Would it be a summer fishing report if I didn’t take a second to remind you that it is HOT out there? Be careful and be sure to check out some of the hot weather fishing tips in the North Georgia report below. 

NEWS TO KNOW

  • Do Your Homework: Wait, the kids are not in school – what homework? About your fishing location! How do you find what is biting, when is best time to fish, and more tips and tricks? Well, besides this report you are reading, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division provides Fishing Forecasts for 31 lakes and 18 rivers. These reports are well worth your time before you head to the water. And, c,mon – with this heat – you don’t want to waste valuable fishing time.  
  • What Wild News: We know you come here for the fishing info, but we encourage you to also subscribe to the Georgia Wild E-News. This digital publication provides all sorts of great information about wildlife species. 

This week, we have reports from North, Central and Southeast Georgia. Pack an extra bottle of water and Go Fish Georgia!

NORTH GEORGIA

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

North Georgia weather is HOT. Fishing early or late during the long days of late June is only one of several warm-weather fishing tactics available to anglers this time of year. MossyOak offers eight hot weather fishing tips HERE.

TROUT REPORT

Trout Fishing (courtesy of Paul Diprima, John Thomson -Trout Stocking Coordinator with Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division-, and friends of the trout stocking program) — If trout fishing in the cool-water streams of North Georgia is more your thing during the hot weather click HERE for the Unicoi Outfitters fishing report.

Congrats to Mrs. Halstead on her trout catch!

Beat the Heat: Beat the heat and head for the north GA mountains. Trout waters are still cool enough to receive trout weekly stockings and now is a great time to catch yourself a fresh trout dinner. Best bets include stocked streams in Rabun, Fannin, Union and White counties. Sign up for the weekly stocking report here for the latest intel. Don’t believe it? Just ask Mrs. Halstead, who landed her first trout in three years. Congrats and welcome back.

Story Time “Trout Fishing – It’s so much more than Trout”: Some of my friends that have joined me on past trips to the mountains were so intent on catching trout that if they went fishless, they felt as if they wasted a trip. Everyone must remember that a fishing trip can be so much more than trout. My father loved to fish the mountains of North Georgia for trout with his brother and brother-in-law, Leonard Diprima and Robert Evans.  As a result, our families would follow along on some of the weekends bringing lunch and refreshments. I got to hear stories as varied as a snake dropping off a limb into his friends’ waders to hearing about the muffler being torn off the Rambler station wagon driving the original road to Bear Creek.  It all sounded like fun to me.

I was very young when I first played on the banks of Jacks River, Holly and Noontootla creeks to mention a few. Whether I was panning for gold, hunting wild plants or fishing for 2-inch sculpins on the tiniest hook, I always enjoyed everything that the mountains had to offer, a feast for the eyes.

Creek fishing and fishing any moving water gives me so much more pleasure than lakes and ponds. Fishing for trout in a mountain stream is probably my favorite. Mountain streams have more to offer than just trout, so much more. Just keep your eyes open and see more than fish.

In March I was fishing my favorite tributary of Noontootla and about 20 feet from the stream I found an ammo box with a 30-caliber machine gun belt next to it. They were “blank cartridges” and about as tarnished and rusty as imaginable. The old ammo belt was surly left by Rangers on maneuvers from Camp Merrill which is only a few miles away. That day I was more intent on catching fish than messing with bullets, so I said, “I’ll get them later.”

This past weekend I returned to Noontootla to recover the ammo and box. From the parking area and headed upstream with my seven-foot rod in hand. Staying out of this tiny stream, I cast mostly from shore and was rewarded with a beautiful six-inch Brook Trout. I went farther upstream and crossed a small tributary. I then started hunting the ammo can. When I finally found the ammo box nothing had changed. It was lying below a dense canopy of huge mountain laurel. There was a wild ginger plant a few inches from the cartridge belt and a beautiful pipsissewa was blooming nearby. I am amazed that no one else had found it and maybe they just focused on fish. I stuffed the belt into the box and carried it out. Walking the half mile back to the car I passed nodding trilliums, lady slipper and downy rattlesnake orchids as well as a unique five-trunk hemlock that may not live another ten years. There was so much more there than trout.

On many of my winter trips to the National Forest streams I carried a 35mm Minolta SLR, a couple of wide angle zoom lenses and a small collapsible tripod. I would wade upstream fishing the pools. If I spotted a section of creek or waterfall that was especially photogenic, I would set up the camera just above the water to capture an image. That image was only there at that time but would never be seen again except in the prints that I have.  There are many photos of near frozen streams and waterfalls covered with snow. There’s always more on a mountain stream than trout.

Veterans and Ladies Fishing Opportunity: Veterans Fishing and Ladies Fishing Day returns to Cave Spring Saturday July 16th at Rolater Park. This is a chance for veterans and ladies to catch some trout and be introduced to fly fishing. Veterans of all ages will access the pond to fish with fly rods for trout that morning. If the vet does not have his own fly rod, a loner will be provided. The women anglers will have the same chance that afternoon. Members of the Coosa Valley TU Chapter are accomplished fly casters and are willing to share their skills. Our TU members will be there to instruct the novice anglers and some door prizes will be given out. Pond fishing is fly rod only with the creek open to all types of fishing. Details will come in future columns. TU memberships for veterans and first responders will be available at no cost to those who have never been a TU member in the past.

I hope that some of these folks will become avid anglers and travel to the mountain streams for trout. While they are there maybe they will not focus exclusively on trout but open their eyes to see all that nature has to offer.

SMALL LAKE REPORT

Rocky Mountain Public Fishing Area: (Fishing report courtesy of Dennis Shiley, PFA Manger with Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division) — East and West Antioch Lakes: Over the past 2 weeks there has been an increase in the number of large Largemouth bass caught at Rocky Mountain PFA. In this week’s kayak Monday evening derby, it took 3 fish for a total of 63 inches to win. That is representative of how the bite is right now, not to say it won’t slow down but looking at the moon phase we are coming up to it, is only going to get better over the next 2 weeks even during the day.

Historically, the full moon coming in July has been one of the best times to catch a giant bass at Rocky. More precisely the 4 days centered around the full moon are the ticket if you want to catch a giant in the summer.

As of today, the largemouth are hitting worms and slower moving shad imitation baits. Chatterbaits and Spinnerbaits have all been producing good size fish. Concentrate on areas that have shad and water depths of 10 feet. Some topwater morning action and even midday action can be found in the right locations. Bank fishermen have been doing well were they can get to areas that are holding shad.

Walleye are also biting and will wrap up soon. Early to mid-summer is an ideal time to catch a walleye out of East or West Antioch. Several have been caught by fishing for bass with crank baits and chatterbaits. If you want to put some trolling time in, which is the best way to catch them this time of year, use a shad rap or a flicker shad that will dive to 8 to 10 feet. Troll areas that are 10’, you will be surprised what else you catch in that process.

As a reminder, Heath Lake is open the 1st through the 10th of July, you won’t be able to hit it during the full moon, but I expect it to be on fire for big Largemouth! Stay hydrated and be safe.

RESERVOIR REPORT 

Allatoona Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Allatoona is full, 80s. Bass fishing is fair. The best bet is the first light top water bite. Start with top water a white ½ ounce white buzz bait. Throw them right to the bank and hang on. The fish generally nail it as soon as it hits the water or they won’t bite at all. Keep moving and fish on the main lake points and steep banks. Pay particular attention to the mouths of creeks and pockets. As the top water slows switch to a white pearl Zoom Super Fluke or Trick Worm and throw to shady areas and around boat docks. If boat traffic allows, a green pumpkin Zoom finesse worm on a light Texas rig on long points will also work. Use the 3/8-ounce green pumpkin jig with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer in Root beer green pepper. After dark use the big-bladed spinnerbait along steep banks and long points. Crank baits are beginning to catch a few as well. The bigger fish are deeper and ride the ledges with the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to find the fish. The Lowrance Fish Reveal on the Down Scan all but eliminates the need for Sonar. Remember as the day heats up slow the bait down. 

Lake Hartwell Bass: (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Lake Hartwell is Full, 80’s. — Bass fishing is fair. It will take several different patterns this week to catch a limit. Early in the morning, before the sun comes over the treetops, isolated schools or small shad are breaking the surface. With the warm water and the small size of the shad, now is a good time to downsize the baits. Small Chug Bugs thrown directly at these rising shad will get a bite. The drop shot on braid will work at 20 to 30 feet deep. Keep the El Choppo ready and cast this bait right down the center of the deeper coves. Try the silver #5 Shad Raps or the jointed Shad Raps as well. Work these baits along rocky, main lake points and the rocky banks between points. Stay on the top water and crank bait pattern until around 10:30 a.m. As long as the fish are biting, don’t change a thing. Colors may vary from day to day, but make sure to have shad and fire tiger colors ready. Changing the baits from time to time might be necessary. Rain is expected at any time during the day, but if the sun comes out, the bass are moving out to deeper water in the 10-to-20-foot range. It will be necessary to have a Carolina Rig and Deep Diving Crank baits like the Rapala DT10, DT14 and the Number 7 Shad Raps. Switch from shallow water cranking to deep water cranking lake points and channel ledges at this time. Get the bait down with a few quick turns of the handle, and then use a very slow retrieve to entice the bite. Use the Carolina Rigs on main lake points and around the deeper boat docks.

LAKE LANIER – Lake Lanier is Full, 70s

  • Lanier Bass (Report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770 366 8845 Pjohnson15@hotmail.com) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. Can you say hot! The weather is definitely going to drive the water temperature up and move the fish into their summer homes. For now, the topwater bite is still going on especially early and late in the day. The spotted bass are located in twenty-five to thirty-five foot brush, long points, and humps. The Jerkshad has been a solid producer this week along with the PJ, Sebile and Red fin. The Whopper Plopper has even worked if there is a good wind. It’s a good idea to have a three eights Spotchoker with a small Keitech on it to be able to reach the fish that are always schooling a little too far from the boat. When it is calm or the morning bite fades it’s time to work the drop shot. I’m working this on a seven-foot six medium action rod with ten-pound braid and a fifteen foot leader of eight pound fluorocarbon. I prefer at least a three eights weight and may go heavier on windy days. It’s important to be able to get the bait to the fish as quickly as possible when you see the on your Panoptics. The Blue Lily and Morning Dawn have been the best colors for the week. These Spots are going to be in the same areas as they were for the topwater bite. The worm bite is still there and is located mainly on the deeper docks now. A watermelon red or green pumpkin trick worm will draw the most strikes. The night bite has picked up on the Georgia Blade spinnerbait along with a DT10 crankbait. Look for the rocky points and humps for your best fish. It is really, really hot out there so be careful in the heat but they are still biting so Go Catch ‘Em! 
  • Lanier Stripers (report is courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tales charters 404 510 1778) — Lake Lanier stripers are looking for cool water the temp is 87 degrees, so they are moving to the south end. Down line blue backs will be the ticket for the next couple of months. Locate the bait using your electronics over points and ditches set up on the spot lock and start drumming and bring the schools into your areas. The jigging will be turning on so have one ready. Remember to wear your life jackets. 
  • Lanier Crappie (report is courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton 770 530-6493) — The early morning bite has been really good. Look at docks in 15 to-30 foot of water near a main channel for suspended fish. You can set colors on your fishing charts to easily locate these targeted depths. I have my fishing chart set red for 15 to 30 feet deep. So, if I see a dock in the red shade zone, I know to scan that dock for crappie. Also look at blow downs off steep banks or trees that extend 50 to 70 feet off the banks. If you are using jigs, I would recommend a white or a translucent body with sparkles or the blue grass color combination. Remember to retrieve slow and give the jig time to sink to the level of the fish. 60% of this week’s catch came on minnows. I am setting minnows at 10 to 12 feet deep most of the time. Crappie love the shade so cast into the shadows or shaded areas of dock. When dock shooting the biggest fish are usually the first to bite. I’m using the skippers jig moon jigs use (promo code heroes) when ordering. I use ATX lure company’s jigs on a lip thrashin lure. I use 5-pound test high visibility yellow k9 braid for my line unless I am using a bobber then it’s the k9 6-pound high vis line k9fishing.com and a Piscifun reel on a Acc crappie Stix. I use Garmin Live Scope and the Navionics Boating app. Find me on Facebook and like my pages #crappieonlanier & #fishingwitheverydayheroes

WEISS LAKE (Report courtesy of Mark Collins www.markcollins service.com)—

  • Weiss Bass fishing is good and they are moving to the creek and river channel ledges. The deep running crank baits and Carolina rigs are catching fish. 
  • Weiss Crappie fishing is fair and they are done spawning and they are on deeper brush in 10 to 18 feet of water. These fish can be caught spider rigging with minnows and Jiffy Jigs. Some Crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs.
  • Weiss Striper fishing is fair and they are starting to show up in the lower Chattooga River, and the Cave hole and Little Spring Creek.
  • Weiss Catfish are biting in the bays and creeks in 8 to 15 feet of water and cut bait is working best.

West Point Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is slow. Go early or at dusk to avoid the heat. Fish depths at 18 to 20 feet of water on roadbeds, humps, main lake structure, and the mouths of creeks. Use the Carolina rigged finesse worm or deep diving crank bait. The fish are deeper so ride the ledges and old deeper roadbeds with the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to find the fish. The Lowrance Fish Reveal on the Down Scan all but eliminates the need for Sonar. The smaller bass are schooling all over the lake and best baits are small rooster tails and Rat L Traps. The shallow morning bite with buzz baits along the shallow riverbanks is worth a shot. Use the Lucky Craft Redemption spinnerbaits and any top water lures on any structure or rip rap. Never overlook the bridges on this lake. Shad Raps are still getting a few good bass off the rip rap and the shad and tiger colors are fair. Down the lake near the deeper water, the plastic worm bite is fair. Just be patient and let the worm hug the bottom. Carolina rigged finesse worms in the dark green colors seem to be working the best. Look for wood and rock near points for the best results.

West Point Water Level Information: Find West Point Water Level Information HERE.

 

RIVER REPORT

Etowah Striper Fishing: Etowah Striper fishing information and reports can be found at the On the Fly website.

CENTRAL GEORGIA

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

Reservoir Fishing Reports Courtesy of Southern Fishing with Ken Sturdivant.  

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL 80’S

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

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 80’S

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

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80’S

(This Lake Oconee fishing report is by Captain Mark Smith, Reel Time Service) —

  • Bass: Bass fishing is fair. Using a Carolina rigged Zoom finesse or u tail worm, fish the long points and underwater islands around Reynolds Plantation and the Great Water areas of the lake.  When Georgia Power is generating, fish in 5 to 10 foot of water and if they are not generating back off and fish in 10 to 20 foot of water.  Fish as slow as you can.  A big crankbait fished in the same areas will also bring a few bites.
  • Crappie: Crappie fishing is good, and they are in their summertime spots on deep water brush and humps in 12 to 20 foot of water. Best bait to use is a live minnow on 6-pound line and fishing on the drop off of the underwater humps.  Begin fishing from 10 feet out to the deeper water until you find the fish.
  • Hybrids: Hybrids are schooling early and late in the day at the mouth of Sugar Creek, the Hwy 44 Bridge and on the Pipeline. A ¼ ounce Rat L Trap or a popping cork with a fly on a 25-inch leader will catch a few of these fish.  Have a popping cork ready all day as these fish tend to surface and go back down at will.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.6 FEET, 80’S                      

Bass fishing is fair.  Top water baits continue to produce during early morning and late afternoon.  Buzz baits have caught some quality bass the last few days.  Most top water bites continue to come from along main riverbanks and just inside the mouth of coves.  Some bites have been around blow downs, stumps, and grass, but others have been along seawalls with no apparent cover.  More typical hard baits such as Pop R’s, Chug Bug’s, and Torpedo’s should also be tried.  Docks and boat houses continue to hold bass that are hitting soft plastics mostly.  Look for deeper docks located near even deeper water.  The presence of brush under or near a dock also increases the chances of success.  Zoom Trick worms and Yamamoto Senko’s have both been good choices recently.  Green pumpkin and June bug are reliable colors for each.  Use the lightest weight possible on either worm rigged Texas style.  A lot of bass are now located around open water structure such as points, humps, flats, and ledges.  Depths are varying from 8 to over 20 feet deep.  Most of the fish are hitting Carolina rigs.  A 3-foot leader of 12-pound line matches well with 14 to 17-pound main line and a half ounce weight.  Several different worms have produced well, including Zoom baits Trick, finesse, and U Tale. Red bug, June bug, green pumpkin, and watermelon are a few good color choices.  A few of these open water fish (especially larger bass) may also hit larger worm’s rigged Texas or Carolina style.  Crank baits can also be the best choice, especially during power generation.  Some good choices are Norman DD14 and DD22, Fat Free Shad in ½ and ¾ ounce sizes, and Rapala DT10 and DT16.  Varying chartreuse and shad patterns have worked well.  A jig head and Finesse worm should also produce an extra fish or two after the bite has slowed.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 80’S

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

MCDUFFIE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (More Info HERE)

  • Happy Angler with a nice Bass from McDuffie PFA.

    Water Temperature: Morning temps 75+ F

  • Water Visibility: 22-48+ in

Bass:  The bass are still biting early morning and late evenings.  Running black worms and shad look alike lures parallel to the banks is still yielding nice fish and in deeper water through cuts and peninsulas.  Following shad schools is always a good bet.

Bream:  Nice fish are lining the peninsulas of both Willow and Bridge Lakes.  Successful anglers are using crickets, worms, and black soldier fly larvae.  They are also biting deeper with warmer temperatures as well.  Sink your baits a bit deeper than normal near structures, water intakes and siphon structures.

Channel Catfish:  Catfish bite is has remained steady.  The fish are biting on the usual stink baits and worms.  Try casting into deeper water from the docks across the area and the dams of Bridge Lake.

Striped Bass: Striped bass and hybrids are still being caught topwater on Bridge Lake.  Nice four to six-pound stripers have been caught repeatedly, lately.

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

The heat is definitely here, as the first 100+ temps in a WHILE are pounding us. Fishing early and late or even at night is the way to go during the heat.

River gages on June 23rd were:

  • Clyo on the Savannah River – 5.8 feet and rising
  • Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 1.3 feet and falling
  • Doctortown on the Altamaha – 4.3 feet and falling
  • Waycross on the Satilla – 4.7 feet and falling (86 degrees)
  • Atkinson on the Satilla – 3.8 feet and falling
  • Macclenny on the St Marys – 2.6 feet and falling

New Moon is June 29th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE. For the latest marine forecast, click HERE.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Ed Zmarzly and Justin Bythwood fished the lower Altamaha on Monday and had a pretty solid day for bass. Ed started with a bang – landing a 5.6-pounder on a topwater. They continued to plug away and caught a total of 14 bass. Their biggest five fish weighed 12.2 pounds. They pitched plastic crawfish and creature baits to cover for most of their fish. A Waycross angler fished the lower river on Monday and caught 11 fish. Half were bass up to 1 1/2 pounds and the other half were panfish. The panfish were the species worth noting, as his biggest crappie was 1 1/4 pounds, both his redbreasts were hand-sized, and his pair of warmouth were both over 10 inches. He caught a bass on a pink floating worm, and the rest of his bass and panfish were on black-chartreuse and copperfield 1/8-oz. Satilla Spins. Other anglers fishing crickets and worms for panfish did really well over the last week. Some nice shellcrackers were caught. Some anglers I talked with did well and others struggled for catfish this week. The bigger flatheads ate live bait (redbreasts and goldfish) and blues and channels were fooled mostly with worms, shrimp, and cut bait. A few folks mullet fished this week, but I didn’t hear any good reports. That bite should be really picking up now that the river is dropping and water is warming. Mullet have been jumping, so they are around.

SATILLA RIVER

The river fell out pretty quickly after last week’s rains, and it’s float trip time again. I talked with a couple anglers who walked the upper river and caught some small bream and redbreasts on crickets. I didn’t hear of any big fish this week, but I’m sure someone caught some big roosters.

ST MARYS RIVER

Catfishing was the best I heard of. Anglers fishing shrimp or worms on the bottom did best. The next Shady Bream Tournament is this Saturday (6/25), and it is a co-ed format. So, bring your better half and compete. For more information on the Shady Bream Tournament trail, check them out on Facebook.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Nathan Nissley fished with a friend on the east side on Sunday afternoon and caught a bunch of fish. They cast and trolled Dura-Spins for their fish. They ended up catching a 16-inch chain pickerel, a gar, and 54 bowfin. Their biggest mudfish pulling the scales down to 6-lb., 12-oz. Color didn’t matter that day, as they caught fish on every color they tried. It seemed that crawfish and jackfish were the most consistent, though. Nathan caught his first jackfish and mudfish during this, his first trip to the swamp. Thomas Powell fished the east side this week and caught a big jackfish and some good-sized mudfish. Another angler caught a huge mudfish on a Dura-Spin, but he didn’t get a weight on it. The latest water level (Folkston side) was 120.82 feet.

Teddy Elrod of Brunswick put it on the bass Saturday in a Brunswick area pond. He and a friend caught 51 bass up to 5 pounds on crankbaits and vibrating jigs.

LOCAL PONDS

Teddy Elrod and a friend had a great day for bass on Saturday in a Brunswick area pond. Rapala DT6 crankbaits in shad patterns and green pumpkin and copperfield vibrating jigs fooled most of their 51 bass during their 5-hour trip in the middle of the day. Their bass were between a pound and 5 pounds. Their biggest 5 fish weighed about 21 pounds. Bream reports were very good from those pitching crickets or flinging topwater flies to shoreline cover in Waycross area ponds. Daniel Johnson and Chad Lee fished several quick trips this week in Alma area ponds. Daniel caught the biggest of the week – a 5-pound bass – on Tuesday while flinging a buzzbait. On Wednesday, they caught 5 bass each on buzzbaits and Christie Craws. Most of their fish were in the 2-pound range. Chad caught a 3-pounder on a jig right before dark.

Chuck Coomer of Woodbine caught this throwback tripletail in the Brunswick area last week while using a live shrimp under a float.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

I know of several trips that were canceled this week because of the incessant easterly winds. The bank seems like it was the place to fish this week. Steve and Brenda Hampton fished the Jekyll Island Pier on Wednesday, and Brenda caught a really nice flounder. Steve lost three nice flatties, with the biggest he estimated at 24 inches. Mudminnows and live shrimp got their bites. They went back again on Thursday but could manage only 2 throwback flatties. Steve said he believes that the fish moved deeper in the extreme heat. An angler fishing the Jekyll beach caught several whiting on shrimp fished in the trough just off the beach. A few big trout were reported from the St Simons Pier. They floated live shrimp for the big trout. For guide trip information, call Capt. Greg Hildreth at (912) 617-1980 or check out his website (georgiacharterfishing.com). For the latest fishing information or live shrimp in the Brunswick area, check with J&P Bait and Tackle on Hwy 303 (912-282-9705).