February 28, 2025 – Georgia Wildlife Blog

And, just like that, February comes to a close and we forge ahead into March. Looking forward to seeing the waters start to warm up, fish moving and prepping for spawning, grass starting to green up and more fishing trips being planned. Where is your next fishing destination?

NEWS TO KNOW

• Got Expired Boat Registration? If you have an expired registration for a vessel that you no longer own, please log into your account at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com and report the vessel as sold, traded, destroyed, donated or lost.
• Paradise PFA: Catch a Tagged Bass and Earn Rewards: This Spring, staff are tagging largemouth bass in several Paradise PFA lakes. You can earn rewards for turning in tags! WRD will send a custom ball cap for your first tag submitted (one hat per angler) and you will get one entry to win a Yeti cooler at the end of the study period (March/April 2026). But wait, that’s not all! For every additional tag returned, anglers can earn multiple chances of winning the grand prize. Find out more about submitting your information and tags at GeorgiaWildlife.com/paradise-pfa. 
• Paradise PFA Regulation Changes: Effective now, anglers fishing any of the Paradise PFA lakes may harvest/possess a total of 5 largemouth bass with a minimum length of 14”, but only one of these fish can be over 24” in total length.

This week, we have fishing reports from Central, Southeast, Southwest and North Georgia. Enjoy the warmer weather and Let’s Go Fish Georgia!

(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) 

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

Campground renovations have begun, with a projected completion date in 2026.  Bathrooms in the West Valley of the McDuffie Public Fishing Area are open; bathrooms in the East Valley (on the campground) remain closed.  Lime has been delivered to the PFA and is currently being added to area lakes to increase water hardness and alkalinity.

Bass: Bass are pulling further into the shallows thanks to a string of consistent warm weather. Some bass are beginning to fan our and establish beds, though it will be a few more weeks until bedding activity really takes off. Bass are still feeding aggressively on shad and golden shiners in this late pre-spawn phase, so throwing a lipless crankbait like a Rat-L-Trap or shallow diving crankbait such as the Rapala Countdown near vegetation breaks and around submerged cover can be good for numbers, while jigging deeper cover will still be the most effective for enticing a strike for bigger bass.

Striped and Hybrid Bass:  As with largemouth bass, hybrids and striped bass will begin moving towards shallower waters to feed in tandem with the rising water temperatures.  Live worms will be excellent for catching hybrids, but anglers should also consider using lures that mimic shad or bream when they need to cover more water.  Anglers may also have success using crankbaits, topwater lures, or plastics in and around the shallows.

Channel Catfish: Channel Catfish are being caught frequently on the PFA. Anglers should consider using chicken livers and fishing near the bottoms of the lakes.  Crankbait or lures that mimic bait fish may also produce angler success.

Bream:  Bluegill and redear are starting to become more active, and the bite will continue to get hot as water temperatures begin to reach the mid-60s.  Anglers targeting bream should use live worms, crickets, or other lively presentations, and target shallow areas with structure.  Anglers may also seem some success using rooster tail lures and small jigs.  

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

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

• Marben Public Fishing Area
• Water level: All ponds are full.
• Pond Closures: Margery, Hillside, and Clubhouse ponds remain closed while under renovation.
• Water clarity: All ponds are very clear with some ponds reaching over 46 inches in visibility. The exception to this is Dove Pond which remains murky due to rain.
• Surface temperature: Water temperatures during the first part of March are in the mid 50’s; however, temperatures may enter the 60’s during a string a warm March days.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Anglers fishing for bass on smaller ponds should see success as these ponds will warm quickly, and bass will transition to their shallow, pre-spawn habitat. Black, blue, and purple plastics worms are effective, with some success coming from small spinner baits and jerk baits.

Crappie: A few crappie have pulled up shallow and numbers should increase if water temperatures stabilize in the low 60s.  Using jigs tipped with minnows will put bites on the line as crappie get ready to spawn.  Use electronics to locate schools of crappie, or adjust your bobber to fish different depths until you find them. White and chartreuse jigs retrieved slowly with a float or by trolling have also produced good catches.  Fox and Bennett are good targets for spring crappie at Marben PFA.

Bream: Several catches of shellcracker have been seen.  Most continue to be caught on the bottom in the smaller ponds with wax worms and pink worms, however fishing has been slow.

Hybrid Bass: Hybrid bass are a big hit at Bennett and Greenhouse.  March is hit or miss but when its good its good.   Fish when you can, but typically a few mild or warmer days preceding a cold snap will induce feeding and increase your chances for success.

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of Fisheries Technicians Amory Cook and Deven Thompson) –

Bass: The bass fishing has been moderate with occasional big fish being caught. Most fish have averaged 2 to 5 pounds. Your best bets on lures are jerk baits, jigs, and crank baits around structures.

Bream: The bream fishing has continued to be good despite the weather, most catches are bluegill, but the occasional redear will be mixed in. Your best bet is to use red wigglers or cut up nightcrawlers on the bottom in 4-10 feet of water. 

Crappie: The crappie bite has been slow so far this spring. A few fish have been caught–all on jigs. Your best bet is to target them extremely deep and in open water, preferably around schools of shad. 

Catfish: Catfish have been extremely slow since the turn of the year, but the occasional fish may still be caught. Chicken livers and cut bait fish on the bottom and deep water will produce some bites. 

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.

RESERVOIR REPORT

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.

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. All over the lake and spoons and jigs are the only baits getting strikes. Be sure to have the drop shot rigs with a small Bass Trix rigged and checkout any point at 30 feet or less. Keep the spoons to 1/2 ounce and work the humps and old roadbeds all over the lake. The best tip is to keep moving until the active fish are found. It’s cold all over the lake and the bass are just not active. Watch for a warmup to get the fish moving. Slow presentations are required. Use smoke or green worms, lizards and dark jigs. Small Rat L Traps in bleeding shiner and #5 Shad Raps are fair on points on light line. And always fish and rip rap on the bridges as the sun warms this water and the shad will spawn there. Work crank baits on points the inner creek humps and old roadbeds all over the lake. The mid lake humps close to the bridge has a lot of deep water close by and in front and behind the bridge there are huge stands of trees. Spooning and worms can make the fish bite.

Striped Bass (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports it was a decent January for striper, but they are hopeful for a better February. This month some striped bass will be caught around the same deep bait schools where other species are feeding, but other striper will be roaming. Following the birds and covering water with free-lines or planer boards is usually the best pattern – even though the birds were not especially helpful in January.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that in late January a few crappie started to show up again around deep bait schools, and in February they were more and more common. In late February and early March, crappie will be caught trolling in the creeks as they begin to stage for the spawn.

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 3.5 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. Colored to stained water can be found up in the rivers and creeks due to rain and high winds last week. This should clear up some during the weekend as better weather approaches. The blue backs are still traveling in schools up and down the lake and daytime temperatures should climb soon. Keep using those the Rapala DT16’s along the channel ledges and the Minnow Raps on the deep side of the main lake points. Also try a slow rolling 1/2-ounce White Terminator spinner bait along those lay down trees. Concentrate the majority of these efforts on those in ten to twenty feet of water. The wind blown banks and points will be the better ones to fish, especially those that get the early morning sun. Fish each area thoroughly and make several presentations in each area. The slower the bait is fished, the better the chances of a strike.

Striper and Hybrids (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service (706-210-3474) reports that during February fish will still move around a lot, and one day you could find a big school in one area but then overnight it could be 5 or even 10 miles away. Continue to look for the birds and bait to locate fish. Free-lines, planer boards and down-lines could all work depending on where and how deep the fish set up.

Crappie (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Little River Guide Service reports that February is one of the best months of the year for catching big fish. As the weather warms, they will begin to stage for the spawn and can be caught trolling in the backs of creeks by early March.

Catfish (courtesy of SC DNR Fishing Reports): Captain Chris Simpson (864-992-2352) reports that February should again be a very good month for catfish on Clarks Hill. Anchoring on creek channel ledges and fan-casting cut gizzard shad, white perch and herring will be the best way to target big blue catfish. So far this season the creeks have out-fished the main lake, so look for that pattern to remain strong as water temperatures continue to increase in March.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is fair. The lake is heavy stain up the rivers, the further down the lake you go the clearer the lake gets. It is clear from Jumping Rock to the dam. Lower Richland creek is clear. The bass are moving into the mouths of the creeks as the water warms. Some good fish are coming up the rivers on wood structure. Try the Jenko CD7 a good medium diving crankbait. Good components color schemes cast ability and action it is a good all day lure. This crankbait is available in 12 vibrant colors. From bright craw patterns to chartreuse colors for muddy water all the way over to natural patterns for clearer water there is a color for almost any conditions. With a body length of 2.16 inches and the ability to dive up to 9 feet the CD7 perfectly exemplifies a medium diving crankbait with a compact profile. This style bait works exceptionally well as the fall fades into winter. But because of its size and effective depth range it’s also a lure that will catch fish year-round. Jigs have been producing well in these areas. Down the lake spinner baits fished on rock have been producing as well. Soft plastics fished under docks is also producing good numbers.

Tournament Summary (courtesy of ABA news): Tony Couch from Buckhead, GA, emerged as the champion of the AFT D72 tournament held on February 22, 2025, on Lake Oconee. Competing with a five-bass limit that totaled 18.29 pounds, Tony not only secured the first-place trophy but also earned the optional Big Bass pot—thanks to an impressive 5.74-pound bass. The father-son duo of David and Dylan Lowery took second place with a bag of 16.24 lbs. The next tournament in this division is scheduled for March 8, 2025, on Lake Oconee, departing from Sugar Creek Marina. For any questions or further information, please contact Director Benny Howell at 770-365-4795.

Oconee Derby Week 1 Update (courtesy of Doug Nelms): The annual Oconee Derby kicked off this week and continues through April 6th. The fishing was “on like Big John” this week, with some really nice crappie landed alongside some respectable hybrid and striper catches as well. Jason Duncan topped the striped bass leaderboards this week with his striper that was just an ounce shy of double digits, while the father-daughter duo of Josh and Izabella Shiver are standing tall in the crappie leaderboards for adults and kids as well as the kids striper leaderboard. The bite is only going to heat up throughout the month of March and into April, so we’re looking forward to seeing new leaders emerge week by week as the Derby continues. If interested in learning more and joining in on the fun, visit www.Oconeederby.com/leaderboards.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.2 FEET, 50’S 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass fishing is slow to fair, but a good catch is also possible. The best patterns seem to work for only short periods of time before the angler is forced to again change tactics. The one constant is that a school of fish or an area with scattered bass must be worked slow and methodically. There may be only one or two active fish in a group of dormant bass and patiently saturating the area with many casts is the best option. Riprap along the bridges and trestle in Little River is producing bass nearly every day with crank baits and jigs. Try a Rapallo Shad Rap RS or jointed Shad Rap in fire tiger and silver blue. Retrieve the bait very slowly parallel to the rocks. A one or two second pause every few seconds during the retrieve can draw the interest of a sluggish fish. Also try a deeper running crank bait like a Rapala DT10 or a ½ ounce Fat Free Shad. For the jig, use the lightest weight possible for the conditions. A ¼ to 3/8-ounce jig will more easily slide across the rocks and fall slower than heavier baits. Try a Zoom Pro Chunk or Super Chunk Jr. in blue or green pumpkin as a trailer on the jig. Main river points, humps, and flats are holding groups of fish that will usually feed some every day. Some bass are also showing up along the rocky bluff banks up the Oconee River. Again, crank baits and jigs are the most reliable baits to use.

Sinclair GON-tel: New to fishing Lake Sinclair? The GON community offers some good information for early season fishing tactics at forum.gon.com/threads/has-anyone-been-to-sinclair-lately.1065579/#post-14605135. 

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report): Bass are in the deeper natural structure and the deep water pockets off the rivers and creeks. The cold fronts dropped the water temperatures, and the fish are relating to sharp drops and heavy cover all over the lake. Tussah Creek is a good area all year with plenty of docks and clearer water. With the cold water, these fish feed less often and usually deeper. Sharp drops instead of slopping areas are easier for the fish to move up and down. They do not expend a lot of energy in cold water. The 1/2-ounce Stanley jig with the #11 Uncle Josh pork trailer is the one of the best wintertime lure. As the fish get colder, they will have to be coaxed into striking these baits. The more the fish see the bait the likelihood of drawing a strike increases.

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

The weather has been great for most of this week. The Okefenokee Swamp, saltwater, and ponds have produced the best catches from the reports I received.

River gages on February 27th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River – 7.4 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 8.9 feet and falling
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 10.9 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 12.7 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 10.6 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 9.4 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys – 5.6 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 6.6 feet and falling

First quarter moon is March 6th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Tim Corey fished with me on the east side of the swamp on Saturday. We caught and released 22 fish total, including 2 pickerel (up to 18 inches) and 20 fliers. The size of the fliers was impressive, with 15 of them over 8 inches. Our biggest was Tim’s 9 1/4-incher that earned him an angler award from the GA Wildlife Resources Division. His big one ate a whitetreuse Warmouth Whacker Jig tipped with a red wiggler. That’s the lure he caught all of his fish on. I caught mine on a white (gold blade) prototype in-line spinner and a crawfish Warmouth Whacker Jig. Kris Irwin came down from the Athens area and fished with me on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday we fished the east side and caught and released 18 fish (a bowfin, 3 pickerel, and 14 fliers). It was cold that morning and the bite was slow. As the water warmed, the fliers woke up and started feeding. The size was impressive again with a dozen of them over 8 inches. Our biggest was just under 9 inches. That day the fliers ate crawfish Warmouth Whacker Jigs tipped with worms the best, but we caught a few on the bream spinner. Our biggest pickerel was 22 inches, and it bit a crawfish-brass blade Dura-Spin. We had another giant pickerel on a jackfish-colored Dura-Spin, but it broke us off. On Wednesday we fished the west side and absolutely whacked the bowfin. We trolled the first hour for a half-dozen bowfin up to 4 pounds, but it was when we slowed down that they started chewing. We fished cut flier and red wiggler worms on 1/16-oz. Mirage Jigs and caught bowfin after bowfin. We ended up catching and releasing a total of 58 fish (56 bowfin and 2 fliers). Our biggest 5 bowfin weighed 7-lb., 7-oz., 7-6, 7-3, 6-3, and 5-14. Those monsters were a BLAST on the light tackle we were using. The most recent water level on the Folkston side was 121.02 feet and at SC Foster State Park was 4.85 feet.

ST. MARYS RIVER

Seth Carter fished the river on Sunday and caught some bass. Matt Rouse reported that the upper river is still in good shape but a little off-color. The crappie and catfish bites have been good. We will hate seeing the popular Shady Bream Tournaments come to an end, but the new trail  Bream Reapers Fishing Tournament  will be holding their first tournament on March 22nd. It is an artificial lure-only format. For more details check it out on Facebook. Note: The Temple Landing is currently closed while the GA Wildlife Resources Division boat ramp crew rebuilds the ramp. The project is winding down, and it should be reopened soon.

LOCAL PONDS

Some folks did well and some not so much this week. I talked with one friend who is an excellent angler, and he did not catch any crappie the day he went. But I had good reports also. Hayden and Steven Lee fished an Alma area pond with minnows and caught 7 big crappie. The bass reports were good from area ponds. Chip Lafferty caught the biggest I heard of this week – a 7-lb., 5-oz. pig that ate a purple wacky-rigged worm in a Brunswick area pond.  Joshua Barber fished a Waycross area pond on Tuesday afternoon and caught and released a few bass, including a 3-pound class fish that ate a black-blue wacky-rigged stick worm. Chuck Dean fished a Kingsland area pond Monday and caught several bass with a fly rod.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton)

The Wildlife Resources Division is beginning a bass study at Paradise PFA and will be tagging bass over the next month. If you catch a tagged bass, clip the tag and return it along with the information requested on a tag return form. The forms are available on the porch at the area office. Each person returning a tag will receive a custom-embroidered ball cap and be entered into a drawing for a Yeti cooler. Each angler will only receive one cap, but there is no limit to the number of times you can be entered into the drawing.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) had a very productive week. In the big-time cold on Friday they had a bunch of short trout before getting into some nicer fish. They ended up catching a mixed bag of trout, flounder, reds, and black drum, with a couple of oversized redfish. On Saturday, brothers Dick and Fred Bissinger could do no wrong. They had two limits of trout and some nice black drum, sheepshead, and flounder. Dick had a giant 5 1/2-pound sheepshead. Tom fished with him on Monday and had a great catch of reds and trout off the same oyster bar while fishing for an hour. He had a couple oversized reds during the melee, as well. They ended early and took a few fish to Mudcat Charlie’s for a hook ‘em and cook ‘em special. They don’t get any fresher than that! They stopped in an area on the way back from the restaurant and caught and released a bunch more reds and left them biting. On Tuesday the bite was trickier for Tom, and they abandoned the live shrimp under a Harper Super Striker Float to cast Fourseven plastics. The big trout ate the plastics rigged on Zombie Eye Jigheads. They released everything on Tuesday, including some trout up to 22 inches. On Wednesday Tom Kirkland came aboard and they caught about 25 trout that included about a dozen keepers. 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 SEMINOLE

According to Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report, bass fishing is fair. Anglers should head the lake mid-day for the best shot at success. The water on the rivers is stained more so on the Flint River than the Chattahoochee River. The fish are ready to start spawn patterns soon. They can be found on main lake flats, ditches and depressions. Look for bass feeding on shad, small bream and crawfish in these areas, and cover lots of water as the fish will be scattered day to day. Weather plays a key role in wintertime fishing, the best time to chase bass is after two or three days of stable weather.

Lake Seminole Fishing Guides reports that the Crappie fishing on Lake Seminole has been excellent. The Crappie have moved into their spawning areas and are being caught on minnows and jigs!

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

According to Ken Studivant at Southernfishing.com, Bass fishing is fair. More cold weather is here so work the drop shot and Damiki rigs early. Mid-day some may come up shallow in the grass. Run a Big Bite Cane Thumper through the grass in pearl white and black blue. Also, a 5 inch Fighting Frog on a 3/16 ounce lead on the edge of grass is a good backup plan and use black blue or green pumpkin. Spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits will also work. With the weather the fish should back off to rock banks. A flat side crankbait like the Rapala OG8 will work then along with the Fighting Frog. Noisy baits such as Rat L Traps and buzz baits worked slowly will generate a strike around cover. Big jigs with rattles and ChatterBaits are good choices as well.

Anglers report that crappie are moving in the creeks at Walter F. George and that limits can be caught in a couple of hours. They are being found in about 5-8ft of water. One angler had success pitching jigs and stated that a Hal-fly black body yellow feather tail lure was the ticket!

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Muddy water has moved in due to recent rain. This has made locating fish a little harder but if are willing to spend the time to find them the fish are still biting. Folks noticed that Striped Bass could be found in these muddy conditions near the bottom, around 6-8ft, near current edges. They reported that Itty Bit Slab Hunt’r were working the best but would hit about anything. Crappie are still hitting hard when you can find them, with high reports coming in of them located around bridges and channels. There are some reports earlier in the week that they were found shallow, so might be worth a check in shallower areas every once and a while as we are moving into spawning time. Catfish have also been a slower consistent biter this season, but the muddy water has brought in some large, good catches for some folks out there on the water too.

FLINT RIVER

Water temps are slowly rising and river flows are stabilizing.  Largemouth Bass can be caught with large profile baits that generate vibration such as chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.  These fish will begin staging for the spawn and should be aggressively feeding.  Morone species such as white and striped bass will increase feeding to prepare for the upcoming spawn.   Use live shad or any shad imitation bait.

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

Water temps are still cold on the river.  Several rain events have moved through the region dumping several inches of rain across the state.  This will raise river levels and decrease visibility.  Fishing will be fair at best.  Morone species such as white and striped bass will increase feeding to prepare for the upcoming spawn.   Use live shad or any shad imitation bait.  Catches of black crappie are being reported in deep bends around brush.

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

There have been many reports of good largemouth bass fishing trips as they begin to move to shallower water. Try throwing spinning baits or crankbaits in 6 to 8 feet of water. Baits should still be fished at a slightly slower pace. There have been reports of some good-sized crappie being caught with the spawning season beginning soon. Catfish bites are hard to come by this time of year, but you may have good luck fishing with livers or shrimp near the bottom. The rip rap along the dam and around woody structures will be your best bet of landing a cat.

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

TROUT REPORT 

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

Trout Tag: Want to do more to support trout fishing in Georgia?  Consider upgrading to a Trout Unlimited license plate this year. Aside from being a great looking tag, each purchase or renewal of a Trout Unlimited license plate directly supports Georgia’s trout conservation and management programs. Hatcheries and wild trout efforts both benefit from the trout tag. Find out more license plate information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates.

RESERVOIR REPORT 

LAKE ALLATOONA is 1 foot over full and the water temperatures are in the 40s. 

Allatoona Bass (Report courtesy of Tournament angler Matt Driver) — Bass fishing is fair. Fish are still in their winter pattern and the jig bite has been great all winter. Brush, bluffs and rock on red clay banks have been the most productive. A green pumpkin Picasso Little Spotty in 3/8 ounce with a green pumpkin trailer has been the go to bait. A slow presentation is best. Bass will suspend on cloudy days when barometric pressure is dropping or on sunny, windy days. The fish cling to rocky bottoms during calm, sunny weather. If the water is clear bass hovering over brush piles and creek channels suspend higher in the water column on overcast days. The other technique has been using Forward Facing Sonar in the main lake area and targeting bass chasing shad. The jig minnow, spoon and lipless crankbait have worked best. Look for bait, and bass are definitely nearby. Toward the end of the month, bass will begin to migrate toward staging areas and preparing for the spawn. If we were to get warmer weather for a few days, bass will go shallow. The jerk bait bite will get good.

Allatoona Crappie (Report and picture courtesy of Jeff “Crappieman” Albright): Decent morning on Toona! Things are starting to get back to normal , The water is still stained pretty good , Water temps were from 44-52 deg , I run 10 rods of the back and 2 off each side of the front, left side on the back I had 1/16 jig heads (5 rods) right side 1/32 jigs (5 rods) 4 on the front 1/24 jigs heads trying to see what depth they were wanting to eat ! First thing in the morning the 1/24 jigs were catching more fish that lasted about an hour! Then the 1/16 – 1/32 got on fire rest of the morning, we had multiple triples, doubles ,,,,, bite lasted till about 10AM. Had a blast fishing with Randy today was the first time he has ever caught crappie and he had a blast! Trolling speeds were from .7-.9 caught most fish in 8-15 ft of water, Here are the color jigs that were catching fish today, Albright special multiple styles jigs, black & blue multiple styles, Sasquatch same. Red Rooster custom jigs were on fire doing what they were supposed to do. We ended up boating 49 and Randy took 29 really nice ones home, We had 2 over 14″ 3 over 13″ the rest were 10,11,12″. Great day for size! Red Rooster Custom Jigs are the best out there better get some!!!!! 

Lake Allatoona Crappie Report (Report courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits and D & M Outdoors) — The last week of February 2025 was not too shabby! We got out several days this past week and had an absolute blast catching these Allatoona crappie! Last week the lake was almost about a 1′ over full pool, but this week we are back down around 834′ which is in the same range that it was this time last year. What a difference a week makes in weather and water temperature. We are seeing temps anywhere from 48 degrees in the mid lake to 55 degrees in the backs of creeks and cuts. We are seeing crappie in schools and roaming anywhere from 18′ to 8′ suspended at 4′ to 6′. We trolled this past week using a combination of 1/16th, 1/24th and 1/32nd oz. jig heads at speeds between .7 – 1 mph. We were finding crappie in the mouths of creeks to mid creek as well as shallow flats. It seems that the larger crappie are still deeper in open water which is where a 1/16th or even a 3/32nd oz. jig head comes in. This time of year, you can find them in several depth ranges which is why you want to mix up your jig head sizes and troll between 20′ to 6′ until you find ‘ em. Don’t overlook the flats! Shallow flats will warm up and hold fish as the weather continues to warm. We trolled a flat in 8’ of water and had several rods go down as a school was hanging on the edge where the shallow flat dropped down into deeper water. Don’t be afraid to troll into any cut that you see if you have room because these may be spawning pockets and the crappie in the pockets will bend your rods! Crappie will also hang on the end of points…you could come up with a mixed bag of crappie, bass and hybrids on points. Moral of the story, crappie fishing is about to get real good as we move into March so get ready to cover a lot of lake looking for slabs! This time of year, there is no wrong way to troll that is what makes it so much fun! The amateur can out fish the expert when the lake warms up…the main thing is to get out there and have some fun! We are very excited about the success of our new Kic’n Chic’n XL paddle tail swimbait crappie jig! We have folks who are pulling this bait exclusively and are catching some nice slabs. The smaller crappie seem to love the Kic’n Chic’n XL as well as we have caught several 8″ to 10″ crappie. If you are new to fishing and want to learn more about electronics, jig head sizes, jig colors and more be sure to tune in to FRIDAY NIGHT BITES which is a 30 minute Facebook livestream that we do on “Most” Friday Nights around 7PM you might learn something or teach us something new! If you don’t know what colors to choose check out our Combo Packs, this will save you a lot of time with proven stained and clear water colors. Lord willing we will have another report for you next week. Be sure to check out the archives for February 2024 and see what we were doing this time last year! For more information, Red Rooster Custom Baits. 

LAKE HARTWELL: is down 1 feet and water temperatures are in the 50s.  (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com)

Hartwell Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The cold front along with the rain and wind did take a toll on the number of anglers this past week. With the lake still showing a good level of water this week, expect the bass to be no further back in the creeks and coves past the secondary points. Some good quality bass are coming of the rip rap both in the Seneca and Tugaloo Rivers this week. Both the original and Rapala RS models of the Shad Rap is working good while working any area with rip rap rock. Long casts and slow retrieves seem to be the pattern for working this rock. Wait until the sun comes up and shines on this rock for at least thirty minutes or so before fishing the rock. Another sign to look for while fishing is to take a look in the shallows to see if the small sunfish are moving in after the sun comes up. The majority of the bass are feeding on the bream and perch up in the shallows. Rapalas Shad Rap and Jointed Shad Raps is the best choices while fishing the shallows. Reed Creek and the Twenty-Six Mile Creek are good places to check out. Along with the Shad Raps take along some Husky Jerks in the glass minnow, glass blue minnow and the glass perch colors. These baits are working well in the slightly stained water off the points. With the wind blowing fish only the wind-blown banks and points for the best results. Also, by making long casts, this will give the bass plenty of time to move through the cold water and find the bait.

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report (Report and pictures courtesy of Jack “Georgia Waterdog” Becker). Warmer weather and LOW winds found me making a trip to Lake Hartwell, South Carolina. I put in at Glen Ferry boat ramp. It was only about an hour and 15-minute drive from Gainesville off of 85. It was my first time on this part of the lake. I only saw one boat all day. I located a lot of bait and seagulls feeding between buoy 32 and 34. I stayed in this area. constantly marking fish in 35 to 40’ of water over a 50 to 60 ft. bottom close to the river channel.  I caught 6 hybrids and 3 spotted bass. Trolling at .5 mile an hour using medium shiners on downlines, planer boards and free lines.  Not a lot of fish, but some decent hybrids and a few spotted bass. Great 1/2 day on the water, with no boat traffic. Jack Becker, Gainesville, aka Georgia Waterdog.

LAKE LANIER is 1 foot over full pool and water temperatures are in the 40s.

Lanier Bass (This Lake Lanier Bass fishing report is by Phil Johnson Pjohnson15@hotmail.com 770-366-8845). Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The current lake level after the rain is one foot over full pool and the water temperature has dropped back into the upper forties. There is considerable stain in the backs of the creeks and up the river with a good bit of debris floating. Even with all the rain and the temperature drop the bass are still very active. In the Skeeter Bass Challenge over the weekend there were ten bags with over twenty pounds of largemouth and Spots weighed in. The winning weight was over twenty-five pounds! There are still bass located deep in the standing timber but there are plenty of bass that have moved to less than thirty-five feet deep. Several baits are working right now for both the deep and shallower fish. A three eights No See Em Spot Choker with a three Keitech paddle tail is working well in the backs of the ditches and also for targeting the moving or suspended bass. Electric Shad and Blueback have been two consistent colors on this setup. In the same backs of the creeks a shakey head with a green pumpkin or watermelon red senko worm around the deeper docks is producing fish. Check the secondary rocky points also as your working the area. The key is to work these baits is working them very slow. A Shad Rap or a RK Crawler in the crawdad pattern will produce both spots and largemouth in the backs of the pockets and along any rocky structure. The Damiki rig has worked well on both the suspended bass and bass that are tight to the bottom in the deeper water. Using FFS for this bait is critical whether you are pitching to the bass or vertically dropping on them. Look for the bass to be moving up and down in the water column as the water temperature bounces up and down as this is typical of late winter/early spring fishing. They are definitely biting so Go Catch Em! 

Lanier Stripers (report is by Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404-510-1778) — Lake Lanier stripers are reacting to the Mini Mac and the umbrella rigs trolling in the creek channels in both rivers. Mini Mack’s can be trolled with planer boards using your trolling motor. Put the Mini Mac 15 to 25 feet behind the boards at .8 to 1.5 mph. Watching the electronics once you have fish located you should work that area and use blue backs, trout, gizzards and shiners on flat lines, boards, and down lines. When pulling the umbrella rigs use the outboard and put the rigs 110 back and troll at 2.5 to 3.5 mph and clip the humps and points off the channels, watching your electronics and keeping in mind that at that depth of 25 feet have your retriever ready. Remember to wear your life jacket. 

Lanier Crappie: (report crappie report by Captain Josh Thornton at 770-530-6493). Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good the water temperature is 52 the large fish are in small groups roaming in open water and in large groups under docks. Crappie have been at depths of 5-to 10-feet above a 20-to-40-foot bottom. Crappie minnows have been 1/2 of the bite this week and jig the other 1/2 Small 1.25-inch jig black with a chartreuse tail have worked well. 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.

WEISS LAKE is down 1-2 feet and water temperatures are in the 50’s (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com).

Weiss Bass: Bass fishing is slow. With the cold weather trend, the bass have moved to a winter pattern. The largemouth are being caught on several patterns. Gravel and rocky main lake points are producing some decent catches using Carolina Rigs, river channel ledges in the lower end of the lake are producing fish too. Weather plays a key role in wintertime fishing so the best time to chase bass is after two or three days of stable weather. If it is cloudy it needs to stay cloudy for a couple of days or if it’s sunny, it needs to stay sunny. A cold front or a severe winter storm usually shuts down the fishing until the weather stabilizes again. Deeper rocky banks and rip rap with 6-feet of water or more is also producing well on crank baits and jigs. Little River is producing a lot of Spotted Bass, use a 4-inch Zoom Ring Worm in Smoke Glitter color or Pumpkin Seed color, fish the river channel ledges above JR’s Marina.  

WEST POINT LAKE is down 6-7 feet and water temperatures are in the 50s.

West Point Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is fair. Wait until mid-day to head out. Some fish are already coming up on main lake points. Look for them in 8 to 10 feet of water on gravel points and throw sassy shad, Rat L Traps, and crank baits. The point’s right off the main river at the railroad bridge are good early season areas and look for the gravel on the banks. Right across from the Yellow Jacket access point is an old roadbed that runs up and down the bank about 50 feet off the bank. Run the Lowrance on and over this area and the roadbed will show up. Vertical jigging is still another good pattern for large mouths and spots. Some are still deep and holding on the flats and roadbeds off the main lake in 25 to 27 feet of water. Best baits are buck tails, sassy shad, and 1/2-ounce Flex It spoons and the Hopkins spoon. The roadbed in Whitewater Creek is a great deep-water area. Just run out on the roadbed, watch for the fish and the bait and that is where to drop the spoons and old Little George’s. When the sonar sees these fish position the boat in deep water. Now make a long cast towards the point. Now reel the bait down to the suspending depths. Wait and jerk this bait one time and stop count to 5 and jerk it again. This is for the periods of low activity as described in the Fish and Game Forecaster. Remember let the lure sit still for 10 to 15 seconds before jerking the rod again. Bass usually strike the lure during the pause. Once the feeding period makes a move up to more activity cast the lure and reel it back with short jerks.

New West Point Fish Habitat (Report and picture courtesy of Fisheries Biologist Brent Hess): West Point Fisheries staff deployed several new fish attractors as part of the long-running West Point Lake Fish Habitat Improvement Program.  Replenishing fish habitat, lost through the natural process of decay, is an ongoing effort across Georgia’s aging reservoirs.  Many fish rely on and congregate around underwater structure for protection and as places from which to ambush prey.  In turn, these concentrations of fish improve fishing quality.  These newest fish attractors, constructed from pallets, recycled Christmas trees, and bamboo, were placed in the area where the Chattahoochee River and Yellow Jacket Creek meet. Find locations of DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including West Point, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT 

Rocky Mountain Public Fish Area (report courtesy of Area Manger Dennis Shiley) — Don’t miss the next two weeks at Rocky Mountain PFA. The Bass have moved shallow and if you want to catch a big one throw any big Shad colored hard swim bait. Water temp will be 55 degrees by the end of this week! Crappie are biting on the steeper shorelines heading back into the coves, Jig and Minnows should work. Starting Saturday March 1^st through the 10^th will be your best opportunity to catch a big Crappie or Shell Cracker at Heath Lake! Last year in March, Heath Lake produced the lake record Crappie at 2lbs 14oz along with the lake record Redear (Shellcracker) at 1lb 11 ounces. Catch one of the staff to have your record fish weighed!

Rocky Mountain Public Fish Area News Nugget (Report courtesy of Fisheries Technician Richard Childers): Fourteen-year-old, James Gazaway of Tunnel Hill, Georgia caught this giant 7-pound largemouth bass while fishing recently Rocky Mountain PFA. The stout bass easily qualified James for a Youth Angler Award. Congrats to James on a fine Georgia Public Fishing Area catch!

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