January 17, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

I said Brrr, it’s cold out there. Protect your safety and health when venturing outdoors – especially on the water. Dress in layers, bring a change of clothes (and shoes) in the event that yours get wet, and let someone know where you are going and your expected time of return.

While you want to think it will never happen, don’t fail to have a plan in the event you fall into cold water. Here are some tips from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: Try not to panic. Attempt to catch your breath in the first minute. You only have 10 minutes of meaningful movement for self-rescue. Hypothermia takes approximately 1 hour to occur. Wearing a life jacket, especially if worn over a dry suit, increases your chances of survival so PLEASE WEAR IT!

And many thanks to the Southwest fishing reports (see below) from Blackshear and Seminole for adding cold water safety reminders in their reports this week.

NEWS TO KNOW AND PLACES TO GO:

• Trout Info: Want to know where to go and what to know about trout fishing in Georgia? Visit the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division Trout Fishing webpage at GeorgiaWildlife.com/Fishing/Trout.
• 2025 Atlanta Fly-Fishing Show: The annual Atlanta Fly Fishing Show is January 31 – Feb 2 at Gas South Arena. Renowned fly anglers including Georgia’s own Jimmy Jacobs, Chris Scalley, Todd Arnold, and many, many others will be in attendance. Casting demos and instruction with Gary Borger, Mac Brown, Andy Mill, Jeff Currier, Whitney Gould and more! The International Fly Fishing Film Festival on Fri. at 6:30 will be featuring a stunning two+ hour program of award-winning fly-fishing films. New rods, reels, lines, accessories, clothing, waders, boots, books, DVDs and anything else you may want to purchase will be available, plus our exclusive author’s booth.
• 2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama: The Georgia Wildlife Federation’s 2025 Fisharama/Turkeyrama is Feb. 7–Feb. 9, 2025 at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry Georgia. This family-friendly event features a multitude of vendors, door prizes, nature crafts and activities for kids, retriever demos, snake shows, falconry experts, and other wildlife encounters. Learn fishing techniques at the world-famous Bass Tub! 

This week, we have fishing reports from Southeast, Southwest, North and Central Georgia. Stay warm, stay dry but don’t forget to make plans to Go Fish Georgia.

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

This is some incessant cold! And after the slight warmup late this week and weekend, it’s forecasted to be rainy AND cold – and maybe even a little wintry weather. For those who have toughed it out, the fishing has been very good for most this week.

River gages on January 16th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 7.4 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 5.7 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 8.3 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 8.9 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 8.4 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 5.9 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 3.6 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 4.1 feet and falling

Last quarter moon is January 21st. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

OCONEE RIVER

Some exciting news this week is that the blue catfish river record was broken by about 12 pounds. Kevin Cary landed a 62-lb., 15-oz. blue cat on Sunday and got it certified as the new river record. He broke his brother, Eli’s record that was set back in April. Kevin fooled the monster with a live baitfish.

SAVANNAH RIVER

I heard from one angler who fished the oxbow lakes this week on the lower river. He caught 4 big fliers and did not get on the crappie.

ST MARYS RIVER

Ferman Dasher fished the upper river on Tuesday and worked for a handful of panfish. They just weren’t biting his beetle-spins that day. Note: The Temple Landing is currently closed while the GA Wildlife Resources Division boat ramp crew rebuilds the ramp. It will be a much-improved facility when they finish the project. The projects typically take a few months to complete, but it is always weather and river level dependent.

SATILLA RIVER

Shane and Joshua Barber fished the lower Satilla on Saturday in the nasty cold and wind. They fooled 2 crappie, a 3 1/2-pound bass, and a giant chain pickerel (jackfish) with 1/16-oz. black-green eye Zombie Eye Jigheads and 2-inch chartreuse back pearl Keitech swimbaits. Seth Carter fished the upper Satilla River on Sunday and caught a chunky 2 1/2-pound bass on a spinnerbait. He caught a few on suspending jerkbaits, also. Bill Stewart fished with me on the lower river on Tuesday. Even with the cold and strong winds we got on a bunch of warmouth. We tried some new oxbow lakes that I’ve never been in and fooled a total of 22 fish from 11am until 3pm. All of them ate a 1/16-oz. or 3/32-oz. Mirage Jig tipped with either a minnow or a worm. We ended up with a big chain pickerel (jackfish), 3 crappie, 8 bowfin up to about 4 pounds, and the rest really nice warmouth. Water temperatures were as low as 41 degrees, and we had to work slowly to get bites. The better bite was in the afternoon.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Matt Rouse took a few anglers fishing on the east side on Saturday in the nasty weather, and they caught a few bowfin by trolling Dura-Spins in the canal. Crawfish and black with brass blades worked best for them. The fish were in the 2 to 4-pound range.  The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.80 feet.

LOCAL PONDS

Jay Turner fished a Savannah area pond for a half-hour this week and fooled a dozen crappie around 3/4-pound apiece by swimming a slider jig by them. He released them, but they would have made a perfect fish fry for his family. Joshua Barber tried out his waders in a Manor area pond on Sunday afternoon and caught a half-dozen crappie on minnows. He fished a Manor area pond on Thursday afternoon and fooled a few bowfin (mudfish), 2 catfish, 2 warmouth, and a pair of chain pickerel (jackfish). One of the jackfish was a jumbo! He used 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs tipped with minnows, shiners, and shrimp (for the catfish).

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Trips varied this week with the bigger tides and strong winds most of the week. Folks who chose locations with clearer water fared better than those who went where the water was muddier. I talked with one person who zeroed, but most caught a few fish. I heard of a few trips where folks found big schools of trout. Justin Lee and Chaney Burke fished the Brunswick area this weekend and worked for them. They managed 4 really nice fish, though. The 4 oversized redfish up to 29 inches ate live shrimp fished on a jighead. Tommy Sweeney fished from the bank in the Brunswick area on Wednesday afternoon and caught some really nice trout. He had 6 trout on a hard minnow plug and 3 big trout on a plastic shrimp suspended underneath a float. He only fished about an hour. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) had a couple of trips late last week on Friday and Saturday and got on the fish. On Friday he switched gears and went after redfish and sheepshead. They sight-fished some big reds and caught slot fish, as well. They fished about 30 pilings but only 2 held fish (fairly typical in the winter!). On Saturday, they ran west and tried for stripers. They broke off 3 of them before landing one. They caught that striper and a couple of redfish before the bite slowed. They headed back east toward Hampton and finished out their trout limit. Sunday was a slower bite with a bunch of short trout and just few keepers. On Wednesday they had 20 throwback trout and only 6 keepers on all plastics. They also fooled an oversized redfish, a sheepshead, and a black drum on plastics. 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) 

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA 

Silver Lake: Water temps are into the low 50s and crappie fishing is heating up. Minnow tipped jig under a slip cork just off the bottom is hard to beat. Bass are still biting and crankbaits over shallow weed beds are producing nice fish.  

House Pond: Hybrid striped bass provide consistent action during these colder months. The most action is coming from trolling small swim baits and casting inline spinners near the feeders. These big bluegill are moving to deep water. Be patient and focus on standing timber and deep stumps. Live grass shrimp are the best bait for these brood gills, but wigglers are a close second.  

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

Fishing overall and fishing pressure remains low this week. Crappie are still the most targeted species. Continue using minnows and jigs at deeper depths for your best shot at catching crappie. Largemouth fishing could be successful in deeper water as well with a much slower presentation of your baits. Channel catfish and bream fishing is still generally slow right now. Fish in deeper water for these species as well with chicken liver and worms respectively.

LAKE BLACKSHEAR 

Not much has changed besides the weather being much colder, which brings additional dangers when out on the water. There has been a recent casualty because of these changing weather conditions and freezing water temperatures. As you make your boating plan look at potential weather changes such as strong winds and keep in mind the potential dangers of cold water. It is also helpful to give someone not on the trip your estimated time off the water for them to check up. Ensure you have all your required equipment and you are following SPLASH! Most of all just be safe out there!

For those willing to brave the cold temperatures, the fishing on Blackshear has been rewarding with good sized Crappie. This trend will continue until we have the next major change in spring. Thanks to James Fisher for the photo.

FLINT RIVER

Flows are up and water temps are still down.  Water clarity is muddy until water from the recent rains pushes through.  Bass fishing is slow with the cold temperatures.  Think about slower baits like jigs or reactive type baits.   The catfish bite is very slow with a few fish being caught in deep bends.  Crappie are also slow and only a few catches in deeper water on brush.

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

The Lower Chattahoochee River flows are up since the recent rains.  Fishing will be off with the cold muddy water coming downstream.  A few catfish have been caught in deeper bends recently.  Striped bass and hybrids can be caught with live bait and artificials resembling shad. Fish structure on deep bends for crappie.

LAKE SEMINOLE

Anglers are having luck catching Crappie on Lake Seminole if you can stand the cold weather. Thanks to Paul Tyre for the photos.

Stay safe on the water by wearing the appropriate PFD. Here is a tip from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for falling into cold water: If you fall into cold water, you must try not to panic. Attempt to catch your breath in the first minute. You only have 10-minutes of meaningful movement for self-rescue. Hypothermia takes approximately 1 hour to occur. Wearing a life jacket especially if worn over a dry suit increases your chances of survival so, Please Wear It. 

Bass tournaments are stacking up! If you are looking to go bass fishing in these colder months, consider these tips from Guide and Professional Tournament Angler Matt Baty: Look for grass edges in about 5-8 foot of water, even try venturing onto the grass flats. If you’re fishing on the grass flats Baty recommends a Berkeley half-ounce Slobbernocker in Herring color that he puts on a Powerbait HD Trucolor Paddlin’ PowerStinger 4.25 inch. Your presentation should be slow for success. 

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

The recent frigid temperatures have resulted in slow fishing for largemouth bass and making the fish slow to react to all lures. Fish can be found on lake points, and either suspended or tight on cover along ledges. Crank baits that bounce the bottom and jigging spoons on the ledges are getting what few strikes are to be had. Fish any deep standing timber with spoons and jigs. Slow moving natural-colored worms are also catching a few fish in and around the creek mouths and deeper coves.

The cold temperatures have resulting in a hit or miss crappie bite. There have been reports of good numbers of fish being caught on natural-colored jigs and some reports of located fish having a bit of lock jaw and are unwilling to respond to pretty much anything. Few reports are available on the catfish bite but like most other fish, has most likely slowed due to the cold weather.

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Bass (courtesy of Matt Driver; report via Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair. The best bite for the month of January is definitely an open water, forward facing sonar bite using jig head minnows and jerkbaits. This is the best way to locate large, free roaming spotted bass this time of year. We are catching occasional largemouth doing this as well. There is a good jig bite on bluff walls for most of the day. You can mix it up with a drop shot, as well. We have caught a few using a jerkbait paralleling bluff walls. The month of January has to be one of the most difficult months on Lake Allatoona. The month of December had some really nice weights in tournaments, and I believe we will continue to see this in the month of January. Right now, it’s taking 15 plus pounds with the best five bass to win but an 18 pound bag is not out of the question.

Weekly Crappie Fishing Report (courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits):

Old Man Winter paid Lake Allatoona a visit this week and apparently, he was mad at the crappie anglers because it got cold and windy…not just windy…but sho ’nuff gusty. We were able to get out a couple of days just to show Mr. Freeze who was boss around these parts and snag a few slabs. The rains came in on Sunday and muddied up the north end of the lake all the way to Victoria. Most creeks that have run off areas were muddy as well, so times are tough. If you can find stained water, not muddy water, but stained creeks and flats you may have a the best shot at some roaming crappie…but you fish the are you are confident in muddy water or not. We trolled using 1/16th oz. jig heads and 3/32nd oz. jig heads at .7 – .9 mph as we were seeing roaming crappie suspended at 6′ – 12′ over 18′ to 22′ of water. Even though the areas were muddy we found a few nice keepers. We were able to get back out on the water Thursday afternoon the day before the weekend snow and ice for a couple of hours. Had a great day trolling with several keeper crappie as well as some spotted bass. The water was heavy stained to muddy so we were using a combination of dark and bright colors. We found the fish anywhere from 12′ to 18′ of water pulling a mix of 1/16th oz. jig heads and 3/32nd oz. jig heads at .7 – .9 mph as the fish were suspended between 6′ – 12′. We netted a nice 14″ and 13″ crappie which is not uncommon in January as the larger crappie are out roaming and looking to feed up for the winter. We are excited about a new jig model that we are field testing…early tests are showing great promise! Stay tuned for more updates on the results! Lord willing, we will have another report for you next week. Be sure to check out the archives for January 2024 and see what we were doing this time last year!

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass are starting to move into the creeks. Catch these fish schooling fish on a 1/2-ounce Fish Head Spin in pearl white and albino colors trailed with a matching Super Fluke Jr. as well as a herring-colored jerk bait. Also, keep a drop shot or a spoon handy to drop vertically on fish they show up on the electronics. There are a few fish in the creeks and a jig with the brown 3/8-ounce Sworming Hornet stinger jig on rocky points and shallow docks with deeper water close by. Use a Zoom twin tail grub in green pumpkin and make sure to use dye like JJ’s Magic to dye the tips chartreuse. The ditch bite has not kicked in strongly yet but with the water temperatures continuing to drop it shouldn’t be long before this bite gets going.

Bass (courtesy of Guide Scott Allgood (864) 364-1733; report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends): In January, one pattern is to target deep water with drop shot rigs, underspins, jigging spoons, or football jigs. Fish will be mixed between the main lake and deeper creek channels. There can also be a very early pre-spawn bite when fish start to move up around slightly shallower brush where they will eat a jig or Ned rig.

Linesides (courtesy of Guide Chip Hamilton (864) 304-9011; report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends): January patterns should look fairly similar to those from December, and fish will still be in the same areas up the rivers where the bait is holding – typically in 35-45 feet of water. However, sometimes the bite slows down from December and it can help to wait a little later in the day until things warm up. Most of the action will come on down-lines, although on the warmest days there is the chance to catch a big fish pulling planer boards or free lines in the creeks when afternoon sun can make them ease up shallow into less than 20 feet of water.

WEISS LAKE

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair. The bass are being caught shallow in 2 to 5 feet of water in the back of the coves and bays. Rat L Traps, shallow running crank baits and spinner baits are producing well. Spotted bass are in Little River and the Chattooga River. Jerkbaits shine for in the wintertime because bass are in all stages. Even cold waters in the mid 50’s can make a great day. The bass can be shallow around docks and grass or suspended over 50 feet of water relating to schools of shad. Drop shot rigs, Shaky Head Jigs and Texas rigged and Carolina rigged Senko style worms are producing some fish.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair, but it will be best after mid-day. Most of the fish are spots being caught lake wide. The dam area up to the Maple Creek area is the best fishing spot. All of the fish are bunched up together in 25 to 30 feet of water. There is a mix bag of fish vertical jigging on the bottom. Find the fish on the depth finder and then vertical jig using a 1/2-to-3/4-ounce spoon. With the bright sunny days, the bass will be a little sluggish. Those that are heading back into the creeks and coves are just getting a few small bites while throwing plastics. The bass are suspending in the channels and deeper water and move up early and late to feed. The bigger bass especially the spots want the bigger slower moving crank baits. Rocks, deep water and wind is the key thing to look for.

Linesides (courtesy of an anonymous angler): Yesterday (Monday the 13^th) had an excellent hybrid/striper bite on West Point Lake. Fish were in deep-clear water (20 feet) and always near or actively feeding on schools of shad. Spoons, jigs, or any shad-like bait (1 to 3 inches) were working. Fished in the afternoon, mostly around the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek (didn’t need to motor far to stay on fish). Water temperature was 48 degrees.

TROUT REPORT

Chattahoochee Trout Population: Interested in a quick read about the Chattahoochee River and its trout population? Check out ontheflysouth.com/trout-at-the-back-door/ by Jimmy Jacobs via On the Fly South.

Clear and Cold (courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Angler Management; report via Unicoi Outfitters):

Headwaters: They’re clear and real cold. Honestly, cold winter water will kill the bite. You’ll do better on bigger, warmer streams at lower elevations. At these low temps, just a degree or two can make a big difference in the bite.

Delayed Harvest Streams: They’re clear and cold and flowing at normal winter levels. Fish are sluggish, but they’ll still eat on warm afternoons. Don’t expect the high catch rates you found in the fall. But you won’t find the crowds, either. Divide your fall catch rate by 2 or 3 and consider that new winter tally to be a good day.

Hit the winter refuges of deep, slow pools and dredge your double nymph rigs  during the winter window of 11AM to 3PM for a few nice fish at the daily high water temps. A tractor-trailer rig is most effective. Put your larger attractor fly (pats rubberlegs, egg, sexy walts or leech) a foot behind your split shot. Then drop a tiny fly (pheasant tail, rainbow warrior, frenchie, or midge of choice) a foot off the back of that first fly.

Prospect those pools with deep, bottom-bumping drifts.  Winter fish won’t move more than a few inches to intercept your nymphs, so cast just a foot apart to cover the entire width of each pool.  Hits are subtle, so strike with any small hesitation of your strike indicator or sighter.

Wes’ Winter Fly List:  

• Dries: Micro chubby Chernobyl, orange stimulator, parachute Adams, blue wing olive, little black stone. They’re mainly strike indicators for your nymph droppers.
• Nymphs & Wets: DH streams: micro Girdle Bug, twister egg, pheasant tail, micro mayfly, Rainbow Warrior, gold ribbed hares ear, duracell, Ruby midge.
• Mountain streams: Pheasant tails, micro girdle bugs, prince nymphs, root beer midge.
• Streamers: Olive and black buggers, sparkle minnows, CDC squirrel leech.
• Bass & stripers: Somethin’ else, Clouser minnow, micro changer, jerk changer.  

Time to Shine (courtesy of Tad Murdock; report via Georgia Wild Trout): For any streamer fisherman, January is the time to shine. Whether you’re throwing a big wooly bugger, clouser, or a real meaty fly pattern with some bulk, make sure you are keeping your bait down in the water and bump the bottom of the bigger holes. This is the time of year you can find the big trout being a bit gluttonous and taking advantage of an easy meal. Learn more about streamers in our recent article on Streamer Fishing for Trout. Or for anglers looking for a different thrill, January may be one of the best months to target Striper on the fly. 

Smith Creek Trout (courtesy of GA DNR Fisheries Biologist James Miles): Spent today (Tuesday the 14) out of the office to check on how anglers are fishing on Smith Creek, one of Georgia’s delayed harvest trout streams. Despite the bitter cold and wind the last few days, that’s not keeping people from fishing. One angler stated there are plenty of fish to go after but be prepared to downsize your setups and fish low and slow. The cold is taking its toll on how active these fish are but if you can get your lure or fly in front of their face they’ll bite.

Toccoa River Trout: (courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company): January is prime time for streamer fishing, as bug activity slows down and trout shift their focus to larger prey like warpaint shiners, sculpins, and even other trout. Streamers have been the go-to tactic this month on both high and low water. On the Toccoa Tailwater, articulated and regular Sparkle Minnows in sculpin and brownie colors have been producing consistently. Olive and yellow dungeons are also reliable patterns for targeting aggressive trout.

In the creeks, smaller streamer patterns like Wooly Buggers and Sparkle Minnows in size 10 are working well. These setups are ideal for anglers looking to capitalize on opportunistic fish in tighter, higher-gradient waters. Whether you’re fishing the tailwater or smaller creeks, streamers are your ticket to success this month.

The Delayed Harvest section of the Toccoa is fishing great, with water levels receding after the latest rains. Easier wade fishing conditions have made it a popular choice for anglers this January. Fish are stacking up in deeper holes and runs, making them more predictable. Productive fly choices include Pat’s Rubber Legs and Egg Patterns, which continue to entice both freshly stocked and holdover fish.

Tailwater Trout (courtesy of Dane Law, Southeastern Anglers; report via Orvis): Wintertime tailwater trout fishing. Mostly split generation between 0 and 1 turbine daily with sluice. Nymphs or streamers mostly.

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

The reservoir reports below are brought to you by Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report, with contributions from Region 3 WRD Fisheries staff, local guides, and anglers.

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 50’S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. Rocky points and banks are going to be the best producers especially those that blend into a mostly clay bank. Jerkbaits shine for in the wintertime because bass are in all stages. Even cold waters in the mid 50’s can make a great day. The bass can be shallow around docks and grass or suspended over 50 feet of water relating to schools of shad. The islands are also good bass producers during the cold months. Use Rapala DT10 in a hot mustard or fire tiger color and fish every mud line. Big spots are roaming all over the lake and are looking for an easy meal. Keep a Flex It spoon ready in case there are any schools on the ledges and the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology will make this easier.

Striped Bass (courtesy of WRD Fishing Forecasts): During the month of January, focus on the lower third of the reservoir and look for schooling striped bass in deeper (20+ ft) water following schools of baitfish. You can deploy downlines or freelines with live bait, or even cast artificials like a fluke or Sebile above these schools to hook into a big winter lineside. As the month progresses, striped bass will continue to press northward as they continually feed in preparation for spring spawning.

Crappie (courtesy of WRD Fisheries): January can be a tough month for crappie fishing on Russell as these panfish grow sluggish and tend move deep as water temperatures drop below 50 F. Many anglers will put their best foot forward with live minnows fished along the mid-lake creek mouths, but some rewarding bycatch including yellow perch can serve as a suitable consolation when the crappie fishing proves slow.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 50’S 

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. Jerkbaits shine for in the wintertime because bass are in all stages. Even cold waters in the mid 50’s can make a great day. The bass can be shallow around docks and grass or suspended over 50 feet of water relating to schools of shad. The bass will be feeding on the shad that are bunched up in the creeks and large coves during the first of the month. As the cold fronts keep coming, the shad will move out of the coves into the main lake, and the bass will follow. So at the first of the month target the bass in the middle to backs of the creeks and coves with spinnerbaits and small crankbaits fished along the seawalls and docks, along with other wood cover in the coves and creeks. As the water cools, the fish will move out into the main lake with the bait. It will be time to switch to the deeper humps and off the points on the main lake 

ABA-AFT Results: Local Milledgeville angler Matt Henry has been on a hot streak recently, taking first place in December and January tournaments on Oconee, and earning January’s big fish bonus with this 7.64 lb largemouth with a total bag of 17.25 lbs. 

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 4.2 FEET, 50’S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair, and this is the warmer of the three large lakes on the border. Stay with the spoons or dark larger sizes of the Stanley jig with the pork trailer or the old eel. Work the jig or a worm on the points and up lake. Also work this same lure on thick bank cover. Afternoons, the weather may warm the shallow and a Zoom Super Fluke or a Baby Fluke can work the sand pockets just inside the main lake coves and creek. Jerkbaits shine for in the wintertime because bass are in all stages. Even cold waters in the mid 50’s can make a great day. The bass can be shallow around docks and grass or suspended over 50 feet of water relating to schools of shad. The bait fish will roam up on the sand and grass looking for any warm weather and the bass will follow. Work the jig or a worm on the points up lake and fish these same lures on thick bank cover. Watch for any suspended fish and hit them in the head with a spoon or drop shot rig.

Upcoming Event: The first tournament of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens will take place on Clarks Hill on January 23 – 25 out of Wildwood Park in Appling. With more cold weather in the forecast, this event has the potential to bring impressive bags to the 3:15 weigh-ins.

Catfish (courtesy of WRD Fisheries): January can be a rewarding month for catfish anglers on Clarks Hill. You’ll need electronics to locate schools of bait, which will likely be balled up in the creek mouths during a typical “cold” Georgia winter, or they could be moving out over the main river channels during truly cold weather when water surface temperatures drop well below 50 F. In either scenario, put out a spread of rods rigged with heavy circle hooks and cut shad or herring. Target points or humps adjacent to creek or river channels where you have used your electronics to find the bait. You still have to pack your patience, but if you haven’t gotten a bite in about 30 minutes, then chances are that you should move to another similar site. If you’re fishing on sunny day after a recent rain, targeting stained water at depths around 20 – 30 feet can help improve your catch rate.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.1 FEET, 50’S 

Bass: Bass are slow to fair in shallow and deep water. Some anglers are still catching fish from shallow water using mainly crank baits and jigs. Most are coming from main river banks that drop quickly into deep water. Some crank baits producing recent success are Rapala DT10, Shad Rap RS #5, Thunder Shad, and Deep Little N. For the jig, try a Stanley 5/16 ounce in black blue with a Zoom Chunk in black blue or green pumpkin. Beaver Dam Creek has been producing a few fish during late afternoons on crank baits. Rip rap along the roads in Little River is still producing bass using crank baits and jigs. There are now quite a number of main river points and flats that are holding deeper fish. The area from Nancy Branch to Sandy Run Creek on the Oconee River has been best lately. Most fish are holding on the sides of these structures at 15 to 25 feet deep. The best baits are varying daily or even hourly. On some days, an angler may catch only one or two fish per bait. But a good catch is still possible by catching one or more fish on three or four baits. Spoons have probably been the best overall. Some good spoons are a Flex It .6, Bomber Slab spoon, and Hopkins Shorty 45. Chrome, white, and chartreuse have all produced.

Upcoming Event: the next AFT D72 tournament will take place on January 18, 2025, at Lake Sinclair, launching from the Dennis Station DNR ramp. Anglers eager to compete should contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795 for more information.

Linesides (courtesy of Lake Country’s Mark Smith): Mark reported “What a great cold morning on the pond. We put fish in the boat all morning long and every stop produced. Hopefully this bite will continue into January. Thanks to all who came to fish with me it was a good time for sure.” Mark’s secret sauce on this recent cool, sunny December day was a chartreuse spoon. For more information, contact Mark here.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The water is cold, but the fish are still eating. Drop shot rigs, fish head spins and spoons are the best early baits. After mid-day, go down lake and use the bone brown Rapala DT6 on a spinning reel and hit the shallow pockets around the dam. Early, hit them in the head with a small Hopkins spoon. Try the Zoom u tail worms on a Texas rig and peg the sinker. Use the greens and purple colors on the Texas rig in the warmer waters in the lower lake coves. Fish slowly with the DT6 Rapala crank baits in shad or hot mustard and use the stop and go retrieve. Stay down lake and use the dark larger worms and jigs on the trees and docks. Flip docks with a Texas rigged Culprit red shad worm. The larger worms in red and are fair and add the Jack Juice garlic scent on soft lures and use the Mega Strike scents on any hard baits. Make casts to the same location often and stay in the brush.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

The recent cold weather and high winds have lightened traffic at the PFA and pushed the fish out to their deeper winter haunts, but there is still plenty of quality fish to be caught for those patient anglers that brave the cold and can slow their presentation to a near crawl. A string a warm, sunny days will pull fish into the shallows, so keep an eye on the forecast.  

Bass: Fewer bass are being caught on the PFA by anglers.  Consider slowly fishing a crankbait, jig, or a 1/4 oz spoon around deeper structure in larger lakes like Bridge or Willow for the best chance of success.

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.

Channel Catfish:  Anglers on the PFA are still catching catfish.  Some anglers are reporting catfish in the 4–9-pound range.  Anglers are reporting the most success fishing either chicken livers or stink baits fished on the bottom.  Jones, Clubhouse, Bridge and Beaver Lodge Lakes were all stocked with more than two thousand pounds of catchable-sized catfish recently, which should make catfishing light work on warm, sunny days when they will be most active.

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 Fisheries Technicians Amory Cook and Deven Thompson)

Bass: The bass fishing has been continuously picking up, with bass anywhere from 10 inches to 7 pounds being caught. Your best bet would be to target them in deeper water near structure. Lures to use this time of the month would be hard and soft jerk baits, deep diving crank baits and jigs. Other notable lures are Alabama rigs, stick baits (also known as spooks, top water walking baits), and paddle tail swim baits on a jig head.

Bream: The Bream bite has slowed down a little bit, but larger fish have become more common. Your best bet would be red wiggler’s fish on the bottom in 4-10 feet of water. Crickets fished under a cork near the bottom may also produce some good quality fish.  

Crappie: Surprisingly, the Crappie bite has been extremely slow despite the perfect conditions. Most of the fish have been schooled up in the last bit of deep water that remains in the lake, making access to them difficult. Boat fisherman should have no issue locating them and when you do, jigs that resemble shad colors should produce fish. Bank fisherman should still be able to pick off a few as well. When targeting the crappie from the bank this week, look for sections of the bank that drop off quickly and then cast your lures out as far as you can and then slowly swim them back, most strikes should happen in the 2-to-4-foot range of depth. Other techniques that may produce Crappie is live minnows under light at night, especially around the dock. Furthermore, using blue, black and or chartreuse colors on rainy days should also produce some good fish.  

Catfish: The catfish bite is finally starting to slow down due to cooling temperatures, but catches can still happen! Live and cut bluegill fish on or near the bottom will always get the attention of a good size catfish. Chunks of chicken liver fished on the bottom and deeper sections of the lake will also produce good numbers of smaller catfish.  

Boaters Note: Due to the extremely low lake level, please use caution when unloading/loading your vessels. 

ATTENTION ANGLERS: Flat Creek PFA staff are conducting an annual angler (creel) survey on the lake this year. If you are approached by a PFA staff member after your fishing trip, please take a moment to answer their questions and share information about your fishing success (or, lack of success, whichever may be the case). These surveys are a valuable management tool that can improve our understanding of the fishery and ultimately improve fishing quality on the reservoir.

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

• Water level: Several of the smaller bodies of water are slightly low but the larger lakes are full pool . Margery is under renovation and closed until further notice.
• Water clarity: Clarity varies but most water bodies have up to 24-48” visibility.
• Surface temperature: 50s. 

Management Note: Marben Fisheries staff have been applying lime to select lakes on the area this week to increase the alkalinity of the water, which will make pond fertilization more effective later on this year. By fertilizing these impoundments, the base of the food chain can be significantly increased in order to support greater numbers, growth, and size of fish for anglers to pursue at Marben PFA.

Bass: Bass have moved into their deep winter habits and fishing has slowed. Slowly fished aoft plastics such as worms or creature baits should work as well as crank baits. Bass will be hitting shad as they school. Due to decreases in temperature look for lethargic shad or gulls diving to take advantage of.

Crappie: The crappie are still in deeper water suspended over woody habitat.  Use jigs tipped with minnows or a “search-style” bait such as a curly tail jig. Alternatively jigs with a float could be used with a slow retrieve.

Bream: Bluegill and some shellcracker bite is slow but a few are being caught on or near the bottom. Red wigglers and wax worms are a good choice for bait.

Lake Margery Update: Last week, Lake Margery, which is currently closed for fishing while under renovation, was stocked with 300 lbs of golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas). Golden shiner are an excellent native supplemental forage source for predatory sportfish like black crappie and largemouth bass. Prior to this stocking, 75 female-only PIT-tagged largemouth bass were stocked into this lake and are now likely putting on mass and growth thanks to this forage produced by the staff at McDuffie Hatchery. We are excited about the potential for lake Margery to perform as a trophy bass fishery in the coming years!

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