May 30, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

Just in case you needed an excuse to get out on the water, National Fishing and Boating Week (NFBW) is June 1-8 and includes two FREE Fishing Days (Sat. May 31 and Sat. June 7)! That makes it a perfect time to take someone new with you (who might not already have a fishing license) to show them the joys that fishing can bring. 

NEWS TO KNOW

• Free Fishing Days: Georgia offers two FREE fishing days (Sat., May 31 and Sat., June 7, 2025) during NFBW. On these days, Georgia residents do not need a fishing license, trout license or Lands Pass to fish on public waters.
• Attend a Fun Fishing Event: Multiple Family Fishing Events are scheduled throughout the state during NFBW. Visit the Events calendar to find one near you: License.gooutdoorsgeorgia.com/Event/Calendar.aspx.
• Can’t Get Outdoors? Celebrate indoors by letting the kids go to the Angler Academy. At this website, developed by TakeMeFishing.org, you will find links to “fishy” crafts, games, informative videos and puzzles. Check it out at takemefishing.org/how-to-fish/fishing-resources/angler-academy-for-kids/.

This week, we have fishing reports from Central, Southeast, Southwest and North Georgia. Load up the new anglers with you and let’s Go Fish Georgia!

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

Region 3 will be hosting and supporting Community Fishing Events (CFEs) at multiple fisheries on May 31 and June 7. Check out our calendar of events to find a CFE near you, and plan to bring a crowd as these events align with free fishing days in Georgia! Beaverdam Creek, Marben PFA, McDuffie PFA, Flat Creek PFA, and other Central Georgia locations will be expecting high attendance at these events.

Registration opens for the 2026 Georgia Bass Trail on June 1. For more information on the tournament, rules, and dates, visit georgiabasstrail.org/2019/10/welcome/.

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 fair. By late afternoon it is not unusual to find 87-degree water in the back of the coves. The summertime pattern has now been established for this lake. Even though fishing is fair, it can be good one day and not so good the next day. Have the Rapala #5 Glass Shad Raps on 10-pound test Suffix Elite line. The top water bite is fair but with the warming water temperature, don’t expect to catch one every day when using top water baits. Three- and four-inch Rattle Tubes rigged either Texas or Carolina style around the deeper water wood will work fished slowly. Bass are holding extremely tight to cover while the smaller spots are roaming the banks all during the day. Deep water cranking is still active when using Rapallo OG8, the DT10, Deep Warts and Slow Cranking Deep Down Husky Jerks. For a fast shallow bite try the Terminator stainless 3/8-ounce super spinner bait and Titanium T1 spinner bait ½ ounce.

Bass 2 (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal (706-988-0860) reports that into May bass should be up shallow feeding on spawning blueback herring off shallow points, although at the end of April the herring spawn seemed to be slowing a bit. The fish will take topwater lures and flukes, but live herring are often impossible to beat. Once the herring spawn wraps up fish will move deeper again.

Tournament Update (courtesy of ABA News): Lake Russell was the site of the final tournament of the American Bass Anglers Couples Series, South Carolina Division #11. Thirty-five teams participated in the event followed by our year-end banquet and awards ceremony. The father and daughter team of Trad and Daelyn Whaley took the win with 5 bass for a total weight of 19.11 pounds, earning first place prize money of $998 and 200 points.  The Whaleys caught ‘em on a Berkley Sebille, Shakey head with a Berkley max scent hit worm and a Fluke style bait fishing the shad spawn in main lake areas.  Trad enjoyed getting back on the water with Daelyn this season. Daelyn has been away at Emmanuel College and told her dad she wanted to win this one for Coach Pam… Daelyn was one of Pam Martin Wells’ first recruits at Emmanuel.  Daelyn remembers Coach Pam as a great mentor, coach, and one of the top anglers around.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in May some striper should be found off the sides of the same points where the herring are spawning, but by the end of May when herring move out to deeper water the striper will get around deep trees in 40-50 feet.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that the crappie spawn essentially wrapped up in April, but in May the fish will stay fairly shallow around brush. They can be caught within a few feet of the surface on minnows or even trolling jigs.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that by the end of April the channel catfish bite was really good, and in May it should get even better. Channel cats will be caught pretty much everywhere including points, pockets, coves and more on cut herring.

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is slow. The surface temperature is well into the upper 80’s and this is slowing the bass fishing down a bit. Try running from point to point looking for any signs of blue backs breaking or skimming the surface. If this occurs have the #10 Husky Jerk in either the Glass Minnow or Shad color. Work the bait with a medium to fast retrieve. Try the stop and go retrieve with the Storm Thunder Dog especially on main lake rocky points. They key this week will be to stay in the main portion of the lake or rivers and out of the pockets. Carolina rigged Zoom finesse work in red shad and green pumpkin can work during the hot periods of the day off main lake points and stump rows in depths from 7 to 15 feet of water. The bigger fish are deeper and ride the ledges with the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to find the fish. The Lowrance Fish Reveal on the Down Scan all but eliminates the need for Sonar. Remember as the day heats up slow the bait down. Try the Ned rig with the Power Baits Meaty Chunk Green pumpkin 3 inch.

Striper and Hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that early in May there should continue to be a good bite off shallow points early, but once it gets hot then fish will be in mid-depths in the morning. As the water gets hotter fish will move deeper and eventually the pattern will switch over to more of a down-rod bite.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service reports that in May the spawn is behind us but the fish are back feeding again, and about all you need to catch them is minnows and the location of some mid-depth brush in the creeks. Once again it seems that the post-spawn bite has been better than the pre-spawn bite this year. By the end of May fish may go deeper if the water gets very hot.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson reports that in May he likes to anchor on humps, points and saddles and put out live and cut herring. This is a good technique for catching a mixed bag of catfish and striper. You can also start to fish shrimp or dip baits for eating-sized channel catfish.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. Using a Carolina rigged Zoom finesse or u tail worm, fish the long points and underwater islands around Reynolds Plantation and the Great Water areas of the lake. When Georgia Power is generating fish in 5 to 10 foot of water and if they are not generating back off and fish in 10 to 20 feet of water. Fish as slowly. A big crankbait fished in the same areas will also bring a few bites. Slow down mid-day and use the Net Bait Paca Chunk and Paca Bug 3/8-ounce Alabama craw Black neon and Okeechobee 3 inch and Sapphire craw.

Tournament Alert (courtesy of ABA News): The next tournament for Division 72 is the 2-Day Championship, set for June 7 on Lake Sinclair and June 8 on Lake Oconee. For more information, contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS FULL, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report):  Bass fishing is fair. The presence of brush under or near a dock also increases the chances of success. Zoom Trick worms and Yamamoto Senko’s have both been good choices recently. Green pumpkin and June bug are reliable colors for each. Use the lightest weight possible on either worm rigged Texas style. A lot of bass are now located around open water structure such as points, humps, flats, and ledges. Depths are varying from 8 to over 20 feet deep. Most of the fish are hitting Carolina rigs. A 3-foot leader of 12-pound line matches well with 14-to-17-pound main line and a half ounce weight. Several different worms have produced well, including Zoom baits Trick, finesse, and U Tale. Red bug, June bug, green pumpkin, and watermelon are a few good color choices. A few of these open water fish especially larger bass, may also hit larger worm’s rigged Texas or Carolina style. Crank baits can also be the best, especially during power generation. Some good choices are Norman DD14 and DD22, Fat Free Shad in ½ and ¾ ounce sizes, and Rapallo DT10 and DT14. Varying chartreuse and shad patterns have worked well. The fish are deeper so ride the ledges and old deeper road beds with the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to find the fish. The Lowrance Fish Reveal on the Down Scan all but eliminates the need for Sonar. A jig head and Finesse worm should also produce and extra fish or two after the bite has slowed.

Tournament Alert (courtesy of ABA News): The next tournament for Division 72 is the 2-Day Championship, set for June 7 on Lake Sinclair and June 8 on Lake Oconee. For more information, contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

LAKE JACKSON IS UP1.2 FEET, 70’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The bass are scattered all over the lake. The best bet will be a Texas rigged June bug finesse worm on a light Texas rig or a shot Carolina rig for spots and an occasional largemouth bass. Work as many docks as possible but try to concentrate on the docks that sit in the deeper water. A very slow presentation will be necessary for the best results. Crank baits have been slow all week but try a Rapala DT10 in hot mustard on every location. Just make ten casts and then move on. Go to top water early and a Fluke thrown right to the bank on mid lake points and pockets. Mid-day go a little deeper with Zoom Finesse worms on a jig head around brush piles. Green pumpkin will work but try some of the many similar colors available. Find docks with brush try Strike King ¼ ounce jig and add the small matching Zoom Trailer in green pumpkin. Long points as well, back off a bit and throw a Carolina rigged mini lizard in green pumpkin. Night fishing is more productive and more comfortable. Try slow rolling a big Colorado blade spinner bait after dark across those long points. Also, the deeper diving Bill Norman crank baits are beginning to catch quite a few. The key is bouncing them off deep rocks. Slow down mid-day and use the Net Bait Paca Chunk and Paca Bug 3 8 ounce Alabama craw Black neon and Okeechobee 3 inch and Sapphire craw.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Temperatures on our Public Fishing lakes are in the mid-to-high 70’s and likely will continue to rise with the continuing heat.  Bass spawning has come to a close and fish are likely moving into slightly deeper waters at this time.  Lake chub suckers were removed from Rodbender Lake and added to Willow Lake to increase forage fish for bass in the future.  McDuffie PFA will be hosting a Community Fishing Event on Saturday June 7 from 8:00 am to 12:00pm, so bring the kids and catch some nice catfish!

Bass: Anglers are still having success with topwater lures, but with rising temperatures they may have better luck with deep-diving lures.  Try fishing shallow areas in the morning but be prepared to hit deeper water as the sun gets high! Plastic worms and creature baits may produce good results at these lower depths.

Striped and Hybrid Bass:  Anglers should use chicken livers in areas with lots of bird activity for the best chance of success.  Many small hybrids and striped bass are being caught in Clubhouse and Bridge Lakes.  A large hybrid bass was caught while electrofishing on Clubhouse in mid-May!

Channel Catfish:  Catfish are still being caught regularly. Worms or chicken livers on the bottom of the lakes seem to produce good results for anglers, but anglers may also want to use lures that mimic small bait fish near the bottoms of lakes as well.

Bream:  Bream on the PFA are being caught frequently, anglers targeting bream should use live worms or crickets 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) —

Bass:  The bass bite has been on this past week with lots of catches being reported! Soft plastics, specifically craws and trick worms, have produced some great catches! Target steeper banks and flats for your best chances.

Bream:  Red wigglers, fished on the bottom, should definitely get you some bites! Target flats near the bank for bedding fish and then brush piles and over hanging trees for the actively feeding fish.

Crappie: Target crappie holding off shore chasing shad. Jigs that imitate small ‘young of the year’ shad are working the best. Try a slow cast and retrieve method, bringing it through schools of shad and around structures. Anglers should note that low light hours are producing most of the bites.

Catfish:  The catfish bite has seemingly slowed again, most likely due to their spawning season approaching. Catches are still possible with the right bait choices and cut bait or liver will always get bit. Late afternoon into the early parts of the night should be the best bite times for the coming weeks. Also, if you are lucky enough to land a catfish that you believe to be over 10 pounds(about 30 inches long), please notify DNR staff, we are looking to fill the PFA catfish record, which currently is wide open.

MARBEN PFA FISHING REPORT (Courtesy of Fisheries Technician Jacob Landry) —

Water level: All ponds are full or nearly full.

• Marben Public Fishing Area
• Pond Closures: Margery, Hillside, and Clubhouse ponds remain closed while under renovation.
• Water clarity: All the lakes have visibilities ranging from 16” to 48” depending on rainfall amounts and frequency.
• Surface temperature: 75-83 F
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Cooler than usual temperatures have the bass working shallows at daylight.  However, fish the deeper water when the sun is high.  June temperatures will surely push them deeper.   Shad are still gathering on the surface late in the evenings.  As temperatures increase through the month, the bite is expected to slow.  Most any bait choice will work when fished in the right situation – depth, temperature, visibility, and presence of bait. Go-to’s this time of year are crankbaits, spinners, top water, ned rigs, and drop shot.   

Crappie: Relatively few crappie are being caught at this time, although several have been caught off suspended brush using jigs and minnows.

Bream: Crickets and waxworms fished on the bottom continue to produce well, particularly in the smaller ponds.  Fox Lake has produced some nice catches of bluegill and shellcracker.

Catfish: Nice channel catfish have been harvested at Fox and Bennett using night crawlers and live bait.  Remember cast nets are not allowed on a Public Fishing Area.

Hybrid Bass:  Hybrid bass continue to be harvested at Bennett Lake.  Find schooling shad late in the day, and cast into the school with a lure or spinner than would trigger a reaction strike.

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

The fish are moving toward their summer patterns, but so are the afternoon thunderstorms. You can usually get a morning half-day trip in before the boomers start but pay attention to the skies and radar. The bites have been really good this week. The rivers are getting good in some areas, but some are still too high for a peak bite.

River gages on May 29th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 11.5 feet and falling
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 7.7 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 8.7 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 6.4 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 8.2 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 3.0 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 2.4 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 5.5 feet and rising

First quarter moon is June 2nd. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALAPAHA RIVER

Stan Rhodes and David McGlamry fished the middle river on Saturday and had a great bite. They caught redbreasts, bluegills, crappie and catfish. The redbreasts were not tearing it up, but the crappie were. They brought home 42 fish, and 23 of them were crappie. They caught their fish on both live bait (crawdads and crickets) and artificials (Satilla Spins and crappie jigs). The jigs worked best for their crappie, and crawdads were the deal for the catfish.

LOCAL PONDS

Joshua Barber caught and released the biggest bass I heard of this week. He fooled it with a black SPRO topwater frog. It was a great story, as he broke the fish off on the hookset and then was able to hand-line it in, working it around, over, and through lily pads. He was meant to catch the 9-lb., 10-oz. monster! It’s hard to keep big fish hooked when all of your equipment works – let alone hand-lining it! During the trip he caught a half-dozen other bass on plastics rigged on Swimbait Heads. Bobby Thompson fished with his daughter, Tara Williams, on Monday in a Montgomery County pond. They caught “plenty” of bass, but more importantly enjoyed the time together. Their best bait was a topwater frog.

ST. MARYS RIVER

The second Bream Reapers Bream Tournament of the year was held on Saturday out of Temple Landing. There was plenty of traffic on the holiday weekend, but the fish still bit. Charles, Brittany, and Laylan won first place for the heaviest weight with 3.37 pounds. Bo and Brittany had big fish with a 0.92-pound crappie. Check the Bream Reapers Bream Tournament Trail out on Facebook for more information.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

I fished the east side on Thursday morning from 7 – 11:30am and caught 61 fish by myself. I released everything except 8 warmouth for my parent’s supper. I fished for warmouth most of the time and pitched popsicle, crawfish and a prototype color Warmouth Whacker Jigs and caught warmouth, pickerel, and bowfin everywhere I tried. I spent a half-hour casting and trolling Dura-Spins and picked up about a dozen fish on crawfish-brass blade. It worked well enough that I didn’t even switch colors. I was testing a couple rods I built specifically for that lure, and they worked superbly. Right before I headed in I met Charles Burch and his buddy Clayden. They were catching bowfin and pickerel on jackfish and fire tiger Dura-Spins. They ended up with 27 fish total (including 3 warmouth), with their biggest about 4 1/2 pounds.. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 120.59 feet.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) said that he had charters Wednesday and Thursday and caught about a half-dozen keeper trout each day. They also added 3 flounder Wednesday and 2 on Thursday to their creel. Shrimp under Harper Super Striker Floats produced all but a couple fish. Those couple ate plastics. Capt. Tim said that the water was moving pretty hard this week. Ladyfish and shark are biting well, and there are a few tarpon showing up, but they are scattered. After your next trip to the Georgia coast, drop off your fish carcasses in the freezer at the GA Wildlife Resources Division Waycross Fisheries Office at 108 Darling Avenue. The Coastal Resources Division collects most inshore saltwater species so that they can determine age and growth for each species. All the supplies and information cards are in the freezer. Filet your fish then drop off the carcasses in the freezer. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is open Friday through Tuesday each week (closed Wednesday and Thursday). They have plenty of lively shrimp and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. For the latest information and their hours, contact them at 912-223-1379.

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

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

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Water temperatures are heating up as we head into summer. The water level is still slightly above full pool following many recent rains. We are getting good reports of increasing bluegill and channel catfish fishing. Largemouth and hybrid bass fishing is reported to be best right after sunrise right now.

FLINT AND CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVERS

Shoal bass are one of Georgia’s unique species and the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers in Southwest Georgia are a hot spot for this cool fish. They inhabit the swift currents and pocket water near rocky shoals of the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers. They are strong and acrobatic fish when hooked and are so much fun to catch on a fly rod or a regular set up. They are active spring through fall, but the spring is a great time to catch them as they congregate below dams and on shoals for spawning. Shoal bass feed on a variety of prey including crayfish, insects, and other fish, and are reported to feed actively during sunny, midday periods. Popular lures include popping and swimming plugs, plastic baits such as minnows and worms, and flies. Shad like lures are also a good choice. Try out spinner baits, crankbaits and top-water lures for a good time as well. You basically can’t go wrong if you have a line in the water! The rivers are up this week with all the rain we have been getting, and the water is brown. Be sure to use the correct color lures (such as reddish/brownish) colors to match the current environment. Shoal bass are endemic (native only) to the Flint, Chattahoochee, and Apalachicola rivers systems, so be sure to check this unique species of your Georgia bucket list!

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Please remember to be respectful to each other out on the water, as this week will likely have more boat traffic than normal. Also, recent storms have been popping up frequently so conditions can change rapidly. The water conditions are more muddy than normal and wind from nearby storms can make the water quite choppy. Make sure you have life jackets on board!

Reports of Crappie catches are occurring in 5-10ft of water. For folks looking for catfish you might want to try minnows, as there are good number of reports with bites using them as bait. If you want some shellcrackers they are biting most on worms, with some recommendations to try just hooking the worm once on the hook. The sweet spot seems to be around 4-6ft of water near grass or lily pads keeping the bait 8-12in off the bottom.  

LAKE SEMINOLE

According to Ken Sturdivant with Southern Fishing Reports, the shad spawn on the lake is making the bass fishing a little better. When looking for active bait schools look for topped out vegetation or fish breaking the surface. Once you find the shad, there are several baits you should try. Use a Chatterbait in a 3/8 ounce size, a 3/8 ounce swim jig in shad, or a 3/8 ounce white buzz bait. Try a 4.25 inch white Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper as a trailer for each one of these baits. After the shad spawn the Rat L Trap will work, burn it across the grass beds in the clear backwater areas. Shallow bass like any bream-colored bait and a Luck Craft swim bait is a great choice. Cast the Profound Outdoors crank bait in The Matt Reed signature series that runs 2 to 5 feet deep in bream and baby bass. A white Spro popping frog around shallow grass and pads will only get better as the weather continues to warm. Look for the fish to start moving out on ledges and grass edges.

(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) — Water temp 78. Clarity 5 ft. Level full. Carters has been fishing great with all the species showing up. The walleye bite has been good with the fish hanging pretty shallow for the last month or so. We are finally seeing them move more offshore to deeper water humps, artificial structures, and points. Live bait has been the key, but the trolling and jigging bite are picking up now and will be in full swing in the next week or so. Look in the 30 to 60ft range this month for these tasty fish.

Carters Lake Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — The striper bite has been pretty consistent. Few big fish per day, nothing crazy, but a nice shot at some trophies early in the day. Live bait still the go-to tactic. Flat lines early then add some weight. Big alewives or medium gizzards (not bluebacks) are your go-to bait. You want fresh ones caught under a HydroGlow light for best result. Light leaders and small hook season is upon us, so downsize your gear as the fish are getting finicky. The mouths of the creeks all around the lake are holding fish and the schools are on the move constantly. On sunny days you’re gonna want to start early, but the cloudy overcast days don’t be afraid to fish all day. 

Blue Ridge Lake Walleye Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — Temp 76. Clarity 8 ft. Level full. Blue Ridge late spring bite gas been off the charts at times. Walleye are cruising the drop-offs and weed bed edges looking for blue backs. 12 to 30ft seems to be best right now. This will change as the lake warms up this month. This depth offers anglers the chance to employ their favorite tactics to target the tasty fish. Live bait, artificials, trolling, jigging, casting… you pick! Just get the bait right in their face for best results. The fish are spread out, so location isn’t really a factor. It’s more about finding what they will eat each day vs where they are. Once you dial in the presentation you can catch them all over the lake. Rapalas, spoons, and crawler harnesses are my top 3 go to baits currently.

Blue Ridge Lake Trout Report: (This report courtesy of Eric Crowley, Lake and Stream Guide Service) — The trout have just started showing up and are looking great. Thick chrome and green is how they look after being in the lake a few months feeding on herring. You can catch them on a variety of baits from spoons and lures to worms and minnows. Look from 15 to 35ft deep and vary your speed until you find out how fast they want it.

Lake Allatoona Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Allatoona is one foot over full, and in the 70s. Bass fishing is good. Fish are roaming around looking for food. They are on the docks, wood and points in the creeks. Fish the wood cover and fish very tight with spinner baits with bright blades and floating lizards. Crank baits have been fair on the banks and Rebel Deep Wee R’s and #7 Shad Raps can find the fish and keep moving. Up the lake even in the off colored use the fire tiger and crawfish 7A Bomber and strikes will be very tight on any cover. Main lake points right next to the river points with a lot of rocks are the better areas. Expect the boat docks to start paying off soon. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan technology can find the fish on the docks. Ride by them and scan out 80 feet with the blue palette. Use the 455 kHz to spot the fish. Mark the spot and then come back. Expect the boat docks to start paying off soon. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan technology can find the fish on the docks. Ride by them and scan out 80 feet with the blue palette. Use the 455 kHz to spot the fish. Mark the spot and then come back. Try the Ned rig with the Power Baits Meaty Chunk Green pumpkin 3 inch. This works best on a spinning outfit.

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

• Air Temp: High: 88 – Low: 59
• Wind: Up to 15 Mph Gusts
• Lake Level: Approx. 840′
• Water Temp: 76 – 80
• Water Clarity: Clear Green!
• Area Fished: Victoria Area, Kellogg/Owl Creek, Galt’s Ferry area, Illinois Creek & Little River
• Jigs Used: Motor Oil Red – Dagger, Splatter Back – Dagger, Watermelon Ghost – Dagger and UV Smoke – Dagger
• Technique: Casting & Spider Rigging

Crappie: The summer crappie pattern is upon us here on Lake Allatoona! We hit the lake a couple of days this past week and were able to find some skinny post spawn slabs! As the water temp warms up the crappie are moving to deeper structure and will be there until fall. Deep water structure such as brush, stumps and laydowns will hold crappie. Some places will hold more than others due to the size of the structure! We found crappie on structure ranging from 16′ to 22′ deep. The crappie may be suspended anywhere from 10′ to 14′ above structure or possible buried in the limbs. The best times to fish for the next couple of months will be early morning or late evening during the week. The boat and jet ski traffic will blow you off the water on the weekend. Two sure fire methods of netting some crappie through the summer are casting jigs and spider rigging minnows. We throw natural color jigs at brush and structure using Red Rooster Daggers on a 1/16th or 3/32nd oz. jig head to get the jigs down to the strike zone in a hurry. Early part of summer the fall rate doesn’t affect the bite as much but as the days get hotter the crappie like a slower fall rate which is where the 1/16th oz. jig head comes in. We usually count down to 10 seconds and then start slowly reeling above and around the brush or structure until we get a bite. You may need to increase your count a few more ticks to get deeper…you just have to play around with the depth the crappie are holding. The colors that worked well this week were UV Shad, Splatter Back, Watermelon Ghost and UV Smoke. In Clear water, we like to use more translucent colors to mimic a more natural color. As far as spider rigging goes, you are dangling a minnow over brush for extended periods until the crappie get hungry and come and eat your minnow.

Bluegill: We are still seeing and catching a lot of Bluegill. If you have kids or adults who love bluegill fishing grab some crickets! The bluegill are shallow around any laydown or brush. You will want to use a #4 – #6 gold Aberdeen hook with 4 – 6 lb. test fishing line and a bobber set about 6″ – 8″ above your cricket. The bluegill are “feeding up” as they say and will be close to the surface so you want to start out with a shallow presentation. You can always adjust your cork depth as needed if you find something different.

Shellcracker (Redear sunfish): The shellcracker have moved out of the shallow spawning areas and are moving deeper. Shellcracker can be found in 4′ – 10′ of water around points and rocky humps. The rig we use for shellcracker is a #2 hook on 4 – 6 lb. test fishing line and a #5 clam shell split shot pinched on the line about 12″ – 18″ above the hook. The bait of choice is either a red wiggler or nightcrawler…they will eat either one!

Lake Lanier Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier is 1.2 feet over full, and in the 70s. Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is fair. The lake is currently one and a half feet above full pool and overall, the lake is clear. The water temperature has been running in the low to mid-seventies throughout the lake. Fishing has been tougher than it should be over the last week as the bass just can’t seem to get out their post spawn funk. Finding bass has not been the problem but getting them to bite has. There has been some schooling activity, but you need to be able to reach them while they are up. Once they go down, they are moving fast to another area. The Herring colored or chrome Slickstick or a bone or chrome Skimmer have been the best producers for the week when worked over structure in the twenty-five-to-thirty-five-foot range. This structure can be on humps, long points and reef poles throughout the creeks and main lake. The drop shot has produced some fish around the same structure with a Sweet Rosy or Morning Dawn drop shot worm. There are bass to be caught around the docks with a green pumpkin worm, but they tend to be the smaller ones. Many of the bass caught are still showing the signs of spawning so it seems they are just a little slower to get going with top water. Make sure to plan ahead for which ramp you might be able to use and if you get a chance contact your representative or senator to let them know what is happening. Go Catch ‘Em!

Lake Lanier Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778 via www.southernfishing.com) — Stripers on Lanier are confused about what to do next because of the crazy weather.  Water temp in lower 70s again and the rain showers have caused it to stay lower than normal. Once you get on the water the bite is still very strong for stripers, bass and catfish. Planer boards, flat lines and down lines are the methods using blue backs and gizzard shad. It seems that 30 feet behind the boards seems to be the ticket and space your boards 40 to 60 feet from the boat. Flat lines 80 feet on one side and 100 feet on another. Trolling between .5 and 1 mph. Make sure you change your bait often and the more lively the better. Remember to wear your life jacket. Open for next week and open dates for June.

Lake Lanier Crappie Report: (This report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good. The water temperatures are in the mid-70s. The fish are in large groups under docks on open water. Crappie have been at depths of 8 to 18 feet above a 15-to-40-foot bottom. The jig color combo that worked the best for me this week was the white and chartreuse single tail 1.5-inch jig. Minnows are working well over brush. 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 full, and in the 70s. Bass fishing is fair, and the fish are on the beds. The Spotted Bass are doing well. The boat docks are paying off now. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan technology can find the fish on the docks. Ride by them and scan out 60 feet with the blue palette. Use the 455 kHz to spot the fish. Mark the spot and then come back. The Stanley 3/8th ounce spinner bait will catch these fish, and they are averaging one and a half pounds. Main lake points right next to the river points with a lot of rocks are the better areas. These are good fish and cast these spinner baits on the points and bring them back to the boat keeping the lure just below the surface. Early and late try the Bass Pro Series sand worms 6 inch on a Weedless Wonder lead head and use a spinning outfit with Sufix Advantage clear 10-pound test line.

West Point Lake Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — West Point Lake is down one foot, and in the 70s. Bass fishing is fair. For a fast bite use the Berkley Square Bill 7.5 and 8.5 Special Craw 2 Brown Craw. Up lake the fish are hold in blow downs and brush piles. Good baits to use are ¼ ounce black and blue jig or a Senko is the watermelon color. For a fast bite use the Bomber Model A shallow and Deep Model A. Make sure to fish the deep end of the trees b/c the bigger fish have been holding there. Also look for 8-to-10-foot drop offs and throw a Carolina Rigged Zoom Baby Brush Go in green pumpkin hog. Watch the Lowrance for the drop offs in the creeks. Look for the bait and start there. Down lake fish have been biting on long points and shoal markers. Expect the boat docks to start paying off soon. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan technology can find the fish on the docks. Ride by them and scan out 80 feet with the blue palette. Use the 455 kHz to spot the fish. Mark the spot and then come back. The top water bite still is very good so keep a Lucky Craft Sammy tied on at all times. There has also been a good bite on suspending jerk baits worked over a shallow flat. Yamamoto 4-inch Swim Senko Green Pumpkin and 6-inch Pro Senko and Yamasaki.

Lake Hartwell Bass Report: (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Hartwell is full, and in the 70s. Bass fishing is good. Rapala Shad Raps and Rapala DT6 crank baits are excellent baits to use during the times that water is being pulled. Also use the Berkley Square Bill 7.5 and 8.5 Special Craw 2 Brown Craw. Fish the back side of main lake points and the corners of the rip rap with these baits during these times. The small cuts and bowls and small secondary points have been paying off better than the docks. Expect the boat docks to start paying off soon. This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan technology can find the fish on the docks. Ride by them and scan out 80 feet with the blue palette. Use the 455 kHz to spot the fish. Mark the spot and then come back. Use the Strike King KVD Splash Bone Sexy Shad and Chrome Blue and the Bomber Model A shallow and Deep Model A. Top water bites on the Smithwick Devils Horse Rattlin Rouge gold rogue Clown are good choices as the bass do not usually see these lures.

RIVER REPORT

Northwest Georgia River Striper Sampling: (From Fisheries Biologist John Damer) — Our WRD crew is about to wrap up our annual monitoring of the striped bass run in the Coosa River basin, including the Coosa, Oostanaula, and Etowah Rivers.  The spawning run has now finished up on the Oostanaula, and fish have headed back downstream toward Lake Weiss or to their normal summer refuge areas with cooler water.  Fish are piling up in the cool waters of the Lower Etowah, especially on the upper end around Cartersville.  Angler reports suggest that live bait is king, as usual, unless you catch the fish off guard when visibility is reduced by stained water or by fishing at dusk/dawn.  Overall striper numbers in our monitoring have increased each year for the past 5 years straight, which is great news for anglers!

River Striper Report: (This report courtesy of Tad Murdoch from Georgia Wild Trout) — Striper runs are in full swing on the Chestatee, Upper and Lower Chattahoochee, and Etowah Rivers. A float down any of these will produce a variety of fish species but the bigger striper are present. Smaller baitfish imitations are best for getting bites, but don’t be afraid to go big if you’re looking for a trophy. Runs on the Coosawatee River and Nottely River, should begin soon as the water temps continue to rise. These runs will pick up as we get closer to June.

Warmwater Streams Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — As our cicada hatch is fast approaching, all of us have top water on our minds. Cicadas are expected to hatch throughout North Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This will lead to some of the best top water fly fishing there is. Carp, Bass, and even some catfish will be cruising the surface looking for cicadas to eat. Some have started to emerge already but give it a few weeks and there will be thousands. This will be some of the best carp fishing there is so don’t miss out. Get your trip booked soon. With all of this rainy weather, the striper fishing has been pretty solid in the places that aren’t blown out. A lot of the fishing right now is looking for windows or clear water.

TROUT REPORT

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.  Until then, the following blurb from last week’s report should mostly hold true: “Trout streams are in great shape and the cooler weather is extending our spring fishing season. Larger streams are wide, lose the shade, and catch more midday sunshine, so they are warming into the mid-60’s and shutting down the afternoon trout bite. Hit them early or at dusk for some late season hatches and risers. All smaller trout waters are fishing well throughout the day. GAWRD has a long holiday list of stocked waters. Just be ready for the bigger weekend crowds. Go early late, or hike further from parking lots to avoid them.”

Toccoa Tailwater Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — We’ve had a lot of rain coming through in the past two weeks and there is more on the way. With a lot of isolated storms, keeping an eye on the radar before fishing can help determine what will be fishable and what will be blown out. But don’t let the rain deter you. Most of these storms can be brief, just make sure to bring a rain jacket. Streamer fishing has been great during these types of days. With the native chubs and other minnows getting active in the increase of water temp. And with frequent stockings, there are plenty of bigger meals around for the bigger brown trout. Generations have still been all over the place. Sometimes in the mornings, sometimes midday and usually a couple of hours late afternoon. But these short windows of high water have been leading to some great streamer fishing. On low water, expect to see some bugs in the morning and late in the afternoon. Fishing has been pretty good up until the hottest part of the day. Been starting to see some Sulphurs and Light Cahills the past two weeks, so definitely keep some yellow or cream dries in your box. For the nymphs, a Pheasant Tail or Frenchie has been my go-to point fly with a Flashback Hare’s Ear or PT off the back. Soft hackles have been working great during the hatches as well. Definitely sticking to dry dropper rigs, as our terrestrial season is fast approaching. Stock up on some black and orange foam dries, because we should be seeing some cicadas here soon. A lot of cicada patterns can be too big for a majority of trout to get a solid hook up on. Try using Fat Alberts, Chubbies, or something where the hook gap isn’t taken up by the foam. Definitely stick with orange and black for these. We will be guiding for a variety of different species during this hatch, and if you haven’t experienced a cicada hatch, you need to call to book now!

Small Streams Report: (This report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company) — Small streams are fishing great when clear right now. The rain is keeping the flow up, making for some less spooky fish. Lots of bugs coming off but stick with anything yellow for your dry. Sulphurs, Light Cahills, and Yellow Sallies are plentiful. In a lot of these places all you should need is a sz14 Yellow PMX or Stimulator. If the fish aren’t too eager to come up. Throw a Frenchie, Pheasant Tail, or March Brown Jig under the same dry or bump up to a sz12. Terrestrial season is fast approaching, so get your beetles, ants, and hoppers ready. Cicadas should also be popping off in some of these streams, but most smaller fish won’t be able to get them in their mouth.

Connesena Creek Article: (This report courtesy of Jimmy Jacobs from On the Fly South) — Visit ontheflysouth.com/a-stream-of-history/ to read an article from On the Fly South about fishing one of Georgia’s lesser known trout streams, Connesena Creek in Bartow County.

Parting Trout Note:  Want to do more to support trout fishing in Georgia?  Consider upgrading to a Trout Unlimited license plate this year. See more info at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates.  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.

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