April 4, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

It’s Spring Break time. Surely that means at least one fishing trip is scheduled to happen, right? There are plenty of places for you to visit to throw out a line in Georgia. Need a good place to start? Visit a Public Fishing Area (PFA). There are 11 PFAs available across the state, all managed for great fishing, and many offer additional activities like nature trails, archery ranges, picnic areas, etc. Find out more about PFAs at GeorgiaWildlife.com/allpfas.

NEWS TO KNOW:

• Walleye Fry: Did you see our April Fools Day walleye fry post on Facebook? Check it out to see itsy-bitsy, tiny walleye from our hatchery. Find our Facebook page at facebook.com/WildlifeResourcesDivisionGADNR.
• Fish and Learn: Our Fish-N-Learn 2 is an intermediate level program designed for those interested in learning more about the basics of bass fishing! The weekend event will take place on 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.
• Blue Ridge Trout and Outdoor Adventures Festival: Go ahead and put this trout fishing and adventure planning event on your calendar for April 26! 
• Watch for Invaders on Georgia Waters: Whether you are an angler, boater, or other outdoor water recreation enthusiast, be on the lookout for Aquatic Nuisance Invaders (ANS) and report them, if seen. Find out more at GeorgiaWildlife.com/ans.

This week we have fishing reports from North, Central, Southeast and Southwest Georgia.  We hope you enjoy your Spring Break and we hope it includes time to 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) 

RESERVOIR REPORT

Carters Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Temp 62. Level Full. Visibility 3ft. With the walleye spawn wrapping up in the river, we are focusing our walleye efforts back on the main lake. Early morning the toothy fish are up shallow feeding on the shallow bait. These fish will get back to depth after sunrise, so the shallow bite doesn’t last long, but while they are up there, they are susceptible to live baits, as well as artificials. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics can all be worked over rocky bottom shallow points and shoals to pick off the ambushing walleye. A slow, steady retrieve is the ticket to keeping your bait on the bottom. After sunrise, the fish will slide down to that consistent 50-foot range where we find them in. After they go deep, you need to adjust your presentations to their depth. Live baits can be fished shallow early and then deeper as the day goes on. Light leaders and small hooks will up your success rate regardless of bait choice. The night bite will pick up again on the full moon when the bait spawn is in full swing mid-month. After the bait spawn, look for these fish to head offshore and stay deep again until fall.” 

Blue Ridge Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Temp 60. Level -7ft. Clarity 5ft. Temps are climbing and the winter pool level is slowly rising to spring levels on this reservoir. As the temps climb into the lower 60s, the fish in this lake start to get fired up. Walleye are slowly making their way out of the river system and moving back to the lake where the blueback herring are schooling up preparing for their annual spawn. Look for the walleye to set up in ambush locations waiting on the baitfish. These are rockpiles, brush piles, edges where rock meets mud bottom and the rocks along the dam. The walleye will be on the bottom waiting on your offering. Lures, jigs, spoons and live bait will all put fish in the boat this month. How you choose to target them is personal preference. We are fishing both live bait and plastics, depending on weather and water conditions. The 12- to 40-foot range has been key early and 25 to 55 feet after the sun is up high. One thing to keep in mind is leader size on this clear lake. The 6- to 8-lb. line seems to be the ticket, out producing 10- and 12-1b. test two to one right now. Regardless of lure or bait choice, being stealthy is the key in clear, shallow water. Husky Jerks and Shad Raps are the go-to artificials for us right now. Rotating through colors and sizes every day to find what they want has become standard on this lake. The areas around Point 5 and the mouth of Star Creek have both been producing nice walleye recently.

Rocky Mountain PFA Report: (This report from PFA Manager Dennis Shiley) — Fishing is on fire right now at Rocky Mountain Public Fishing Area.  Huge channel catfish are schooling up in the timber.  Shellcrackers are biting good on hard bottom points. Big crappie are still roaming open water and haven’t spawned yet.  Now is a great time to fish any of the three lakes at Rocky Mountain.  Just remember that Heath Lake is only open the first 10 days of each month.

Lake Allatoona Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Allatoona is down 4.5 feet and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. Shallow fish are after almost anything they can eat. Baits like the Big Bite Jerk Minnow and the Trick Stick in pearl white are a fun and productive way to seek out wolf packing spots. Fish these baits on a 3/0 or 4/0 Gamakatsu Skip Gap hook and 12 pound Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon. Watch for schooling fish. There has been a mix of spots, largemouth and hybrids. Top water is getting started and will only get better toward the end of the month. Cast a Whopper Plopper and use both the large one and the small one. Spro Dawg or a Zara Spook past the school and retrieve it back at a rapid pace. Make sure the bait disappears and feel tension before setting the hook. Big spots are also being caught on shaky head finesse worms on pea gravel banks that are protected from the wind. The jig head is a great tool to coax a hungry bass.

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

• Air Temp: High: 85 – Low: 41
• Wind: Up to 15 Mph Gusts in the afternoon
• Lake Level: Approx. 835′
• Water Temp: 60 – 64
• Water Clarity: Mid to light stain with a green tinge
• Area Fished: Little River, S-Turns, Victoria, Kellogg/Owl Creek, Blockhouse Area (Clear Creek/Tanyard) & Stamp Creek
• Jigs Used: Lemonade – Slab Dragon, Sour Grape – Slab Dragon, Lemonade – Kic’n Chic’n XL, Sour Grape – Kic’n Chic’n XL,  June Bug – Kic’n Chic’n, UV Smoke – Dagger and UV Melon – Dagger
• Technique: Trolling & Casting

Crappie fishing on Lake Allatoona is getting good as Spring is showing up in a big way! April 2025 is here and as of right now the weather is pretty stable which made for some great fishing days this first week of April. We got out this past week and did what we could to squeeze the last few days out of long line trolling. We are still able to pick up a few nice crappie trolling in the morning. The morning water temp is as low as it will be all day which is somewhere in the range of 60-64 depending on where you are on the lake. We trolled a mix of 1/32nd oz and 1/24th jig heads from the back of the creeks to the mouth and found crappie anywhere from 12′ to 6′. We were trolling at speeds of .9 – 1 mph to cover as much water as possible to locate active crappie. The water clarity is really clearing up all over the lake and is getting that Allatoona green color with visibility around 1′ – 2′. As the water clears up you will want to start using more natural color jigs as crappie will start keying in on more natural looking food in the clear water. A few colors that are starting to work well right now are UV Smoke, UV Melon, Chartreuse Pepper, Mayfly, Watermelon Red, Motor Oil Red and Gray Ghost to name a few. Something else we noticed while we were out this week was that the crappie were apt to chase larger jigs like the Kic’n Chic’n or the Kic’n Chic’n XL in the morning and the smaller jigs like the Dagger or the Georgia Razor in the afternoon. This could all change overnight but that is what we were observing the days that we were on the water. The moral of the report is that we are rapidly moving into Spring time and the crappie will be highly active during the pre-spawn and post-spawn so right now is a great time to be on the water…or on the bank if that is where you can fish. Get outdoors, soak up some nature and enjoy the blessings that the Lord has blessed us with.

Lake Lanier Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier is full and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. The lake is currently slightly over full, and the water temperature is running in the mid to upper seventies. Overall, the main lake is clear with some stain in the backs of the creeks and up the river. A variety of baits are producing fish right now from the forty-foot range to the two foot range. The bass are in different stages of preparing for the spawn so be prepared to check different depths. The standard shakey head with a green pumpkin green Trixster worm or a watermelon red Zoom trick worm will draw plenty of bites. The most consistent areas for the worm have been docks in twenty-five feet of water or less and on secondary points. The jerkbait bite has picked up on the sunny rocky banks, around docks and banks leading into bedding areas. A mini A Rig worked down the sides of the docks is also producing. Up the rivers a spinnerbait is catching bass on banks that are close to the bedding areas particularly if the water in the area is stained. All the bass are not shallow yet and a three eights Spot Choker with a two eight Keitech will catch bass in the thirty-to-forty-foot range in the pockets and ditches. Be sure to work this bait slowly then let it drop. Bounce it slightly and then resume your retrieve. This has produced some hammer strikes. As you can see fishing is across the board right now so if one thing isn’t working try another technique. As the water warms over the next week look for the shallow bite to just get stronger and predictable. Be sure to join us at the March Madness Expo at Gold Dust Park in Villa Rica this Friday 2-6, Saturday 9-6 and Sunday 9-3. There will be over seventy vendors there with a lot of great specials. Come on by and let’s talk fishin!

Lake Lanier Striper Report: (This report courtesy of angler Jack Becker, a.k.a. Georgia Aquadog) — This week I made a trip to Flat Creek, looking for Stripers. I was encouraged when I found 62.4 degree water. I also marked a lot of bait at 15 to 18 foot over a 30 to 35’ bottom, along a rocky bank. I did not mark any fish but decided to stay in this pocket because of the amount of bait I was seeing on my sonar. I put out 4 planer boards and 2 free lines behind the boat with blueback herring. The first couple of hours were frustrating. I was getting very subtle bites and when I checked the bait, it was bitten in half, typical of long nose gar.  I moved to the other side of the cove in the same 35 foot depth range and again found bait balls everywhere. This time I was rewarded with a 32” Striper and had a second one get off halfway to the boat. It was worth being patient.  Sometimes I just don’t want to leave bait to find more bait.  I believe the fish are going to find the bait if you have the patience to wait.

Lake Lanier Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier stripers haven’t been on a diet lately. Even the spots are healthy and preparing to spawn. Water temperature is 58 degrees mid-lake, and the fish are schooling and eating near the river channel. The mouth of most coves is a good starting point. Watch for bird movement and locate the bait and the fish will be in the area. Planer boards, flat lines, and down lines are working. Shiners, bluebacks, and gizzards have been used. Seems they have gravitated towards the shiners. We are #4 octopus circle hook with some lines weighted. Remember to wear your life jacket.

Lake Lanier Crappie Report: (This report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493 via www.southernfishing.com) — Crappie fishing is good. The water temperature is in the mid-50s. The fish are shallow on the banks. Large fish are in small groups roaming in open water. Try casting a 1/24 jig and letting it fall right in front of them but try not to go below the target fish. Large groups can be found under docks. Crappie have been at depths of 5 to 10 feet above a 20-to-40-foot bottom. Try using crappie minnows. 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 a Atx lure company jig. Further optimizing your efforts, a Garmin LiveScope, protected by a sonar shield cover, and a Power Pole are highly recommended.

Lake Weiss Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Weiss Lake is down 2.5 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. The fish are shallow and hungry. Target ditch lines and old creek channels and secondary points in the spawning bays, fish the 2 to 4 feet range using a Rat L Trap in chrome and blue, a flat sided crank bait like a Flat A or a B Flat in solid white or white with a chartreuse belly. If the fish are not active enough for those lures use a 1/2 ounce Oldham Spinner bait in white and chartreuse with double willow blades, slow roll it near the bottom, or try a slow lift and fall technique, or try pitching a 3/8 ounce black and blue Stanley jig with a Gene Larew salt craw trailer in June bug color, try shallow rip rap and any visible cover in the backs of spawning bays. Duckett Lures has the 110B Super Sound waking top water bait with super side to side action. Want metal balls, it’s got them. In 4 colors and ¾ ounce it has all the action top water baits need.

West Point Lake Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — West Point Lake is down 4 feet, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is good. Bass are moving up shallow. Use the Zoom Super Flukes, trick worms and Senko’s and this can be an all day tactic. Throw these baits into the tops of grass and twitch them just enough to keep from hanging up. Most of the bites have been coming within a few feet of the bank. Be sure to pick apart any wood in the water. Duckett Lures has the 110B Super Sound waking top water bait with super side to side action. Want metal balls, it’s got them. In 4 colors and ¾ ounce it has all the action top water baits need. Up lake good places to fish are Jackson Creek, Ski jump cove and don’t forget Half Moon Creek. Down lake the pattern is very similar to up lake but with the water being clearer throw a Pop R in bone color. Down lake go to Maple Creek, Bird Creek and the No Name in the pockets. Keep a Rat L Trap tied on for those fish chasing bait.

Lake Hartwell Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Hartwell is full, and in the 60s. Bass fishing is fair. Do not overlook the points all over the lake and go super shallow. The OG8 in white and green back has been working well and get tis bait on any sunny rock point. Start looking in the coves and cuts for pre spawn bass soon. The Carolina rig is producing good bass along with the cranks and jerk baits. In the off colored water use the Rapala hot mustard DT6 and the Silver X Rap. Try the new Scatter Rap jerk bait in shad also. Points with rock and wood are holding bass that are roaming the shallows. Throwing the Skitter Walk early will show help find these bass that are up shallow. Follow this up with some sort of a #5 Shad Rap. On lay downs work the jigs, smaller ones are better in and around the entire tree. Boat docks and the Texas Rigged Zoom green pumpkin u tail worms and Stanley dark jigs are working.

RIVER REPORT

Coosa River White Bass Report: (This report from Fisheries Technician Collin George) –– We hit the Coosa River between the Alabama state line and Mayo Lock and Dam just in time for the near peak of the white bass run. Every spring, these hard-fighting fish push upriver to spawn, and we found them stacked along the banks, eager to crush our shad-imitating lures. The action was fast, with aggressive strikes and plenty of fish brought to the boat. With just two anglers we boated over 200 white bass in our 6-hour trip!  With the run in full swing, now is the perfect time to be on the water, taking advantage of one of the best bites of the season.

Northwest Georgia Rivers Striper Report: (This report from Fisheries Biologist John Damer) — Our sampling crew has been hard at work monitoring the striper run in the rivers of Northwest Georgia.  We have found good numbers in the Oostanaula River, which is thought to be the primary spawning grounds for this population that runs upstream each year out of Lake Weiss.  Most of the fish we have seen are smaller males about 10 lbs or less, as we are still early in the run and they tend to show up first.  However, we have also seen some larger 20+ lb males and a few huge females.  The largest we have seen so far is a 37.5 lb female (pictured) that was packed with eggs.  Good striper numbers can also be found in the Coosa downstream of the confluence of the Oostanaula and Etowah Rivers.  Stripers are shad specialists, and shad typically make up 95% or more of their diet.  That means live shad are king when it comes to baits, but larger shad-imitating lures can also fool a few, especially after a rain event when the water is not super clear.

Lake Sturgeon Reintroduction Project Update: (This report from Fisheries Biologist John Damer) — WRD and our partners have been working diligently since 2002 to restore this awesome fish to their native range in the Coosa River Basin.  This includes the Coosa, Oostanaula, Etowah, Conasauga, and Coosawattee Rivers.  We are proud to say our efforts are working and we are seeing more and more mature lake sturgeon running upriver to spawn each year!  Check out the fish we captured last week, which is the longest and nearly the heaviest we have seen so far, at 53 inches and 35.4 lbs.  What a beast!  While sturgeon are on their upstream migration, it is not uncommon for anglers to hook these river monsters, but it is important to note that any lake sturgeon caught must be released unharmed.  It is okay to snap a quick pic, but minimize handling stress and keep them in the water as much as possible while you remove the hook.  If hooked deeply, cut the line as close as you can and leave the hook in place.  By releasing sturgeon, you are helping to ensure that the number of mature adults continues to increase as we try to build a self-sustaining population.  For more info about lake sturgeon, check out our webpage GeorgiaWildlife.com/lake-sturgeon-reintroduction-program.  If you have caught or seen a lake sturgeon, call the Armuchee office at 706-295-6102.  We would love to hear about it!

Upper Chattahoochee River Sampling Report: (This report from Fisheries Biologist Josh Stafford) — We electrofished the upper Chattahoochee River (upstream of Lake Lanier) and we counted over 70 striped bass and several dozen white bass. Lineside runs are definitely taking off on the upper Chattahoochee right now. We also captured some really nice shoal bass.

Upper Chattahoochee River Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — The stripers have begun their heavy run up the lake. While some remain scattered throughout the mid and upper end of the lake, look for the rains over the next week to push these striped bass upstream on the Chestatee River and Chattahoochee River. Striper moving upstream will stage along the deeper outside bends of the main channel and just below creek confluences. Look for white bass to be mixed in whether you’re fishing the Chattahoochee, Chestatee, or Etowah River. Clousers and other small baitfish imitations will see more action from all species on the river while the larger fly patterns, such as a drunk and disorderly or hollow point, will catch the eye and entice the larger striper.

Lower Chattahoochee Linesides Report: (Report courtesy of angler Dustin Pate) — Week of 3/22 – 3/28. Things are finally starting to turn around on the Chattahoochee above West Point. The fish were scattered until mid-week, but then the action picked up quickly. Most of the fish had been concentrated on the south end of the river, but now they’ve spread out up and down the waterway. There are plenty of nice whites around, and the hybrids are mixing in as well.  Lure choice hasn’t mattered much—you can pretty much grab your favorite and go. The water is gin-clear and sitting at about 62-64 degrees, though that’s likely to change with the rain coming Sunday and Monday.  We had an absolute blast and filled the cooler slap full of fine-eating fillets!

TROUT REPORT

A Day to Remember on the Tallulah River: (This report courtesy of Zachary Chapman at Shady Creek Expeditions) — This past weekend, our family spent a beautiful day on the Tallulah River, filled with laughter, fresh air, and unforgettable memories. What made it especially meaningful was watching my daughter Maddie tie her very first fly. With careful hands and a determined focus, she crafted it all on her own. When she finished, the pride on her face was matched only by how proud I was of her. Moments like these, sharing traditions and passing down skills, make time on the water so special. That homemade fly wasn’t just for show. With it tied to her line, Maddie cast into the cool, clear waters and, before long, hooked a beautiful rainbow trout. The excitement in her eyes as she reeled it in is a moment I’ll never forget. Knowing she had not only caught the fish but also tied the fly herself made the experience even sweeter. The day wasn’t just about the fish. It was about the time spent together. We all had our share of catches, but the real reward was creating memories as a family. Days like these on Georgia’s rivers remind us to slow down, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate every moment. And on this day, Maddie’s fly—and the rainbow trout it brought in—was the perfect reminder of why we cherish these adventures.

Trout Streams Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — The trout fishing has continued to pick up as waters across the state warm. The recent rains have brought the water levels of rivers and creeks up causing the trout to spread out. Streamers are an excellent way to probe large areas for trout. Hatches have begun to pick up around mid-morning and with it, the trout activity. The best hatches have been happening on the windy days following a passing front. The hatches of blue wing olives, black caddis, and march browns have begun shifting to yellow sallies, grannom caddis, golden stoneflies, and quills already, with sulfurs expected to begin showing up later into April. Size sixteen to eighteen dry flies have been the best imitations when you begin to see the trout rising but, larger patterns will become more effective in coming weeks. When things are slow, large nymph patterns (stonefly and caddis) have worked well. Many other local fish species in streams and rivers will begin their annual spawning ritual so don’t overlook egg patterns if suckers and chubs are around. There will be no shortage of food around for the trout this month. We dive into these resources further in our article on What Do Trout Eat.  The end of the month should see all of these patterns pick up as well as the fishing. Not everyday has been best for dry flies. Though hatches may be in full swing, the trout are still swinging and missing on a fair amount of their rises. In these situations, adding a dropper or emerger pattern will lead to more hook ups.

Tip – Sharpie as a Fishing Tool: (This report courtesy Jeff “Dredger” Durniak at Unicoi Outfitters) — How about a few Sharpie tips for your spring trout season?

1. If the water is low and clear and the fish are spooky, try painting over that bright bead on your nymph with a black permanent marker.
2. When the fish are rising to emerging duns and refusing your dry with a white parachute post or light-colored wings, darken them with a gray marker. You’ll match that hatch a lot better and fool more fish.
3. Write your name and phone number on the inside of every fly box.  A good Samaritan might just find your missing box and return it to you.  That happened to Dredger, who unknowingly dropped his box of attractor dries along Soda Butte Creek a few summers ago. Several weeks later, he received the box in the mail from a kind Utah trouter who fished Yellowstone Park soon afterward.

We hope these three Sharpie tips make your future trout trips even more rewarding.

Chattahoochee River Tailwater Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — The tailwater of the Chattahoochee has both been fishing well with recent stockings. Generation on the Chattahoochee below Lanier has made wading difficult at times with the more frequent releases of late. This will likely continue for the next month as wet weather keeps lake levels up. Rainbows have been stocked prolifically in the river so expect heavier visitors on the days the river is fishable. And as always we highly recommend releasing any of the wild brown trout caught in the river. Midge hatches have been excellent following periods of generation.

Toccoa River Tailwater Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — The Toccoa River has been seeing a wide variety of bugs showing up in recent weeks with the best hatches still being ahead of us. While floating the river is still the best way to get in front of more trout, recent stockings have made fish more abundant in the river. Smaller streams will still be more productive for most anglers as the heavier angler traffic and limited access along the river make for tougher conditions on weekend anglers.

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 Amory Cook, Fisheries Biologist 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 TOBESOFKEE 

Lake Report: (courtesy of Fisheries Biologist Brandon Baker) — Temps in mid-high 60s. Standardized sampling occurred this week and we observed the following: Post-spawn Crappie can be found in abundance on western banks, taking advantage of the warmer waters in these areas. Post-spawn female Bass are hunting large meals to replenish energy. One female was observed with a large gizzard shad distending her stomach while the tail also protruded from her mouth. Throwing big baits should produce big bass. Shellcracker always show out on Tobo and many individuals were recorded at half a pound or more.

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 1.0 FEET, 60’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. Use a shallow running shad or bream DT Rapala crank bait and Stanley all white spinnerbaits. The green Zoom trick worm or a Zoom pumpkinseed lizard will work on the secondary points in the longer creeks and find shady banks early and late and then use a Bass Pro Shops Enticer buzz bait with a gold blade. Megabass Vision 110+1 jerk bait is tuned to match the of a real bait fish. Its sister bait the Megabass Vision 110 jerk bait is already a legend and this bait will ride its coat tails. These but they are worth every dollar. Try the Alabama rig with small Zoom pearl flukes on a 1/8th ounce lead head and be sure to use a braid to save the rig if it hangs up. Up the rivers and on deeper creeks on points, use a shad color Shad Rap in the #5 size. Lower lake creeks on outside creek bends are good with spinner baits and the Poe’s 300 bone crank bait.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that the inability to get large herring has made it tough to attract bites from striper. All that is probably about to change when the herring spawn gets underway, but they are not seeing any signs of it yet. For now the best bet for striper is, if you can get some bigger bait, to pull free-lines and planer boards in the front of creeks or around shallow main lake points close to deep water.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson caught fish 4-6 feet down pulling jigs in 12-18 feet of water, and he rates this one of the best crappie seasons in the last 4-5 years.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that catfish will start to bite better again, and they can be caught on shallow points with cut herring.

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 60’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. The bass are roaming around in the shallows lake wide so anglers should do the same. Use a Texas rigged worm or jig and pig. Some top water action has been occurring mid day and at dusk. Husky jerk baits and jigs along with Rapala Shad Raps will catch bass this week. There are lots of bass are on the move and will be a lot more aggressive this week. The spots are holding on gravel and rocky point in 4 to 11 feet of water. Use Carolina rigged worms in most any color pumpkinseed, green and purple. A Zoom trick worm fished with a slip shot up 18 to 24 inches fished in the pockets around the lake is working well.

Striper and Hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that significant numbers of fish are up the rivers and in the very backs of creeks feeding on bait. Particularly early you can throw out baits near the banks and on shallow flats off the channel and find fish shallow, but as the sun gets up they pull out a little deeper into 20-40 feet of water. At the same time there is also a decent population of fish down the lake related to the channel, but these fish are more likely to be in 30-50 feet of water.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Even though they are still catching 40-80 fish per day long-line trolling, Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that they are already seeing signs that the hottest crappie bite is winding down and that the spawn is nearly over in certain places. Up the lake it is the furthest along, while there may be spots further down the lake where it lasts longer. They are still catching fish with eggs in them everywhere, and so for at least a bit more time anglers should be able to fish around the banks for spawning fish (particularly males guarding beds) and then troll for suspended fish in 8-15/20 feet of water.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that it can still be a good catfish but, if anything, fish are even more spread out now. Yesterday he caught them from 3 feet to 50 feet, and you really just have to be willing to move around a lot to follow the fish. Dragging baits in and out of big creeks is one strong pattern, and the alternative is anchoring in highly traveled areas and waiting on them to move through. As usual gizzard shad, white perch, and herring are all working.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 60’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. The lake is full. Start in the middle of the coves and main lake creeks. Fish boat docks, wood structure, and sea walls. Work to the back of the coves and creeks. Use Rapala Shad Raps and small crank bait like the Rat L Traps with rattles fished on sea walls and around docks. White and chartreuse spinner baits fished along the Sugar Creek and Lick Creek bridge rip rap has also been producing some larger fish. Richland creek has also been producing some good fish in the upper reaches of the creek. Megabass Vision 110+1 jerk bait is tuned to match the of a real bait fish. Its sister bait the Megabass Vision 110 jerk bait is already a legend. This bait will work well in tandem with the blue black and brown jigs. Fish these baits in and around wood cover.

Tournament Alert (courtesy of ABA news):   The next Division 72 tournament is scheduled for April 19, 2025, also at Lake Oconee, launching from Sugar Creek Marina. For additional information, please contact Tournament Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 60’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. Catching these fish will require slowing down and fishing soft plastic baits in protected sandy pockets. Isolated stumps, dock walkways, and sea walls will be the best targets to hit when trying to catch these shallow fish over the next few weeks. Make sure to make repetitive casts to each target before moving on to the next one. Bottom crawling baits that can be fish slowly will work best. A Buckeye mop jig with a craw trailer and a Texas rigged Zoom 6 inch lizard in pumpkinseed has been extremely effective this week. Also there are some aggressive fish early in the morning and late in the evening. Try a buzz bait and a chartreuse and white spinnerbait.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. The lake is clear but the wind still keep it a little stain up in the shallows. The bass are on the move up shallow. With this lake having its share of wood and stumps the bass that are on the holding pattern are relating to this wood. Anglers will see the fish sitting on top of the stumps on the graph and will bite almost any bait right in front of them. The shad are now moving back in closer to the bank and the bass are feeding on these baits along with the bream and crawfish. With the large shad schools around the lake, this would be a good time to use the Alabama rig. Crawdad colored Rapallo Shad Raps and jigs are still good baits to use this week. Bass are being caught up every river and creek on the lake. Picking one good area will be difficult to do this week on this lake and any lake during the spawn. The best hint for this week is to keep those hooks sharp and wet.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Warming temperatures continue to beckon anglers back on the PFA and they are reporting successful fishing trips!  Application of lime 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.

Bridge Lake Report (courtesy of WRD Fisheries Biologist Aaron Gray): McDuffie Public Fishing Area in Dearing offers seven lakes ranging from 5 to 37 acres for anglers pursuing a variety of species. Fisheries staff are currently assessing the condition of McDuffie’s fish populations through boat electrofishing surveys. Bridge Lake – very popular among boat and bank anglers – holds some impressive largemouth and redear sunfish! Anglers can also catch striped and hybrid striped bass in Bridge, both unique opportunities in smaller impoundments. Lipless crankbaits, soft plastic jerkbaits, spinnerbaits, and shad patterned topwater lures may be used to fool these sportfish. Local anglers have also reported catching impressive largemouth around shallow wood cover on soft plastic creature baits. Patience is often the name of the game in getting these fish on the end of your line!

Bass: Bass have begun spawning on the PFA. Anglers targeting bass should fish the shallows using shallow crankbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, or soft plastics that imitate baitfish or a worm of course.  Fishing in vegetation using top water lures such as frogs may also produce bites on the PFA. This month, several anglers have brought us proof of healthy 6 – 8 lb bass caught on the area. This week, an angler showed off his nearly 8 lb female largemouth that was caught jigging a ned-rigged craw.

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. Bio-tech duo Aaron and Greg shocked up several health pre-spawn striped bass in the 4 – 8 lb range this week!

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 Area Manager Amory Cook and Fisheries Technician Deven Thompson) —

Bass:  The bass bite continues to get better with every passing day! We have had multiple big bass catch reports from this past week with the largest being around 8 lbs! There are many techniques producing fish right now, the best options being small paddle tail swim baits, top water poppers and trick worms.

Bream:  The bream bite has been fair. Your usual wiggler under a cork or on the bottom should produce some good fish.

Crappie: The crappie bite has been slow, but the occasional fish has been caught. Recent sampling revealed that crappie are sticking to the West bank. Low light time frames seem to be the best bite times. Jigs or flys fished around the shore has produced some quality fish.

Catfish: The catfish are finally starting to bite again with cut bluegill seeming to produce the best results. Try fishing either from the dam or on the mid-west side of the lake.

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.
• Surface temperature: Water temperatures are in the 60s.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass:  Bass have moved up shallow and most bass have completed spawning. Females will be moving back to deeper water with the males staying in shallow water. Creature baits and top waters should be good at this time of year, running them along banks and casting at brush piles.

Crappie: By early April the Crappie will have finished most of their spawn.  Minnows and jigs are your best bet.  Concentrate on brush piles.  Keep moving till you find them.

Bream: The bluegill will move into shallow water towards the end of April preparing to spawn.  Red wigglers and wax worms should produce a bite especially as weather gets warmer.

Hybrid Bass: With water temperature maintaining in the 60s, you can expect hybrid feeding activity to increase. Plan your fishing trip during low-light periods, use crankbaits, and target suspended timber.

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

Fishing is heating up with the current warm-up! The flatwater produced the best reports this week. Rivers are still high but are getting fishable.

River gages on April 3rd were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 6.6 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 6.6 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 9.0 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 10.2 feet and rising
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 9.8 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 7.0 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 5.8 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 10.9 feet and falling

First quarter moon is April 4th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALAPAHA RIVER

The exciting news from the river this week was an angler award and new river record channel catfish caught by Christopher Quiggins. He fooled the giant with a minnow. It pulled the scales down to just shy of 13 pounds, 15 ounces and measured 31 inches long.

ST MARYS RIVER

The Temple Landing, recently rebuilt by the GA Wildlife Resources Division, has re-opened by the time you read this. The weather didn’t always cooperate, but they were able to do a great job with the rebuild. The new facilities will serve boaters and anglers well for decades to come!

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Buck Johnson fished the east side on Friday and did well on warmouth. He pitched chartreuse pearl artificials on Zombie Eye Jigheads to shoreline cover and landed 33 warmouth, 2 pickerel, and 4 bowfin. The second pickerel he caught put on a show. It was a good one that fought hard, angled toward the corner of the boat, and jumped just perfectly to land in the back of the boat. That’s the first one in years that’s jumped in his boat when he had a hook in it (occasionally one will jump in the boat when you are running along). A couple of Blackshear anglers fished the east side Saturday morning and caught 23 warmouth, 4 fliers, 5 bowfin, and 2 pickerel. They pitched crickets on 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs and Jiffy Jigs for their warmouth. Black/chartreuse and jackfish-colored Dura-Spins produced their bowfin and pickerel. Their biggest pickerel was 18 1/2 inches and pushed 2 pounds. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 121.34 feet.

LOCAL PONDS

Jimmy Zinker started catching some big bass this week on topwaters. His biggest, a 7-lb., 8-oz. toad sucked down a musky Jitterbug on Friday. A Squeaker Trophy Bass Buzzbait fooled two big ones this week at 6-lb., 10-oz. and 6-lb., 9-oz. A 7-pounder ate a big plastic worm. Shane and Joshua Barber fished an area pond on Saturday and caught about a half-dozen bass. Their biggest was a 5-lb., 2-oz. fish that inhaled a swimbait. Some of the others bit stick baits and topwater frogs (they had a 4-pounder on the frog). He fished a pond Tuesday evening and caught 5 bass and 3 pickerel (the jackfish was 3 pounds!). Most ate a swimbait, but one or two ate a stick worm. My wife Teresa and I fished a local pond on Tuesday morning. We caught a bunch (28 total), but they were all small. The outliers were individual largemouth bass, flier, and brown bullhead. The majority of the fish were bluegills and crappie. The fish ate bruiser Satilla Spins, chartreuse back pearl 2-inch Keitech swimbaits on 1/16-oz. Flashy Jigheads, Bream Spin in-line spinners, and 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs tipped with crickets. It was a fun morning of setting the hook, but nothing was picture-worthy.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) fished Wednesday and did well for trout and reds. They had both overslot and slot-size reds. They also had some big trout, including 2 over 20 inches. Capt. Duane Harris took his cousin Tom Pollihan in the Brunswick area on Wednesday, and they worked 2 hours for 3 redfish, but one was Tom’s biggest ever. He fooled his 28-incher with a dead shrimp. They caught the other 2 on dead shrimp, as well. After your next trip to the Georgia coast, drop off your fish carcasses in the freezer at the Waycross Fisheries Office at 108 Darling Avenue. The Coastal Resources Division collects most inshore saltwater species so that they can determine age and growth for each species. All the supplies and information cards are in the freezer. Filet your fish then drop off the carcasses in the freezer. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is open Friday through Tuesday each week (closed Wednesday and Thursday). They have plenty of lively shrimp and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. For the latest information and their hours, contact them at 912-223-1379.

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

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

LAKE SEMINOLE

Bass fishing is on fire right now. On Monday, Guide, Ryan Higgins, and his clients worked to bring in the biggest bag he has ever seen, 5 fish weighing 36 lbs. This included a giant 10.4 pounder! In tournament news, John and Karen Bomar won the Reel Money Team Trail Tournament this past weekend on Lake Seminole, bringing in a bag weighing 23.14 lb! If you are out fishing for bass, Ken Sturdivant with Southern Fishing Schools, reports that there are small buck bass bedding on sand, and the larger females are cruising around in the bedding areas. There are several different ways to get a bite in these areas. If the areas have grass or lily pads present swim a jig or a Chatterbait through the pads and grass. Pair this with some 50-pound test Sunline braid to pull them out of the cover. In the bedding areas that are near sandbars with sparse vegetation use the shallow diving Rapala Ott’s garage 8 crank bait and a Spro Baby Fat John in nasty shad. Have a Big Bite Baits Warmouth and a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook and a 3/8 ounce. Fish Catchin Fool tungsten and bobber stopper is a sure way to catch them. If you can, locate depressions and ditches near spawning areas, bass will use these as highways. In these areas use a crank bait or jerk bait.

Anglers staying at Eastbank Campground on Lake Seminole had some luck catching catfish this weekend.  

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Water clarity continues to be the same this week with muddy water sticking around. However, the water temperatures have increased to where you can find both Largemouth Bass and Crappie in the shallows spawning. Crappies still have a wider range of depths that they can be found at, which could be due to the size or location of where you are fishing in the lake. Crappie seem to be hanging around structure still even in the shallows, using cypress trees and weed vegetation for cover. If you can’t find Crappie in the shallows, look around deeper timber around 8-14ft.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

According to Ken Sturdivant at Southernfishing.com, bass fishing is good. Water clarity varies from stained in certain areas to clear on the lower end of the lake. High water coupled with warm, sunny days equal’s fantastic fishing. Spinnerbaits by Lucky Craft Redemption lure in either white or white and chartreuse with willow blades have been working around grass. The Texas rigged lizards are producing some nice fish both quantity and quality. Fishing shallow grass seems to be the best bet. Use the Texas rig and the 8-inch Zoom lizard around flooded grass. As the water continues to clear up coupled with bright, shiny days a slower presentation will be helpful. Cowikee Creek is one of the best producing areas on the lake.

Crappie will continue to move towards shore to spawn as the lake temperatures continue to warm. Small jigs and live minnows under a float are the best baits for crappie this time of year. A recent electrofishing sample by WRD biologists showed that there should be good numbers of crappie in the the ½ to 1 pound range available to anglers this year.

If you love fishing for crappies Georgetown is having a crappie fishing tournament during the Quitman County Riverfest on April 19. The 2nd Registration Date for Participants to register in the Fishing Tournament is on 4/14/2024 @ Georgetown Community Center, 6:30 pm. But you can also always go to the Quitman County commissioners’ office to register anytime.

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Recent rain has decreased water visibility slightly, but the fishing reports are still fairly good as the fish appear to be pretty aggressive as they prepare for spawning season. Live shad/minnows or shad look alike baits should give you your best chance. The crappie bite is still going strong if you can locate them near standing timber in 8-12 feet of water.

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