Well, by now, most kids have started back to school. Did you take your little ones fishing over the summer? There is nothing like seeing a big smile on a little one’s face after they land a fun catch. Taking a kid fishing helps ensure that you will have a fishing buddy for life! Here are some past favorite photos:

Want more info on fishing with kids? We have it – check THIS out!

Here is a nice article about the Burton Trout Hatchery Family Fishing Pond. This pond is right across the creek from Moccasin Creek State Park – come and make a day of North Georgia fun!

Did someone say state record? Yep, Georgia’s got a new saltwater state record fish! Congratulations to 15 year-old Alli DeYoung on her 3-pound 10-ounce vermillion snapper! More info about Saltwater State Records HERE and more info about Freshwater State Records HERE.

Now – on to our reports for the week. It’s a brief week today, as we only have a report from Southeast Georgia. Let’s hope all the rain from the past week pays off with mo’ water, mo’ fish! 

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA 

(Fishing report courtesy of Bert Deener, fisheries biologist with Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

The rains this week were the big news. All the rivers are high, and some are flooded. Ponds and saltwater provided the best reports this week. Last quarter moon is August 4th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Brittany at Jaycee Landing Bait and Tackle reported that an angler caught lots of channel catfish in the 10 to 12-inch range upstream of the landing. The daily thunderstorms kept folks away from the river, for the most part. The river level was 7.2 feet and falling (83 degrees) at the Baxley gage, and 8.9 feet and rising at the Doctortown gage on July 31st.

SATILLA RIVER

Just when the river was getting fishable, it jumped up again. Before the river jumped back up, anglers caught some nice channel catfish in the Highway 158 Bridge area of the river. A few 10-pound flatheads were also caught by limb-liners in the lower river. After the jump, the bite (and the effort) came to a screeching halt. The river level on July 31st at the Waycross gage was 12.5 feet and rising (79 degrees), and the Atkinson gage was 11.9 feet and rising.

ST. MARYS RIVER

Forget it this week. The river is flooded again. The river level at the MacClenny gage on July 31st was 11.3 feet and rising.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The swamp level is over 121 feet, and good fishing is in the 119 feet range. Nothing else needs to be said….

LOCAL PONDS

Scarlett Barber fished a Ware County pond with her father, Shane, and she caught a nice

Scarlett Barber had all she could handle when she fought this nice bass on a cane pole. Way to go, Scarlett!

bass using a cane pole. Michael Winge said that in Waycross area ponds, only a few people went fishing this week, but they caught some bass and bream. Trips were frequently cut short by evening thunderstorms.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

On Friday, Brentz and Alex McGhin fished the St. Marys Jetties and creeks behind Cumberland Island and did well. They landed redfish, trout, and black drum. Live mullet was the top bait for the redfish and trout. They had 6 redfish (5 undersized fish and 1 keeper) and 2 trout (up to 18 inches). Cut bait produced 6 drum for them. Flounder fishing from the Jekyll Island Pier has been slow lately with mostly small fish caught. Some tarpon have been caught at the St. Marys Jetties, and the fish are also reportedly pushing inland to their summertime haunts. Capt. Tim Cutting caught some tripletail in the Brunswick area over the weekend. Mike and Trish Wooten of St. Simons Bait & Tackle said that crabbing has been fantastic this week. On the finned side, whiting, flounder, trout, and sharks were the best bites this week. Some doormat-sized flounder were landed by some Waycross anglers using finger mullet fished on stand-up jigheads. Several trophy trout were landed, with live shrimp fooling the gator trout.  You can monitor the marine forecast HERE.

BEST BET

This week’s best bet is to work around the house so you can fish under better conditions. Hee Hee – just kidding. Fishing is always better than house-work. Ponds are your best bet, as you can pack up quickly if a thunderstorm moves in. If you can safely access the spillway below your favorite pond, it is worth checking out. If we get a break in the weather, saltwater is worth a trip. Tarpon, trout, flounder, and redfish are good targets right now.