reopen in late March if weather and river levels cooperate. 

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Tom Lanyi of Pennsylvania fished the west side of the Okefenokee Swamp with Capt. Bert Deener on Monday and caught this 6-lb., 10-oz. bowfin.

Brentz McGhin fished the east side on Saturday and had a great time pulling on bowfin and pickerel. He trolled black/chartreuse-chartreuse blade and jackfish-colored Dura-Spins for all of his fish. He ended up catching and releasing about 25 bowfin and kept 7 pickerel for supper. Tom Lanyi came down from Pennsylvania and met up with Capt. Tim Cutting in Brunswick. They drove to the west side (SC Foster State Park) to fish with me on Monday. We had a blast in the middle of the day catching LOTS of bowfin and a really nice chain pickerel. We started the day pitching 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs tipped with dead minnows and caught several dozen bowfin before Capt. Tim started flinging a Chatterbait. He missed three times as many as he got to the boat, but the bait was getting bites. Tom got in on the action and caught several nice bowfin working the vibrating jig near the bottom. About a dozen fish in the bowfin mangled it and literally broke the body from the blade. They then switched to Redfish Wrecker Spinnerbaits and kept catching bowfin until the trip was over (we left them biting). When the smoke head cleared, they had caught 73 fish (72 bowfin and a pickerel just shy of 20 inches). Their biggest bowfin weighed 6-lb., 10-oz., 6-6, 5-12, and 5-2. They saw lots of wildlife and gorgeous scenery and left with sore arms – what a great day! David Montgomery came down from Cave Spring to fish with me in the swamp. We’ve tried 2 previous times but this 3rd time was a charm. We fished the east side in gale force winds Thursday and still caught a total of 20 fish. The most noteworthy was a 1 1/2-pound bass that ate his lemon-lime Dura-Spin he was casting. That’s only the second bass ever caught in my boat while fishing in the swamp. They’re a rare catch, especially on the east side! David had his first bowfin and first pickerel during the trip. His biggest bowfin was 3-lb., 12-oz. and biggest pickerel was 20 inches. The 3 fliers were all big 8 1/2-inch fish. Two of them ate a prototype bream spinner, and the other inhaled a crawfish-colored Warmouth Whacker Jig. Lemon-lime, black/chartreuse-chartreuse blade, and jackfish-colored Dura-Spins were tops for pickerel and bowfin. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 120.98 feet and at SC Foster State Park was 4.72 feet.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton)

The Wildlife Resources Division is beginning a bass study at Paradise PFA and will be tagging bass over the next month in 10 of the bigger and more popular lakes (Patrick, Paradise, Bobben, Beaver, Russell, Horseshoe 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Tacklebuster). One of the tagged bass is 9 pounds, and several are over 8 pounds. If you catch a tagged bass, clip the tag and return it along with the information requested on a tag return form (available on the porch at the area office). Each person returning a tag will receive a custom-embroidered ball cap and be entered into a drawing for a Yeti cooler. Each angler will only receive one cap, but there is no limit to the number of times you can be entered into the drawing.

LOCAL PONDS

This slab crappie was caught on Friday by Chad Lee while fishing an Alma-area pond. It hit an Assassin Tiny Shad rigged on a Zombie Eye Jighead.

Chip Lafferty had a great evening on Tuesday in a Brunswick area pond. He flung blue flake wacky-rigged worms and caught 4 bass that weighed 21-lb., 14-oz. The big female bass were starting to move shallow. Jimmy Zinker caught a bunch of bass this week in Worth County ponds, but none as big as he likes. A white spinnerbait and big Shad Rap did the damage this week on mid-sized fish. On Wednesday morning he caught 6 bass, and 2 of them were between 4 and 5 pounds. A Brunswick angler fished a local pond on Tuesday and caught 8 bass up to about 4 pounds. All of them ate shad-colored crankbaits. Another angler fishing the same pond had several bass up to 5 pounds (not sure which lures). Joshua Barber fished a Manor-area pond on Thursday evening and caught about a dozen fish. He had a few of his 8 bass hit a Texas-rigged worm, and the crappie and other 5 bass ate live minnows. Chad Lee and Daniel Johnson fished an Alma-area pond on Friday and put it on the crappie. They had 20 slabs, and the biggest were 15-inchers. They used an Assassin Tiny Shad on a Zombie Eye Jighead for their fish. A couple of Blackshear anglers fished a SW Georgia pond on Saturday and had an epic day. They caught 55 crappie and kept 37 of them in approximately 6 hours. The fish ranged from 10 1/2 to 13 1/4 inches and ate 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs and Jiffy Jigs.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Chris Woodward caught this oversized redfish in the Brunswick area on Tuesday while fishing with Capt. Duane Harris.

Capt. Duane Harris took Spud and Chris Woodward fishing in the Brunswick area Tuesday. They went to one of Capt. Duane’s good redfish holes and ended up whacking them. They stopped fishing when they caught their 40th redfish (in only 2 1/2 hours) and came in with sore arms and great memories. Several of their fish were oversized. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) fished with Tom Lanyi on Friday, and they worked for redfish and trout but caught some good ones. They fished again Thursday morning for a few hours in the NASTY winds and were able to get on a dozen trout. They had a few on hard jerkbaits (XRaps), but the majority were on 3.5-inch agitator and provoker Fourseven plastics. They threw in the towel after just a couple hours of getting beat up in the winds. Capt. Chris Ruff of Ruff’s Coastal Adventures (rccaga.com) fished Saturday and Sunday and worked for the fish in the high tidal fluctuation (kept the water muddy). The reds and trout were just one here and one there – no schools. 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).

BONUS REPORT: Southeast Georgia Kayak Bass Fishing

Evans County PFA – Fishing during the Pre-Cold Front: Southeast Georgia Kayak bass fishing had the opportunity to fish the local Evans County Public Fishing Area (PFA) in Claxton, Georgia in late February. Find out more about that area at GeorgiaWildlife.com/evans-county-pfa. It was a cloudy day on the water with temps around 60 degrees with a light wind from the Northwest.  The first fish was caught on the Loco Special 110 made by 13 Fishing jerkbait in about ten feet of water near the damn.  While fishing was tough, I managed to catch a second fish using a Dubro Shake and Bake worm in a tree top that had fallen into the water.   As the weather warms, the bass will be spawning, so anglers can look to fish in shallow waters, anywhere from 2-4′.  The baits I recommend this time of year during the warmer months are Texas Rig plastics, weightless stick baits, and weightless flukes.  Always wear your PFD and fish on! Find out more about SEGKBF at segkbf.com/.

The Southwest Georgia report will be back next week!

 

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