April 11, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

• 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! 

This week, we have fishing reports from Southwest, North, Central and Southeast Georgia. Let’s get out there this weekend and Go Fish Georgia!

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

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

According to Ken Sturdivant at Southernfishing.com, bass fishing is very good. Start with a Chatterbait and run it shallow early. The noisy rattling jigs and crankbaits or large heavy spinnerbaits are attracting attention. Bumping heavy jigs over wood or rocks will draw a strike. Good areas are up the river. Keep an eye out on any shad feeding on or close to the surface. Look for fish to feed on shallow wood and rocky cover. Cast square to bill crank bait or Rat to L to Trap. Stay in the backs of pockets in 1 to 4 feet of water. Good fish will also be caught on 3/8-ounce jig like the Net Boy Bait jigs in black and green pumpkin. Tip the jig with a big bulky craw, like a Wackem Crazy Baits Big Tater Bug. Always dip the bait in JJ’s Magic. Try the Berkley Digger in Irish Gold Blue Chartreuse.

The Fisheries Management Section recently completed spring standardized electrofishing samples on Lake George, and good numbers of both bass and crappie were sampled. Pictured are two bass that weighed approximately 7 and 8 pounds. 

LAKE SEMINOLE

GON and fishing guide, Ryan Higgins, offer some insight into the bass fishing this week. “After a nice warming trend the last several days, Lake Seminole is primed and ready for a hot bite this week. With the full moon coming Saturday night, each day we edge closer to the weekend, the action should get better and better. Expect spawning fish to congregate heavily in areas like the Sealy Flats, Grassy Flats and the ponds around Fishpond Drain. A wacky-rigged Senko or a 6th Sense Congo Craw in natural colors will work well presented to bedding bass, and if the waters a little murky, junebug isn’t a bad bet, either.”

Mark your calendars, the American Legion of Georgia District 2, is hosting a Family Day at Lake Seminole on April 26 from 9 AM – 1 PM at 139 Wingate Rd. There is a Youth Fishing Derby (Ages 3–16) from 9 AM to 11 AM (Pre-registration recommended – call (229) 246-0658). And a Family BBQ from 11 AM to 1 PM. Other activities include: a bounce house, games & crafts, popcorn, ice cream floats & snow cones. Bring the whole family for a day of fishing, food, and fun at the lake. Everyone is welcome—don’t miss out!

Florida Bass Nation Junior/High School Clubs competed in a tournament on Lake Seminole this past weekend. Pictured are the first-place junior tournament winners with an 18.23 lb. bag. This team also brought in the biggest bass weighing 8.39 lbs! To top it off, this team’s performance on Seminole let them bring home the win for the series trail.

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Rain continues to contribute to muddy conditions on the lake. Despite the visible water conditions the fish bites are still good. Reports of many people reaching their daily limit still for Crappie are occurring, most bites are around 10-15ft of depth. Many are reporting good hits using jigs. Largemouth are still strung around in and out of the shallows as they finish their spawning. Best places to try for some bites for both species would be around structures and just on the outside of weedlines.

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

Striped bass are starting to run in the tail races. Try some shade-colored lures or live bait for the best outcome.

Hybrid striped bass are looking like monsters in the Chattahoochee! They are fun to catch on a shad or minnow lure. They put up a good fight and provide a good time for the whole family!

Crappie are biting below the Columbia dam/Lake Andrews. Live minnows or jigs are a solid choice for targeting crappie  

FLINT RIVER 

Shoal bass, largemouth bass, and striped bass are stacking up below the dams on the Flint River. Be sure to check river conditions before heading out below a dam and wear a life jacket!

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Recent rains have risen the water levels and slightly stained the water. The largemouth bite is getting good right now. Fishing plastic worms and lizards near spawning beds should produce decent bites. You may have luck by locating feeding shad near the banks and throwing a crankbait or spinner in the area.

(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

Allatoona Bass Report: (This report courtesy of angler Matt Driver via www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is on fire this month. The month of April is when bass are in all phases of the spawn. Most of the largemouth will spawn this month. Some spotted bass began to spawn at the end of March. Red clay and pea gravel banks have been the best areas to target for large spots. The majority of largemouth have moved shallow and are either close to spawning or staging nearby. Jerk bait, ChatterBait, and square billed crankbaits have been very productive. It’s also hard to beat a shaky head worm or Carolina rigged lizard. There have been some phenomenal fish caught recently. This is the month you fish the way you like to fish. Pretty much all patterns will be successful. Make sure to take a kid fishing and enjoy the warm spring weather.

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

• Current Water Level
• Water Temp: 62 – 66
• 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,  Black & Blue – Kic’n Chic’n XL, UV Smoke – Dagger and UV Shad – Dagger
• Technique: Trolling & Casting

The first couple of days this week were great for crappie fishing on Lake Allatoona and then we go hit with 3″ – 4″ of rain and a cold front the middle part of the week. We were able to get out a couple of days before the rain and front moved in and landed several nice keeper crappie! We went out one day and squeezed the last little bit of trolling we could out of this spring, and it paid off! We got out in the morning and trolled in 8′ of water using 1/24th jig heads and 1/24th oz underspins at .8 mph. We were blessed with 17 keeper crappie and the best part was that we caught several nice white crappie. A couple of our team members tried their luck using bobbers targeting shallow cuts that had laydowns and stickups. The Dagger in the UV Shad & UV Smoke on a 1/32nd oz. jig head was working well for the shallow bite. The rains came in at the middle of the week and with 3″ – 4″ of rain raised the lake up to full pool (840′). We expect some trash and debris the rest of the week but hopefully it won’t be too bad since the lake had already experienced heavy rains and fluctuation earlier in March. Hopefully the weather stabilizes next week, and we can target active post-spawn crappie.

If you are new to fishing and want to learn more about electronics, jig head sizes, jig colors and more be sure to tune in to FRIDAY NIGHT BITES which is a 30-minute Facebook livestream that we do on “most” Friday Nights around 7PM – you might learn something or teach us something new!

Allatoona Fish Attractors: Find locations of DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including Allatoona, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

West Point Bass Report (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is good. The fish are shallow lake-wide, and the fish have begun spawning. Use the soft plastics like a Zoom lizard on a light Carolina rig and the trick worms or creature baits. Work the isolated cover and depressions. These fish are most likely relating to small ditches waiting to pull up for the spawn. A light Carolina rig can also be effective in these same areas. The best areas have been from Wehadkee Creek north to the Hwy. 109 Bridge. Anything on the banks can have fish in and around it (trees, rocks and bridge pilings) – just fish shallow.

West Point Largemouth Bass Stocking (This report courtesy of fisheries biologist Brent Hess):  More than 250,000 largemouth bass fingerlings were stocked at West Point in the last two weeks, with more slated to arrive in the coming weeks.  2025 marks the 10^th consecutive year of WRD’s largemouth bass stocking program at West Point.  Over that period, more than 4-million largemouth bass fingerlings have been stocked in the reservoir.

West Point Fish Attractors: Find locations of DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including West Point, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Lake Hartwell Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is good. The fish can be found in main lake pockets and ditches and have been shallow on some days, but the recent cold front has pushed them back deeper 25 to 28 feet in some cases. We have been using a weedless Fish Head Spin in Pearl White and Albino colors trailed with a Zoom Fluke Jr. The Rapala Shad Rap has continued to be reliable in the creek pockets and a 3/16-ounce Weedless Wonder head around docks has also been productive. Look for the fish to make a big move shallower in the next couple of weeks. The water is a little warmer in backs of shallow major creeks. This is where the Lowrance Heat Map feature on RRR map can help anglers find the warmest water fast.

Lake Lanier Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently slightly over full pool with the water temperature running from the high fifties to the low sixties. Overall, the lake is clear with some slight stain in the backs of the creeks and yellow pollen everywhere. The bass have moved into their prespawn areas with some already bedding. Several spring patterns are working well with others just getting started. Regardless of the pattern the bite has moved into the thirty foot or less range. The shakey head bite around the dock has been consistent with a Trixster Tamale worm in the green pumpkin green color. A wacky rig has been effective around the docks and down the banks leading into the pockets. A jerk bait worked in a slow steady retrieve is producing fish on the flats and around reef poles. A white Mini Me spinnerbait worked in the wind on rocky points and pockets has been catching some solid fish also. A quarter ounce Spot Choker underspin with a three-inch Keitech has been an effective bait around docks back in the pockets and on the blow throughs around the lake. There have been a few fish schooling around the points so have something top water on hand to quickly get to them as they are only staying for a minute and disappearing. As typical with spring there are lots of options for catching fish right now so pick your favorite and go after them. Watch for things to keep changing and getting better as the water heats up. They are really biting so Go Catch ‘Em!

Lanier Stripers (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778): Lake Lanier stripers are putting on the weight and your tackle will get tested.  So, if you haven’t changed line and hooks now a good time. When the fish of a lifetime comes, and your equipment fails be prepared. Water temperature is low 60s and the baits are bluebacks, shiners and gizzards. Planer boards and flat lines seems to be the ticket. Middle lake is a good place just off any channel near a cove. Look back as far as you can where the warmer water is and start looking for bait, then put your spread out. Top water is showing up, but they don’t stay up long. Remember to wear your life jackets.

Lanier Crappie (This report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton 770 530 6493): Crappie fishing is good, and the water temperature is warming. The fish are shallow on structure in large groups under docks and on bridge poles. Small groups can be found roaming in open water try casting a 1/24 jig and letting it fall right in front of them try not to go below the target. Crappie have been at depths of 2 to 5 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 Lanier Fish Attractors: Find locations of DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including Lake Lanier, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Lake Weiss: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is good. Most have moved to the spawning bays on secondary points and roadbeds. Spinner baits, crank baits are catching fish. Crappie fishing is fair, and they are showing up in the spawning bays and creeks, they can be caught long line trolling with Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ13, JJ17, JJ20. Shooting docks with jigs is also producing some fish. Some fish are starting to go shallow to spawn look for a big migration to the shallows this week.

RIVER REPORT

Upper Chattahoochee Striped Bass (This report courtesy of fisheries biologist Josh Stafford):  A recent electrofishing survey of the Chattahoochee River above Lanier yielded few striped bass, but some of those caught were big, to include this solid 26.5-pound specimen.

Chestatee River (This report courtesy of fisheries biologist Josh Stafford): White bass were still plentiful in the Chestatee River above Lake Laner.  This is a good indication the spawning run is still going strong. 

SMALL LAKES REPORT 

Small Ponds (This report courtesy of fisheries supervisor Jim Hakala): Fishing remains good in small ponds across N. Georgia.  Many largemouth bass have already spawned, but bass can still be found on bed in the northern counties.  A Thursday outing on a Floyd County pond found shellcrackers (redear sunfish) bedding in a number of locations.  Water temps ranged from 64-68F throughout the day.  Like largemouth, crappie are definitely on the downside of the spawning cycle.  As such, target slightly deeper brush or blowdowns, as crappie begin to move from the spawning shallows. 

State Park Lakes: Want to enjoy some spring fishing potentially close to home?  IF so, Georgia State Parks has got you covered. Small lakes can offer great spring fishing opportunities close to home.  Here are a few north Georgia State Parks with small lakes you may consider fishing this weekend.

TROUT REPORT

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

Trout and More (This report courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters): Check out Unicoi Outfitter’s regular “Angler Management” fishing reports at blog.angler.management.

Small Trout Streams (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company): Flow in the small streams have been staying pretty good with our Spring rains coming in. Dry droppers have been picking up the most fish. A smaller Chubby with a Rubber Legs or Pheasant Tail has been working well. A few stoneflies have begun hatching, so start expecting a few eats on the chubby. As always, these creeks can be your best friend after heavy rains like today. Worms and Rubber Legs are king on days like this. As the water drops out after a few days of no rain. Dry fly fishing for our wild trout can be killer. Fishing every little riffle and pocket with an attractor fly like a Purple Haze or a Bugmeister can be a lot of fun. It’s also a good way to cover water that is too shallow for a dropper. More natural imitations like a Parachute Adams or Elk Hair Caddis are also good options. These fish can be very opportunistic, so your presentation is a lot more important than your fly pattern.

Upper Toccoa River (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company): The Upper Toccoa is currently running around 430cfs, but it is rising with the storm today. Keep an eye on the flows, but for the most part the DH has been wade-able. Still primarily sticking with bobber rigs up there. Your normal DH fly selection should work well up there. Rubber Legs, Rainbow Warriors, Walt’s Worms, and other flashy or hot spotted flies should work well. If the flashy stuff isn’t working, try more natural flies like Holy Grails or Pheasant Tails. We have about a month left before DH regulations are over, so get out there while it’s on!

Toccoa River Tailwater (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company):  As we continue into Spring, stockings have picked back up, so numbers of fish are increasing. Various bug hatches have been occurring. Tan and Olive Caddis, Hendricksons, Quills, and a few March Browns so bugs are plentiful. Even some BWOs on the cooler cloudy days. Most days a Jigged Pheasant Tail with a soft hackle has been the ticket. One of my flies this time of year can be a Soft Hackle Hare’s Ear, because it can imitate both mayflies and caddis. After some of these rains, a bump in flow and stained water can get these fish keying in on Stoneflies. Mornings until mid-afternoons have been fishing the best. As TVA raises lake levels to summer pool, generations have been pretty short in the mornings. With the right weather, streamer fishing has been pretty good. If it’s a cloudy, prefrontal day, you may want to grind out some streamers on high water. That is our favorite way to hunt for trophy browns in the Toccoa and can sometimes lead to some magical moments.

Georgia Trout Slam: If you have the skill to successfully catch all three species of trout (brook, brown, rainbow) in Georgia within a calendar year, consider giving the Georgia Trout Slam a try.  All successful submissions will receive the coveted Georgia Trout Slam Sticker and be entered into a drawing for an annual grand prize. Program details can be found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/trout-slam.

Trout Fishing Opportunities for Those With Disabilities: Check out these sites that are open to the public and offer specific amenities for anglers with disabilities. Find the list at GeorgiaWildlife.com/Fishing/Trout.

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 RUSSELL IS FULL, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. Fish the sunny coves in wind protected pockets. If the wind is up, go to the mid lake pockets and banks. Find the warmest water lake wide with the Lowance Heat Map feature on the GPS mapping. The Zoom Super Flukes in pearl and the Rapala Shad Rap crank baits on rocks and wood is working. The Chatterbaits in all white and a spinnerbait with bright blades in stained water gold and silver in clear water are working. There are lots of fish on points and around all the lakes docks. These fish are in the manmade and the natural cover and they will bite live or artificial lures. Continue to use the finesse style green worms on a Texas rig. Some locations to work on early and late each day will be the main lake reef markers. Small to medium chrome and blue top water lures can draw the spots but the key is to move around and make only a few casts to each location. Try the Berkley Digger in Irish Gold Blue Chartreuse. Slow down with a Carolina rigged Trick Worm or centipede worm. Shaky head worms drop shot worms and jigs worked slowly on docks in blowdowns and brush will be the key to the next couple of months.

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, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. The lower end of the lake around the Keg Creek area and Modoc Shores are some good places to fish this week. The water here seems to be a little clearer. Lipless Crank Baits are also catching some of the nicer bass. Good baits to use include a 3/8-ounce Strike King spinnerbait with white and chartreuse skirts, Rapala Clackin’ Raps and a Rapala DT6 in hot mustard and Shad colors. Use the Molix Jigs Live Skirt Systems 3/8 and ½ ounce sizes. The water is a little warmer there and good-sized bass are on the bed. This is where the Lowrance Heat Map feature on the C-Map technology can help anglers find the warmest water fast.

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, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The lake is full and stained over most of the lake. 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. Sugar creek has been the most productive over the past week. Use Shad Raps and small crank bait with rattles fished on sea walls and around docks. Dark Jigs with a rattle, brown, blue and black have been the best colors. Fish these around wood structure on the main river pockets above Sugar Creek. Spinner baits fished along any rock bank will also draw a strike. Remember to slow down the retrieve as the water is still cold below the surface. If we get a few days with worm temperatures look for the fish to start to move into the back of the creeks and major coves off of the main lake. If it get colder they will move back to deeper water.

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 0.7 FEET, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. Black buzz baits in the morning and spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white are working well. A buzz bait in the grass early has also been producing. Little Earl crank baits and Rat L Traps are other moving baits to try. Docks and blowdowns fished with Ole Monster worms in June bug and black emerald and a trick worm on a shakey head in the same colors are producing. Also try a Senko in various colors or a weightless Trick worm in methiolate or bubblegum shallow. Use the Realis V Tailshad 3 and 4-inch for spinner baits jigs Alabama rig and Ned rig. A Carolina rig with a short leader and a lizard will be hard to beat. Look for hard sand and hard bottoms as the key to finding the beds. Fishing a buzz bait or spinnerbait is another tactic. If the fish the bait or there is a slight bump or blow up that does not hook up, cast right back with a Senko or Trick Worm and let it fall.

Tournament Alert (courtesy of ABA News): The couples Division 2 tournament will take place on April 12. Known for its abundance of docks and aquatic vegetation, Sinclair is a consistent producer in spring. Launching from Big Ed’s, couples should find active fish on shallow wood, and dock skipping may play a big role in tournament success. Predicted Weather: Partly sunny with a high near 70°F, low around 42°F.

LAKE TOBESOFKEE 

Sampling Results Show Abundance: (courtesy of Fisheries Biologist Brandon Baker) — Looking for Water temps are in the 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 JACKSON IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, 60’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is good. There are still fish in shallow coves and pockets now and should be back out on points and humps by the end of the month as the water warms up. To begin the month, use double willow leaf spinnerbaits and shad colored Shad Raps or Bandits. Try a Yamamoto Cowboy jig. Use the spinnerbaits, jigs, Alabama rig and Ned rig. Weightless worms like a Senko skipped under docks and blowdowns can bring a lot of strikes, as well. Toward the end of the month, use crankbaits or Carolina rigged Zoom green pumpkin U tail worms and lizards on secondary points. Flipping lizards or jigs with Zoom Super Chunk trailers can find some big post spawn fish. Look for the shad to begin their spawn near seawalls and throw the spinnerbait or a top water bait, like a 1/2-ounce white Lunker Lure or a Pop R. The spots are on rocky points, flats and near deep docks. Fish the points from the Tussahaw down to the dam. Weightless flukes or green pumpkin Trick Worms on a SpotSticker are always good choices. The water is a little warmer in the coves and good-sized bass are heading on the bed. This is where the Lowrance Heat Map feature on the map can help anglers find the warmest water fast.

LAKE JULIETTE

Lake Juliette Linesides: (courtesy of Jeff Mooney with All Seasons Guide Service): They hybrid bite is hot on Juliette right now. The topwater bite faded about three weeks ago, and the fish have transitioned to points and humps from mid-lake to the north. Fresh blueback herring on boards or freelines will put fish in the boat. The water temperature is 68 F on Juliette right now, which is a perfect temperature to target hybrids over shallow bottoms before they push deeper out over open water.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Water temperatures on McDuffie’s PFA lakes are reaching the mid-70’s, with a slight drop following the cold snap.  Bass are spawning and anglers are having successful fishing trips!  Public fishing ponds were fertilized at the beginning of April and follow up fertilization will continue to promote high productivity in the lakes.  Anglers should notice a greener color to the water with reduced water clarity, which means using an aggressive, less-natural color pattern will be more effective during the growing season. 

Bass: Topwater lures are hot right now! Anglers should consider using frogs, poppers, or chatterbaits in and around vegetation 

Linesides: Anglers should use chicken livers in areas with lots of bird activity for the best chance of producing success.  Many small hybrids and striped bass are being caught in Clubhouse and Bridge Lakes.  

Channel Catfish: Anglers on the PFA are still catching catfish.  Some anglers are reporting catfish caught in the 4–9-pound range.  Anglers are reporting the most success fishing either chicken livers or stink baits near the bottom of the lake. 

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

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

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of 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)

I’ve not been around a lot this week due to fishing in the Everglades, but the reports I did receive were good. The rivers are getting back down and those bites are heating up at different rates. Guess right and you could be in for a great day!

River gages on April 10th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 8.7 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 8.5 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 9.0 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 11.2 feet and rising
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 8.4 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 7.2 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 4.3 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 9.3 feet and falling

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

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Seth Carter fished the backwaters of the river and had 15 keeper-sized bass and a handful of shorts. He fooled them with buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, shaky head worms, and crankbaits. His biggest was a monster (he said it looked like a 7-lb. class fish) that pulled off on the boat-flip when he decided that he couldn’t wait for the net…. Robert Smith took his kids fishing on the river over the weekend. They ran some bush hooks and caught a nice channel catfish. The kids loved the experience (their first time running hooks).

OCONEE RIVER

The 5th annual Wicked Fish Customs Catfish Tournament was this weekend, and they had 30 boats enter. First place with a limit of 10 flatheads weighing 144.91 pounds and also the kids’ category big fish (30.59 pounds) was Dalton Poole, David Ussery and Dracen. Nick Garner and Mathew Landrum came in second with 131.58 pounds. Third place was Ryland Thigpen and Lync Pope with 126.18 pounds (including the overall big fish of 53.87 pounds). Daniel Gullion and Dale Anderson came in fourth with 124.86 pounds. Dale and Daniel said that they threw back over 60 blue catfish and channels up to 20 pounds while trying to catch their flatheads.

OCMULGEE RIVER

Miles Zachary fished the Ocmulgee on Friday and caught some nice bass on a Capt. Bert’s buzzbait. The river has been up and down over the last couple of months but is rising fast at the time of writing this.

ST MARYS RIVER

Matt Rouse fished the upper river on Monday. He fought the wind and caught a dozen nice redbreasts along with several bluegills, bowfin, and pickerel. White with red dot beetlespins produced his fish. Sammy Gaskins fished the river on Wednesday and had a total of 35 fish that included a crappie and a bass. The rest were redbreasts and bluegill. I didn’t ask the details, but he usually catches them on a beetlespin. Shane and Joshua Barber fished the middle river on Thursday afternoon and did really well. They fooled most of their fish with bumblebee and crawfish Satilla Spins but caught a few on a bug. They ended up catching around 35 fish, including a crappie, 2 bass, and the rest redbreasts, bluegills, and stumpknockers. A couple of friends walked a tributary to the main river on Thursday evening and caught a bunch of panfish. They fooled warmouth, bluegills, spotted sunfish (stumpknockers), and bass mostly with chartreuse back pearl 2-inch Keitech swimbaits. The Temple Landing, recently rebuilt by the GA Wildlife Resources Division, is now reopened. The new facilities will serve boaters and anglers well for decades to come!

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Buck Johnson fished the east side on Friday and caught 30 warmouth. He pitched chartreuse pearl artificials on Zombie Eye Jigheads to shoreline cover for his fish. Bowfin and warmouth have been the best bites on the east side according to Okefenokee Adventures staff. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 121.14 feet.

LOCAL PONDS

Chip Lafferty fished a Brunswick pond for an hour just before the storms rolled in on Tuesday, and the bass were chewing! He landed 25 of them up to 5.1 pounds.  Jimmy Zinker did not have any big bass this week, but he said that the buzzbait bite is on fire for numbers of mid-sized fish. Robert Smith and his children fished their pond for the first time this year and caught a bunch of nice bluegills on Monday.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

It’s been windy in the brine! I had a buddy who tried some big water over the weekend and got blown out. He was hoping to find some fishable areas, but it didn’t happen for him. You have to get into some protected areas when the afternoon breeze kicks up. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) said it was a little slow for everything but redfish and sheepshead. On Tuesday, they got into a couple of limits of redfish and 6 nice trout. On Wednesday, 8-year-old Banks caught about the same and added a beautiful flounder to get his slam. This week they caught fish on live shrimp rigged on a Capt. Bert’s Shrimp Hook suspended underneath a Harper Super Striker Float. 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).

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