July 25, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

Most people expect that the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division Fisheries Management Section stocks fish in lakes. But, did you know that we also add plants to lakes? Adding plants like water willow, maiden cane and eelgrass helps to stabilize banks, fight erosion, oxygenate the water and provide fish habitat. Hats off to the fisheries staff that operate our greenhouse (constructed thanks to a generous donation from Yamaha) because thanks to them we were able to grow and install almost 18,000 plants in water bodies across Georgia in the last year. 

NEWS TO KNOW

• They Are HERE! The ‘25-’26 hunting and fishing regulations book is here. You can view the guide online on our website or pick up a copy at Wildlife Resources Division offices and license vendors throughout Georgia. Find a copy of the new regulations at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.
• Hunting & Fishing Night + Braves Game! On Saturday, August 23, baseball meets the great outdoors at Hunting & Fishing Night at Truist Park. Join Georgia DNR in The Battery Atlanta for a night with the Braves! Get tickets at gofevo.com/event/Huntingfishing25.

This week, we have fishing reports from Southeast, Southwest, North and Central Georgia. Tip your hat to Georgia Fisheries staff for the hard work they do improving state resources and let’s Go Fish Georgia!

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

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for me. The fishing tackle trade show (ICAST) in Orlando, Florida was a blast, as usual. There were lots of unique products, some of the same old stuff, and some that just made you scratch your head. Some of the new stuff headed to the shelves of local tackle shops will really help us catch fish. Check out my videos at Bert’s Jigs and Things on YouTube if you are interested in the details. There have been some really good reports the last 2 weeks. The summer pattern is definitely entrenched, so choose your presentations accordingly. None of the southeast Georgia rivers are flooded, so it’s time to break out the river boats and paddle-crafts – for a change!!!

River gages on July 24th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 6.6 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 2.6 feet and falling
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 5.9 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 6.3 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 5.9 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 2.7 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 3.8 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 4.8 feet and rising

First quarter moon is August 1st. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Miles Zachary fished the river Friday for a few hours and said the bite is heating up. He had 8 bass up to about 2 1/2 pounds on BDD buzzbaits rigged with plastics. The river would be a great option this weekend if you want to bass fish! It’s finally come down to a good level after being flooded for many months.

SATILLA RIVER

It’s time to mobilize the paddle-crafts and start floating the upper and middle river sections. You can still get a boat around most places (where trees didn’t fall during Hurricane Helene…) if you want to fish in comfort.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Wayne Vickers fished with me on Friday on the east side and caught 67 fish of 4 species. He used to fish the swamp all the time before moving away, but this was the first time he fished it in over 50 years. Wayne started the day pitching white/pink super sallies and caught a couple nice warmouth before targeting bigger fish. A couple small pickerel inhaled a crawfish Warmouth Whacker Jigs. Bowfin and gar ate Dura-Spins both trolling and casting. He had about a dozen Florida gar – the most on any trip so far this year. Four bowfin ate a prototype bladed fly (jackfish color – red/white/yellow) that we flung around for a short time. Mike Harrell took his grandkids fishing on the east side Friday, and they had a blast. They caught about 15 fliers in a few hours of morning fishing. A family from Virginia fished with me on Monday on the west side and Tuesday on the east side. They all caught their first bowfin and most caught their first pickerel, as well. Teddy caught a youth angler award-sized flier and warmouth on the west side. Henry, Madeline, and Teddy each drove a boat for their first time. Chris and Jennifer caught some nice bowfin, as well. We caught mostly pickerel and bowfin on the west side by casting and (mostly) trolling Dura-Spins (lemon-lime, white-white blade, and jackfish were the best colors). Some of their pickerel were really big (Chris’ was 23 inches). They caught and released a total of 28 fish. They caught several in the boat basin that evening after a bad thunderstorm moved out. Their fliers ate pink Okefenokee Swamp Sallies under a small float. On the east side Tuesday, we did some sight-seeing then fished the canals for a little bit and caught several bowfin by trolling and casting Dura-Spins (lemon-lime and jackfish produced the biggest fish). Madeline had a 4-lb., 6-oz. bowfin – her biggest fish ever that morning, and Jennifer had a 4-lb., 2-oz. bowfin on a jackfish-colored Dura-Spin. We were eating a late lunch in the café when the bottom dropped out that afternoon. Fortunately, we made it in before the torrential downpour started! While teaching Henry and Teddy to fly-fish after the deluge we fooled a bowfin in the boat basin with a bladed fly. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 120.56 feet. The water level on the west side was 4.26 feet on Monday.

DODGE COUNTY PUBLIC FISHING AREA (NEAR EASTMAN)

Area staff talked with an angler who caught a great limit (15 fish per person) of redear sunfish (shellcrackers) this week. The water is hot, so bass fishing has slowed, but you can still catch some around shad schools or fishing deep cover with shad-colored hard baits or plastic worms.

OCMULGEE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (NEAR HAWKINSVILLE)

Ken Burke fished the lake Thursday and had a good big fish bite during the 4 hours he fished. He used a shaky head worm and caught 4 bass that weighed just over 17 pounds. Three ranged from 4 to 6 pounds each, and the dink was a 2-pounder. He lost another one in the 6-pound range that hung him up on some discarded line and pulled off. He caught them from 4 to 20 feet deep. Water temperature was a smoking 90 to 92.4 degrees.

LOCAL PONDS

Chris bought a new Capt. Bert’s rod this week. He took it home and the kids bass fished in their pond that evening. Ella Kate caught a big bass on her 3rd cast, and it ended up being her biggest bass to date. From the photo it looked like a 5 to 6-pounder. Her brother John Ross swam it out past the weedline so it could swim away easily. What a family fishing trip! Joshua Barber fished a Waycross area lake last Thursday and caught a dozen bass with 3 around 3 pounds apiece. He fooled them with plastic worms and topwater frogs. He used the same lures again on Tuesday to catch 11 bass up to 3 1/2 pounds. That day he had 2 fish hang him up and pull off (one was a 7 to 8-pound class fish!), as well.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Don Harrison and Billy Williams fished the St Marys Jetties last Saturday and caught 3 keeper flounder and a trout (along with lots of other non-target species) on Capt. Bert’s bucktail jigs and Carolina-rigged mudminnows. Both produced good flatfish, but Don had the catch of the day – a 100-pound class tarpon. The tarpon ate a white bucktail jig and 2 of the keeper flounder bit electric chicken bucktail jigs. Billy caught his first flounder ever during their trip on a mudminnow. Capt. Teddy Elrod and a friend fished the Brunswick area on Saturday. His friend caught a tarpon on a hard plug. It was about 80 pounds. Teddy caught and released a 3-pound trout on a topwater early in the morning, and they had a few other trout on topwaters and diving plugs. Capt. Greg Hildreth (georgiacharterfishing.com) said that he has been catching a bunch of whiting on the beach still, and some trout on live shrimp under floats on his charters this week. Snapper season sounded like a big success. Scott Smith and buddies limited out as did Hunter Dean and friends. 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) 

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

The heat index this week is averaging over 105F so please be careful if you spend multiple hours out in the sun. Mayflies are still around but seemingly not evenly dispersed, so if you see a cluster, you should try fishing around that area for a higher chance of a bite. If your interest is in some large bream you will need to be extra patient and be willing to search, as they are moving around in the water. Bream seem to be biting most on crickets but, if you would rather use a lure, people have had good luck using 1/32” beetle spins and 1.25” tube on a 1g #12 jigs.

LAKE SEMINOLE

According to Ken Sturdivant at southernfishing.com, bass fishing is good. Several different patterns are working all over the lake. For deep water fishing, hit the fish river ledges by scanning with the Lowrance down scan and structure scan technology. Once they show up use a 3/8-ounce Texas Rig 8-inch Big Bite Baits Finesse worm in Blue Fleck. For frog fishing, fish lily pads or matted grass with a 7’6″ Hvy/Fast Buddha Stick and a Lews Tournament Speed Spool 8:3:1 with 60-pound test Buddha Braid. Some top-water action has been good early but it’s about as reliable as the ledge bite. Also, fish are chasing bait in Spring Creek and can be caught cranking the timber.

Blast From the Past: Check out the video: Lake Seminole Mayfly Bream with Jack Wingate: Georgia Outdoor News: Jack Wingate, a Lake Seminole legend, fly fishes for bream during the beginning of the mayfly hatch on a trip with GON editor Brad Bailey. This version has been re-digitized with better color reproduction. The segment originally aired on May 10, 1999. 

LAKE WALTER F GEORGE

According to Ken Sturdivant at southernfishing.com, bass fishing is fair. Electronics are key to success in the summer months as the bass move to deeper structure. The grass bite has been slow. Target shallow grass early along with shallow river ledges during the day. The bite has been day to day with most of those days seeing anglers moving from place to place picking up a fish here and there. There is a lot of real estate for the fish to move around and with the massive amount of bait hatched out they can feed almost anywhere. Some top water action has been good early but it’s about as reliable as the ledge bite. The crank bait bite has been nonexistent because of all the natural bait available. Working Texas rigs in shallow cover ranging from 5 to 10 feet has been the best tactic and dead stick the worm, or they won’t touch it.

(Fishing Report courtesy of Josh Stafford, Fisheries Biologist with the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from regional biologists and local experts) 

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Bass (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is fair. Go early and late and fish any brush in the 12 to 14 feet range that is isolated and not heavily fished is holding good spots. Right now sonar/Lowrance side scanning and down scanning technology and make or break a trip. Fishing “blind” is no very productive. The night and evening bite is the best for action to avoid the boat traffic. Deep cranking a Spro Little John DD in cell mate and a big Colorado blade spinner bait around brush and large rocks in the 12 to 18 foot range is producing good fish. Use the Little John DD on 10lb sunline fluorocarbon and a 7’11 cranking rod. For numbers the shaky head is the best bet. Use a 1/8 Davis Bait Company jig head tipped with a natural colored squirrel tailed worm made by Big Bite. Fish it slowly around rock and brush in 12 to 16 feet in the Etowah River. Find the fish with the Lowrance Side Scan and Down Scan technology. Now use the Active Target to spot the fish out in front of the boat. 

Crappie (This report courtesy of CrappieMan – Allatoona Guide Service via Red Rooster Custom Baits— If you are looking to catch and learn more about Allatoona Crappie, Give Jeff a Call @ (678) 229-8110.) As stated in previous reports, the summer report will be very repetitive between now and September/October…it’s summer and the crappie will be in their deep water hangouts. The morning bite is when you will find active crappie hovering around the structure/brush piles. They tend to be much more prone to bite a jig or minnow between 0600 – 1000. After 1000 they seem to get lockjaw no matter what you throw at ’em whether it be a jig or a minnow. That’s just summertime crappie fishing. You can still catch a few if you hit several locations but you have to keep moving to find a few active crappie. The crappie should be be found on structure anywhere from 16′ to 22′ deep and they are typically suspended above the structure in 10′ – 16′ (Just above the Thermocline). You can also find crappie on deep water docks, when we say deep water docks, we are talking about docks that sit in t least 20′ of water. If you are shooting docks, we recommend a 1/32nd oz. jig head for a slow fall. Let it sink for about 10 – 15 seconds and then slowly start reeling to the boat. If you are casting to structure you want to use a 1/16th or 3/32nd oz. jig head and let them fall down in and around the tructure, count down to 10 and slowly reel your jig back to the boat. Counting to 10 using a 1/16th oz. jig head should put your jig in the 10′ – 12′ range. When the bite slows down, switch to spider rigging minnows in and around structure to finish out the trip. If you are throwing jigs make sure to use natural color jigs like a Red Rooster Dagger in UV Shad, Gray Ghost, Watermelon Ghost or Motor Oil Red. These are great colors and sizes to start with first thing in the morning. This time of year we start downsizing our jigs to the 1.5″ Red Rooster Dagger. The crappie start getting real finicky if the jigs are larger. The small profile matches the smaller baitfish perfectly and are our number one jigs of choice for the summer time. If you are Spider Rigging, set the minnow at different depths until they start biting. We usually have 2 rods set at 8′, 2 rods at 10′ and 2 rods at 12′.

LAKE BURTON

Lake Burton (Report courtesy of GA DNR fisheries biologist Colt Martin) — Nine-year-old Shelby spent a quiet morning fishing with her grandpa on Lake Burton. They started out trolling small spoons behind the boat and caught a few spotted bass along the shoreline. One of Shelby’s bass measured 18 inches—big enough to qualify for a Georgia Angler Award. Later, they anchored near a brush pile and dropped worms down to the bottom. That’s when the bluegill and redear sunfish started biting. Shelby reeled in an 11-inch redear, which also qualified for an Angler Award. After stopping by the Lake Burton Hatchery office to weigh and measure the fish, Shelby smiled and said she couldn’t wait to get home and get them cleaned and ready to cook for dinner. It was a quiet day on the lake, but one she and her grandpa won’t forget. Georgia’s Angler Award Program celebrates anglers—both youth and adults—who catch fish that meet or exceed specific weight or length standards for various species. It’s open to anyone with a valid fishing license, and awards include: a certificate for each qualifying catch, t‑shirt (one per angler per year), and a personalized ball cap (up to three per year). Submissions must include photos (fish and angler) and must be postmarked or submitted by January 15 of the year following the catch Shelby’s impressive 18″ spotted bass and 11″ redear are exactly the kinds of catches the program celebrates. For anglers—and especially young anglers—these awards are a fun way to turn a great catch into a lasting memory. If you want to learn more or see complete rules and species requirements, visit the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division’s Angler Award page at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/anglerawards.

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is fair. The most consistent bite going is targeting deep main lake brush piles with a combination of techniques. Pull up to the brush and try a weightless Zoom Super Fluke, a Lucky Craft Sammy 100 or a Lucky Craft Smasher 105. It’s important to work these baits fast across the surface to try and draw the fish up. Cast moving baits over the brush and watch the Lowrance electronics and be ready to drop a drop shot rigged with a Zoom Swamp Crawler or a Wackem Baits Big Sissy worm straight down. These fish ill easily show up on the 83 kHz beam and this will give anglers double the cone angle over 200 kHz. Typically expect only to get one to three bites off of each brush pile before the school is pulled away from the brush. Fish lots of brush all day. The other bite that can be a shallow deal in the backs of the major creek arms. Early and late in the day with the Zoom Super fluke in pearl and the buzz bait or a Zoom Horny Toad. Fish around any shallow cover in the very backs of the major creeks. This shallow deal is usually better during low light situations. If the sun is bright go deep.

Aquatic Vegetation Planting (report and photos courtesy of GA DNR fisheries biologist Kyle Rempe) — GADNR staff planted a variety of aquatic vegetation including Bald Cypress Trees (20), Maidencane (95), Pickerelweed (6), and Water Willow (194) in a suitable cove near the Holcomb access point on Lake Hartwell. This natural habitat should provide valuable refuge for young of year fish, as well as serve as good ambush cover for any hungry predators that post up amongst the foliage. This planting is just one of many improvements done on lakes like Hartwell and Lanier and is only possible thanks to the great plant production coming out of GADNR’s own Walton Greenhouse.

LAKE LANIER 

Bass (This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 via www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is fair. The lake is currently slightly under full, and the water temperature is running in the upper eighties. Overall, the lake is clear. It seems we have hit the dog days of summer as the bass have become trickier to catch. They are currently in the hot summer areas such as humps and ledges that have structure in the thirty-to-forty-foot water range with some being even deeper. There is some topwater activity scattered across the lake using a Chug Bug, E Pop or Gunfish with the key being able to reach the school quickly. The drop shot has been a good choice both around and in the structure using Blue Lily, Sweet Rosy and Morning Dawn colored worms. With the drop shot be sure not to set the hook to strongly, just reel into the bass so that you don’t jerk the hook out. The bass scattered along the humps and ledges a three eights Spot Choker with a two eight Keitech has reduced some fish. The Flutter Spoon is another choice to get bites. The best method has been to drop the spoon all the way to the bottom and then speed reel it back up to get them to chase it. The Shakey Head or Damiki rig has also produced fish in both brush areas and around the deeper docks. It takes more time and work to catch them right now but if you hit the right school, you can catch several quickly. Keep moving and varying your baits and Go Catch ‘Em!

Striped Bass (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778 via www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Lanier stripers has migrated into the lower half of the lake and reacted to the summer weather and techniques for trolling are lead core, umbrella rigs and down rigging. The live bait is still popular but keeping it fresh may be a challenge. Lead core back eight colors or 240 feet behind the boat at 2.5-3.5 mph. Two once chipmunk tipped with alive herring has been producing or the white trailer from Capt. Mac. Umbrella 130 to 150 feet ack at same speed and be conscious about the depth when making your turns. Most creek channels that lead to the river should be fished early and you should move out with them. Downlines over river channels in 40-80’with blue back or jigging spoons. It’s hot so hydrated often and wear your life jackets.

Crappie (This report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493 via www.southernfishing.com) — Crappie fishing is good. The fish are on standing timber and open water brush also in large groups under docks in the shade. The deep fish are biting better than the shallow fish on docks. Crappie have been at depths of 20 to 35 feet above a 25-to-40-foot bottom. The jig color combo that worked the best 25-to-40-footeek was the all-white single tail 1.5-inch jig. No m 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 an Atx lure company jig. Further optimizing your efforts, a Garmin LiveScope, protected by a sonar shield cover, and a Power Pole are highly recommended.

Grandsons Have a Grand Time on Lanier (This report courtesy of angler Jack Becker, a.k.a. Georgia Aquadog, aquadog45@gmail.com) — My grandsons visited from out of town. We went trout fishing in the North Georgia mountains earlier in the week where they caught their first trout. With the heat wave and 86-degree water temperature I was reluctant to take them fishing on Lake Lanier, but we got out on the water early one morning and fished the river channel in Chestatee Bay near Browns Bridge.  We trolled a Captain Mac 2-ounce chipmunk jig with a white curly tail trailer 225’ behind the boat on Micro lead core main line and 15’ fluorocarbon leader on one rod and a Yum flash mob jr. umbrella rig with 4” pearl white swimbaits 150’ behind the boat on a second rod. Boat speed of 2.8 to 3 mph.  We only fished until 10 AM but we did manage a couple of spotted bass and two stripers. The stripers were small but the fight they put up had the boys saying they definitely want to come back. Jack Becker, Gainesville. aka Ga. Waterdog.

LAKE WEISS

Bass (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is fair. The lake is in its summer mode and the deeper patterns have turned on. There’s still a shallow bite however. Covering a lot of seawalls early in the mornings with Whopper Plopper and Pop Sr are the ticket for some solid Coosa River spotted bass to start the day. Later in the day look for ledges in the mid lake and lower end areas. The main channel ledges have been producing very well with Carolina rigs and shaky head worms. Scanning these areas and looking for the more active schools has been the most effective way for finding consistent action. The recent rains have brought the water level back up but this will be only for a short time and things will get back to normal. 

Crappie (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) – Crappie have been slow. For crappie this time of year fish at night under lights over brush. Minnows usually work better than jigs.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is tough. Bass are in the summer slump with the hot water. Presentations must be super slow for any results. Spinnerbaits are too fast. Top water frogs and poppers are the trick very early. Work them as slow as possible all the way from cover to the boat. Medium jigs are doing well with soft plastics worked around the rocks, grass and cover. Again, the slower the better results. Carolina rigs on deep brush piles and wood have produced well this past week. If they are pulling water, work down the slope. If they stop pulling, work from deep to shallow. Keep it slow. Fish are stacking up on the ledges during the heat of the day. With the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology, anglers and search great amounts of water and not waste time fishing water with no fish close by. The best time to catch bass is during generation hours. Currently, water has been moving in the late afternoons. Look for any irregularity or point along the channel. Stumps and trees are a bonus for holding fish. It’s hard to beat Carolina rigs and deep diving crankbaits in these areas. Early in the morning there are some fish shallow in grass or lily pad fields. The closer to the deeper water, the better. Frogs, buzz baits and small, white swim jigs will work.

West Point Bass (Report courtesy of angler Dustin Pate): Seriously, summer has become one of my best times to catch bass. The bass get schooled up and we are wearing out the juvenile shad. I will watch the generation schedule and try to go when they are pulling water late in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the hotter the better, but it is worth it. I had close to 20 fish in about 2 hours and was a mix of largemouth and spots. The bass are suspended under big balls of shad in 30-40 ft of water and will use points and sandbars to push them up on to feed. Most of my damage came on a drop shot this week, but I did get a couple grinding a crankbait. The Z-Man Trick ShotZ is a good bait and very durable. The Yum Warning Shot is another good one. I should have picked up a big worm on a Carolina rig to weed some of the smaller fish, but I couldn’t bring myself to it….next time though!

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. 

Chattahoochee Tailwater – GA DNR biologists conducted their annual backpack shocking surveys for juvenile brown trout below Buford Dam at Bowmans Island, Jones Bridge, and Island Ford. These surveys keep tabs on the natural reproduction of the brown trout in the Chattahoochee River.

(Fishing report courtesy of Hunter Roop, Fisheries Biologist and Region Supervisor, along with Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report, and contributions from Region 3 WRD Fisheries staff, local guides, and anglers.) 

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE RUSSELL DOWN 1 FOOT, 80’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. When the fish set up in their summer patterns, the big largemouth can be tough to catch. However, there is no shortage of spotted bass, and they can be a lot of fun to catch. When they are moving water set up on main lake structure and wear the spots out by cranking down with a deep diving crank bait, dragging a Carolina rig or vertical jigging with a shaky head or drop shot. Rocky points with brush piles, the reef markers around the dam or vertical structure like bridge pilings can all be good. Try picking off a few fish with the crank bait. Then slow down and pick apart the structure with the Zoom finesse worm rigs once the fish are found. Watermelon is always a good color, and red bug will also produce. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan down Scan technology to scan an area and find the fish. Find the fish with the Lowrance Side Scan and Down Scan technology. Now use the Active Target to spot the fish out in front of the boat.

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 2.1 FOOT, 80’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The bass are deep at 18-to-25-foot range. This is when the Lowrance Down Scan technology can cover four times more bottom than regular 20 kHz. Fish it with a green Zoom Magnum Finesse worm and also a Texas rigged Ol Monster worm. A 1- or 2-ounce Jig in camo color is also producing around the isolated structure on the main lake points. Color is not really specific any form of green pumpkin is good. Early in the morning and late in the evening throw a buzz bait around stick grass on the bank. Spend some time on the main lake and use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology and search the creek mouths right at the river. This technology can spot individual fish, schools of fish and most importantly, schools of bait fish. The cloudy days make the shallow bite last longer. As the day moves on, change from the top water baits to a submerged or bottom bait. Keep working slow. The ledge bite is good around any type of cover or bend if the water is moving. A good sonar will find some good brush or other cover. Heavy jigs are a good choice. Black, blue or browns are doing well.

Crappie: July crappie fishing on Clarks Hill means targeting deeper water as black crappie move off the banks and suspend over brush, timber, and channel drops. Focus on creek arms like Fishing Creek, Lloyd Creek, and Soap Creek, where submerged cover in 15–25 feet of water holds good numbers of fish. Early morning and late evening are best, but anglers using electronics to locate schools can find success throughout the day. Try vertical jigging with small jigs or minnows tight to structure, or slow-troll over brush with spider rigs. With stable summer patterns and clear water, July is a dependable month for putting slabs in the boat on Clarks Hill.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. There is a good early bite using top water lures. Fishing around rip rap where there is deep water nearby is a good choice. A good bait to use is a Pop R or a #5 Rapala Shad Rap. After the top water slows fishing a Carolina rigged worm in the watermelon seed or watermelon candy colors with a 24-inch leader will be a good bait to use. Fish this bait on the long point or a sharp drop off. Before fishing use the depth finder to see if there is bait then fish in this area. No bait then bait fish move to another location. A big crank bait fished on these points will also bring a few bites. Another good area to fish are the underwater islands. These areas need to top part of the island is in 10 to 12 foot of water cast your bait to the top part of the island and work baits to deeper water. Flip a bait under docks there are some fish being caught by working the docks near deep water. The main key is when Georgia Power is moving water.

Catfish: July is a great month for catfishing on Lake Oconee, with both channel and blue catfish feeding aggressively in the warm water. Focus on the main river channels, deep flats, and the mouths of creeks like Sugar Creek, Lick Creek, and the Apalachee River arm. Anchor or drift baited rigs in 10–25 feet of water using cut shad, bream, or chicken liver. Night fishing is especially productive this time of year when catfish move up to shallower flats to feed. For numbers, target channel cats near riprap banks and bridge pilings, while bigger blues tend to hang near ledges and submerged timber. Action is steady, and Oconee offers great opportunity for filling the cooler.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, 80’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report):   Bass fishing is slow. Look for a shallow bite on the shallow points, sea walls, and docks that are adjacent to deep water. River channel swings and creek mouths are best. Some fish can still be caught on a Spro frog around grass beds as well. Texas rigged soft plastics and jigs fished around boat houses and lay down trees have been most productive when looking for the shallow bite. There are still a lot of fish holding on deep offshore structure lake wide. This has been the most consistent pattern this week, especially on the lower portion of the lake. Most of these offshore fish are holding in depths of 18 to 25 feet. Look for points that drop into the river channel, offshore humps, or ledges that contain rocks or some form of wood cover. These places are easy to find with the Lowrance HDS Structure Scan technology. Drop shot rigs, flutter spoons and football jigs will all produce on these offshore structures. The deep bite will be best when Georgia Power is moving water.

LAKE JACKSON IS DOWN 1 FOOT, 80’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The fish are on their summer holes. The channel swing under the power lines and the hump at the mouth of Tussahaw Creek have both recently been hotspots. Several baits are working for the deeper fish, both spots and largemouth. Big crank baits, like DD22s or Strike King 6 XDs, are working in the 16-to-18-foot range. On some days fish want a slower presentation. Use a 3/4-ounce Net Boy Baits football jig in green or brown colors. Tip the jig with a 4-inch Big Bite Baits Kriet Kreature in craw and orange color. For a more finesse bait, use a 1/4-ounce Net Boy Baits screwball jig head with a Big Bite Baits Squirrel Tail worm in watermelon or green pumpkin color. Dipping either bait in JJ’s Magic will help increase bites and hook up percentages. One other option for largemouth is to run up the Yellow River or South rivers above the bridges and fish a 1/4-ounce buzz bait around blow downs and log jams early or late in the day. Some bites can be explosive, so use heavy line or braid to muscle these fish.

RIVER REPORT 

Ocmulgee Shoalies: July is a prime month for targeting shoal bass on the Ocmulgee River, as low summer flows concentrate fish in deeper runs, around boulders, and along current seams. Focus your efforts near shoals, rocky points, and undercut banks, especially early and late in the day when water temps are cooler and bass are most active. Topwater lures like poppers and buzzbaits can draw explosive strikes at dawn and dusk, while soft plastics, ned rigs, and small crankbaits work well in deeper pockets during midday. Wade fishing or using a kayak provides excellent access, and the clear summer water makes for exciting sight-fishing opportunities. The Ocmulgee continues to be a stronghold for Georgia’s native shoal bass, and July is a great time to enjoy the action.

Savannah Linesides: Summer heat pushes striped bass and hybrid striped bass into deeper, cooler waters along the Savannah River near Augusta. Early mornings and late evenings offer the best action and temperatures for July anglers. Focus your efforts below the New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam, where cool water and current attract bait and predators. Look for schooling activity near eddies, channel drops, or tailraces. Live bait such as blueback herring or threadfin shad fished on downlines or freelined near current seams can be effective. For artificial options, try jigging with spoons or swimbaits, or casting topwater plugs around dawn for explosive surface strikes. Surveys conducted by WRD Fisheries staff in Thomson this summer revealed striped bass are plentiful and some exceeding 20 lbs can be caught below the Lock & Dam this time of year.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Water temperatures are in the high 70’s to low 80’s and continue to rise in the month of July.  Some anglers struggle to find success during summer’s peak, but fear not, as we have some timely intel below that can help increase your chances of success.

Bass: Anglers are still having success with topwater lures; one angler reported catching a three-pounder with a frog, but with rising temperatures they may have better luck with lures that go deeper into the water.  Try fishing areas with structure but be prepared to move to deeper areas on the lakes.  Anglers will have better luck hitting these spots with lures mimicking bait fish, or plastic worms and creature baits may produce 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 producing success.  Many of the hybrids and striped bass are in the deeper portions of Clubhouse and Bridge Lakes.

Channel Catfish: Catfish on the PFA are still being caught, though less frequently for some, while others are finding success readily.  Anglers using chicken livers or worms fished on the bottom will find steady success. Recently, two anglers limited out on catfish quickly fishing with Danny King’s Catfish Punch Bait—they swear by it—and apparently, for good reason!

Bream:  Bream on the PFA are being caught less 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:  According to the most recent reports, Black top water buzzbaits and Yum Dinger green pumpkin chartreuse rubber worms are producing catches. Using green and yellow baits during the green algae bloom will help catch a Largemouth’s eye.

Bream: Red Wigglers continue to produce bream. Submerged treetops are sure to be holding bream.

Crappie: Use live minnows and jigs while targeting deeper, cooler water early in the morning.

Catfish: Anglers fishing at night and early in the morning report 5-6 lb catfish while daytime anglers are reporting 1-3 lb catfish. Catfish are being caught on chicken livers, live baitfish, and cut baitfish. 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) —

• Marben Public Fishing Area
• Water level: All ponds are full or nearly full.
• Pond Closures: Margery, Hillside, and Clubhouse ponds remain closed while under renovation.
• Water clarity: 16” – 40”
• Surface temperature: mid-to-upper 80s
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: During the early morning, the water will be at its coolest.  Most bass are being caught on plastic worms, and lizards adjacent to creek channels and deeper structure.  If you are a bank angler, try locations that are not fished as heavily.  For example, the North side of Bennett has a nice access trail.

Crappie: Deeper water suspended over brush with jigs or minnows is your best bet for crappie.  If you don’t have a boat, try fishing deeper water near the dam.

Bream:  Bluegill are spawning every full moon throughout the summer.  Crickets and wax worms are great baits.  Right off the bottom or on the bottom near bedding sites is your best bet.  Look for beds in 2 – 4’ of water.

Hybrid bass: Bennett Lake hosts a nice hybrid population.  These fish can be seen feeding on shad early morning and late afternoon.   A lure that you can cast a decent distance and mimics a shad is a good bet.

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