Brandon Myers completed his 2023 Bass Slam (this is the 4th year he has done it). Way to go Brandon!

We know you don’t need another reason to go fishing – but here are some excellent points about why fishing in Georgia is so great: We have six different ecoregions and 100 miles of Atlantic shoreline which provide a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater game-fish species, in addition to a range of beautiful settings. This range of habitats makes Georgia a biodiversity hotspot for many types of flora and fauna, including fishes, and makes for a truly amazing angling experience. We have an abundance of information available to anglers on our website to help find the best places to go/species to target/suggested times of day/best baits/interactive maps/boat ramp locations and so much more. And, we have programs (Georgia Bass Slam, Georgia Trout Slam, and the Angler Award program) that reward you for fishing – how great is that? 

NEWS TO KNOW:

  • Fish Art Contest is O-Fish-Ally underway: Using art and writing, creators and administrators of this international contest hope it can ignite children’s imagination and inspire them to discover more about fish and fishing. The program is free to enter and open to youth in kindergarten through grade 12 anywhere in the world. Find out More Here…
  • Time to Mark the Calendar for a Celebration: National Hunting and Fishing Day, the fourth Saturday of every September, is a day meant to recognize generations of hunters and anglers that have given their time and money to help make wildlife conservation programs a success. You are invited to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day (Sat. Sept. 23) at any of the FREE scheduled events taking place across the state, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
  • Boats to See-Fishing Experts to Hear: The Lake Lanier Boat Show is at Lake Lanier Islands on September 29 -October 1, 2023.  Click HERE to find the seminar schedule, ticket links and more info. Seminars and speakers are subject to change without notice.

This week we have fishing reports from Southeast, North and Central Georgia. If you need a reason to Go Fish Georgia, we hope we gave you some good ones to put in your knowledge bank the next time you need them. 

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)

There were not many fishing reports due to storm clean-up, school starting, and the heat, but the few who went did well. The rivers (except the St Marys) are all high so spend your time on the St Marys, the Okefenokee Swamp, ponds, or saltwater this weekend.

River gages on September 7th were:

  • Clyo on the Savannah River – 3 feet and falling
  • Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 4.2 feet and falling
  • Doctortown on the Altamaha – 9.1 feet and falling
  • Waycross on the Satilla – 16.0 feet and falling
  • Atkinson on the Satilla – 16.3 feet and rising
  • Statenville on the Alapaha – 12.9 feet and falling
  • Macclenny on the St Marys – 4.3 feet and falling
  • Fargo on the Suwannee – 4.5 feet and falling

New Moon is September 15th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE. For the latest marine forecast, click HERE.

Matt Rouse of St. George fished the upper St Marys River on Monday and caught several nice bluegills and redbreasts on opening night Satilla Spins.

Ellie Deener of Athens caught this 8-lb., 14-oz. bowfin on a chartreuse snowflake Dura-Spin while fishing the east side of Okefenokee Swamp on Saturday.

ST. MARYS RIVER

Matt Rouse fished the upper river on Monday and had a fun day. Even in the off-color water, he caught several big bluegill and rooster redbreasts on opening night-colored Satilla Spins. The panfish bite slowed for him about 10am. He found a shady spot and put some shrimp on the bottom and caught a few nice catfish and a couple bowfin weighing about 2 pounds apiece.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The refuge was closed a couple days after the hurricane but reopened on Friday. Ellie (my daughter) fished with me on the east side of Okefenokee Swamp on Saturday morning, and we had a great trip. There was very little additional debris in the canals, which very much surprised me. We pitched sallies for 10 minutes in my favorite flier spots and didn’t catch any, and then we trolled and flung Dura-Spins. We fished a total of about 3 hours and caught 42 fish. We had 4 pickerel up to 17 inches (all caught by casting) and 38 bowfin (mudfish) up to 8-lb., 14-oz. Our second heaviest was a 5-lb., 15-oz bowfin. The others were mostly 2 to 3 pounds. The biggest bowfin ate a chartreuse snowflake version, but the best overall color was lemon-lime (chartreuse blade). We caught a few fish each on jackfish, crawfish (both orange and brass blades) and fire tiger-chartreuse blade. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.56 feet.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

The mullet run is getting cranked up and fish are chowing down on them. Tarpon and bull reds are around in their usual haunts at the jetties and sounds. Capt. Greg Hildreth (georgiacharterfishing.com) put his clients on tarpon, whiting and pompano this week. They caught tarpon on live bait in the sounds and beaches. On Wednesday they caught a 120-pounder. Whiting and pompano ate dead shrimp fished on the bottom. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) had a good flounder and redfish day on Tuesday. His charter worked a white Gulp Swimming Mullet on a jighead for 6 flounder and 6 reds (all fish were keepers). They kept 4 of the flounder. On Wednesday they fished live shrimp and caught 25 redfish, with about half above the 14-inch minimum and half just shy of keeper size. They had a good flounder, black drum, and sheepshead in the mix.

NORTH GEORGIA

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

Noah Timberlake wanted this Lake Burton Largemouth Bass catch!

Sam Steele with a Redear Sunfish from Lake Seed.

With cooler weather on the horizon there’s no time like the present to get out and fish north Georgia waters. Whether its 2-lb bream you seek like Mr. Sam Steele, or pole-stealing bass you’re willing to chase into Lake Burton (literally) like youth angler Noah Timberlake, north Georgia’s fishing opportunities are endless. We hope to see you on the water this weekend!

RESERVOIR REPORT 

Allatoona Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant via www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is good. The bite is steady, and a variety of baits are working. Try small swimbaits like the Keitech 3-inch Paddle Tail fished on a 3/16-ounce Picasso 2/0 round ball head. The bait can be fished around blowdowns or open water for schooling fish. Both areas are producing right now. The key is to count it down to the depth the fish are using and then retrieve at slow to medium pace. There is also a good shaky head worm bite around Red Top. Areas around the mouth of Stamp Creek are producing. Use a 1/8- or 3/16-ounce Picasso Shakedown head and a Big Bite Baits 6-inch green pumpkin finesse worm. Use a fluorocarbon 7-pound test Sunline Sniper line and a medium heavy spinning rod. Flat points have been best early and late in the day and the stiff breeze has been positioning the fish lately. Typically, only two to three fish are caught per point then the school moves off or slows down. Keep moving to find active fish, and always keep an eye on the Lowrance electronics for baitfish and active bass. The Active Target has also been helping anglers get baits right to the fish. When the water drops anglers will experience some slow periods of fishing as the bait and bass begin to transition toward fall locations. Shallow will be the most consistent bite when fishing gets tough. Keep one eye on the Lowrance Structure Scan technology and when fish show up on the graph have a drop a drop shot on their head, and they will usually bite. One local favorite spot is any of the bridges.

Allatoona Mixed Bag (Report courtesy of Joseph Martinelli via www.heronoutdooradventures.com) — The fishing has gone from super slow to super-hot almost overnight. Speaking of nights – there’s been a fantastic evening bite on most all species including the spotted bass and linesides. There’s been some evening schooling of spotted, white and hybrid striped bass from Galts to Stamp Creek to Red Top. We haven’t been further than that stretch but likely happening in your stretch of water also on the northern and southern ends.

As the temperatures begin to cool down a little, we’ll begin seeing a little more topwater action in mornings and throughout the day, particularly when the fish are on a school of threadfin.

Keep your eyes sharp – there are oodles and oodles of schools of bait even over the main channel all throughout the lake. Most of this is young of a year bait. A keen eye on your electronics will typically indicate that even when you’re not seeing some topwater action here, the fish are underneath them keeping custody of their food for feeding time. Particularly here, if you are seeing schools of fish underneath and even though they may not be active on the school of bait, a deep drop with a larger flutter spoon and power reeling up through the column / school of fish can often illicit a bite. Sure, it’s work. Only way you’re going to see continuous results is by continually putting in the work.

If you’re mid-lake and watching the schools of bait closely, you may notice the ball that is starting to move faster or quickly changing direction (before you might spook them with the boat) – these are the ones to cast to immediately. Some species is likely working them and a quickly placed cast with a spoon, rooster tail or even a small topwater bait will often illicit a strike or two. The Slick stick, Sebile and Sashimmy swimmers have also been triggering some of the bigger fish bites.

Here’s another quick note – those spotted bass are continually being marked lately on point drops. We’ve had a couple of likely spots that have just been consistently stacked with maybe a few to a dozen or dozens of green fish. Small creature baits have been working for us in this situation. Anything from a nice Chattahoochee jigs tie to the Berkley Max-scent lil trooper or 4-5″ general or hit worm have produced decently. As for colors, we’ve just been using crawfish patterns and green pumpkin or blue/black colors. If your confidence color is purple haze or fluorescent orange, for example, then use that. Typically, after catching a couple on one bait, we’ll switch it up to try for a couple more before the school moves on a little. Go to next likely drop, side scan, confirm fish, reposition and repeat. If you’re all fancy and have some live sonar, you can skip likely skip the side scan:-). Something we often notice- anglers with their boat positioned right on over the prime part of the drop and casts not finishing up where the bottom strikers are. The bait is coming up to the boat when it should have still been creeping the bottom where the boat sits. Presentation is everything, friends.

Crappie – goodness I don’t want to tell but some horses have been caught 25-30ft. down over 50+ft bottoms during the day.

There’s just quick diddy from your hippy dippy fisherman. I will strive to be better with some weekly updates posted as time and space permit. To those that are signed up on our site, we’ll keep the daily/weekly tips in your inbox. Tight lines, friends!! 

Hartwell Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant via www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is fair. The cooler weather will start to change everything for the better. We have been catching some fish deep around brush and timber using drop shots with a Zoom Z Drop worm or a Zoom Swamp Crawler worm. Also, some bigger fish on humps and points near deeper water with a shaky head rigged with a Zoom Trick worm or Magnum Swamp Crawler. There has been a little schooling activity starting to fire up, and this should only get better with the water temperatures starting to cool down. For schooling fish keep a Zoom Super Fluke ready all day. Bass will come up feeding and get the bait in there quick. The baitfish and bass move around a lot this time of year, so I rely heavily on my Lowrance electronics to hit different areas until anglers find a group of active fish. 

Hartwell Linesides (Report courtesy of Cefus of Nuts and Bolts Fishing) — Summer is still here, with water temperatures in the mid to upper 80’s. The stripers and hybrids are biting well right now. But you have to be on the water early. When the sun rises above the tree line, the fish go deep and hunker down until late afternoon. And even then, you can still put some fish in the boat. You just need to change your tactics slightly. The thermocline is set up, and most cruising fish in the main channel are going to be hanging out in the 20-to-30-foot depths. Where are they? Right now, the best bite seems to be south of the Seneca River and Tugaloo River confluence. At first light, start looking in the backs of the creeks and pockets as shallow as 10 feet. A pearl Project X Saucertail rigged on a flutter hook is a great way to cover lots of water as you begin your search. Keep your SideScan looking left and right to see fish that your conventional sonar won’t find. As you move toward the mouth, start dropping live baits when you get to a depth of 25 feet. Put a couple right on the bottom, and a couple in the mid column. Creeks that have a distinct channel with the bottom dropping to 80 feet are good areas to target. If you can find deeper water without lots of timber, put out a spread with baits ranging 25 to 50 feet deep. While you’re waiting on a live bait bite, start power reeling with a 2-ounce WhoopA– Jig or a large Ben Parker spoon. As the sun gets higher, you need to go deeper. Keep your baits just above the standing timber, and when you get into a clear area, drop a couple down deep…60 feet or more. If you don’t have a drumming stick, you should. When you see fish sitting in the trees, start drumming and you can bring them up to snack on your baits. Umbrella rigs are also producing in the main river channel. Troll a fully loaded 4 arm rig about 75 feet behind the boat. Again, when you find an area without timber, you can slow the boat a bit, and let the rig drop a little deeper. As you see timber show up on your Simrad, speed the boat back up to raise the umbrella in the water column and avoid hang up’s. Be sure to have an umbrella rig retriever on board because you will have the occasional tree fish. As the sun begins to fade in the evening, spend some time at the shoal markers that are near the main channel. These humps will hold bait, and that brings in the line sides. Throw a MirroLure Top Dog in silver/blue or silver/black beyond the marker and work it across the hump…and hang on. Finally, if you really want to have some fun, stay out late and work the green lights with a Project X paddletail, a ½ ounce WhoopA– buck tail or even a large Rooster tail. Lots of hybrids, spotted bass and gar are cruising these lights this time of year. Get all your striper fishing gear and watch our Pro Tips for trolling umbrella rigs, fishing green lights, downlinking and more at NutsAndBoltsFishing.com.  

Lanier Bass (Report Courtesy of Phil Johnson via www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. Prior to the recent heavy rain the lake was down almost three and a half feet. Look for that level to rise over the next few days as the water continues to flow in from the rain. The main lake is clear with more stain now in the backs of the creeks and up the rivers. With the break from the massive heat this week the bass have become much more active. The top water bite has improved and is lasting throughout the day if there is wind. Fishing over areas such as humps long points in twenty-five to thirty-five feet of water with brush located close by have been the most productive areas. The top performers for the week on top were the Gunfish and Ima Skimmer. Chrome was best on sunny days and Bone worked better on the days with clouds. If they weren’t hitting the top water the Spotchoker Pro Series with a three-inch fluke was a good choice to bring through the same areas. Having Livescope was a key to being able to target these fish as they often weren’t locked tight onto the structure. It also allows you to work your bait at the depth the fish are located. Work this bait with a very erratic retrieve to trigger the strikes. The drop shot produced good numbers of fish also but not as many quality fish. Morning dawn, blue lily and LJ’s Passion were the dominate colors for the week. With the cooler weather this week look for the top water to get even better and the shallow water bite to begin to improve as the fish will soon be making their changes for fall. With the lower temperatures it’s a great time to be out there so Go Catch ‘Em! 

Lanier Crappie (Report Courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton via www.southernfishing.com) — This week we have been catching crappie shallow 10 to 15 foot deep over a 20-foot bottom. When it comes to bait, use small baits, and slow action, and target shaded areas. Use live small minnows straight down with a split shot or small jigs with a slow retrieval for the best results. In terms of timing, fishing during early morning or late evening when the temperature is slightly cooler is recommended. Look for covered docks near a channel the moving water is a little cooler and may have a little more oxygen making the fish more active. 

Lanier Stripers (Report Courtesy of Buck Cannon of Buck Tails Guide Service) — Lake Lanier stripers are down south near the dam from Shoal Creek and Bald Ridge in the cooler water. Trolling over the river channel using the umbrella rigs and lead core are both producing fish. Water temperature is in the high 80’s so it is critical to get the live baits down into the 35-to-40-foot depths. Don’t bring up a bait to “check it”. Be sure and watch the Lowrance to watch the baits swim around. Slow down and pay attention to the depths. Clipping the points and humps will result in more hookups. Down lines using blue backs has also produced some quality fish at 35 to 40 feet deep. Remember to wear your life jackets. 

West Point Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Bass fishing is slow. Try fishing the bridges and points by some deeper water. Fish are being caught on Shakey Heads with a red bug or green pumpkin finesse worm. Fish points and ledges with deep water nearby. Mid-lake and south bass are being caught a Lucky Craft Sammys and a suspending jerk baits in silver or shad pattern. Deep cranking is still catching fish however not the hottest pattern going. Try a Poe s 400 in the shad and Crawdad pattern. Make sure and feel the bottom and change the retrieve every so often. The upper lake fish are feeding better with the cooler waters from the river. Down lake fish the long steeper deep points on the main lake. Early look for the fish on the clay banks and throw Carolina rigged worms or pig and jigs. There are some bass schooling. Fish the jumps with a top water lure like a Pop R or a Sammy. Try some braid on a spinning reel and the casts can be a lot longer. Just be sure to tie the lures directly to the braid, no leader, with a double Palomar knot. From mid-morning the best baits by far will be a Zara Spook and the Sebile Swimmers. Also try the Spotsticker jig heads rigged with Zoom finesse worm and Spotsticker hand poured worms. Fish the moving baits out to 20 feet and get back in the creeks as soon as the sun is up on the water.

Lake Weiss Mixed Bag (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) –

  • Bass: Bass at Weiss are on a deeper, summer pattern on roadbeds, main lake points and creek and river channel ledges. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits are catching fish when they’re active. With the latest heat wave, the water has heated back up, and the fishing has gotten tougher. A good cooling trend in September should trigger some better fishing.
  • Crappie: Crappie fishing is fair. Most fish are out deep, showing up on deeper brush, where spider rigging with minnows is producing some fish. Night fishing under lights is the ticket for catching crappie right now. A cooling trend in September should trigger some better fishing.
  • Striped Bass: Striper fishing is good, and they are being caught in Little River and The Chattooga River on live shad downed lined and free lined.
  • Catfish: Catfish are biting in the bays and creeks in 8 to 15 feet of water. Cut bait is working best.

SMALL IMPOUNDMENT REPORT 

Nice bass catch from Antioch Lake at Rocky Mtn. PFA for Dr. Cooper.

Rocky Mountain Public Fishing Area (Report courtesy of fisheries biologist Jackson Sibley) — It’s just that time of year. The afternoons have been hot and humid, the bite has been slow, and many north Georgia outdoorsmen and women are opting to spend their weekends in the comfort of their air-conditioned living rooms or preparing for hunting season. But that doesn’t stop some anglers from braving the heat to chase Rocky giants. We’ve heard a mix of reports from our regulars recently, from striking out completely to one or two early to a bag limit of nice fish. One of our regular fly anglers, Dr. Gayland Cooper of Rome, shared an account of a 2.5-lb “fat and healthy” largemouth from West Antioch late last week. He noted that it was caught on a barbless popping bug while fishing from the bank—quite the fight on his fly outfit! Another angler says that he prefers the afternoons at Rocky this time of year, having landed several over 5-lbs in the last few weeks including this 6.5-lb largemouth.

As surface temperatures are lingering in the mid- to high-80s, fish are still likely to be seeking cooler water and may be schooling in the shade or near offshore structure in 5-10 feet of water. A slow presentation of natural-looking baits can be your best bet. Think jigs, Carolina rigs, and drop shot. More info about Rocky Mountain PFA HERE. 

TROUT REPORT 

Where Can I find Info About Trout Fishing? To learn about Georgia’s diverse trout fishing opportunities including the latest stocking information, check out the Georgia DNR Trout Fishing page.

Success on the water with trout in hand!

Stocked Trout (Report courtesy of Georgia Trout Stocking Coordinator John Lee Thomson) — Just because the stocking trucks didn’t run this week doesn’t mean there are not great trout fishing trips to be had. This year over 850,000 trout have been stocked and undoubtably there are some holdovers from previous stockings wanting for you. Target the waterbodies that remained cool enough to accept stockings in August. Another good tip is to fish away from the heavily pressured traditional stocking points. Those trout that have been reluctant to bite in the past are enjoying these cooler mornings and feeling the urge to feed again. Take advantage and put a few on your stringer. Best bets for holdover brown trout include Dicks and Boggs Creek in Lumpkin County, the Chattahoochee River and Low Gap Creek on the Chattahoochee WMA and the Tallulah River in Rabun County.

Trout Stream Report from Georgia Wild Trout (Report courtesy of Tad Murdock of Georgia Wild Trout) — September has arrived. The bug diversity is rising as the hatches have begun to increase once again. Caddis and midges continue to be the most abundant in the streams I have visited over the past few weeks with the occasional mayfly here and there. We have even seen a handful of the October caddis that can quickly get the trout looking to the surface. The trout have been incredibly active and temperamental at times but can be caught on just about any nymph or junk pattern in the box if it’s presented correctly. The trout activity has been tied closely to the rains. If you manage to catch the timing right, the dry fly bite can be excellent. Larger dry fly patters (caddis, stimulators, and hoppers) have done well at these times when the fish are looking up for a meal. A dry dropper has become a go to when sight fishing trout in skinny water with a stealthier presentation. The lower water levels on days without rainfall can be difficult as the trout become skittish. If you can get into position without spooking the fish, chances are you can get a good shot at the trout.

  • Blue Ridge Trout Fishing in September: The lower elevation sections of the Upper Toccoa, Boardtown, Hemptown, and Fightingtown are still a touch on the warm side and still low, even with the recent rains. The higher elevation streams are surprisingly cool considering the low water. The wild trout streams of the upper Toccoa have seen the best bite around Blue Ridge. Dry Flies will continue to be staples until the water levels begin to rise again. Look for the seasonal migrations to begin towards the end of the months. They will typically correspond with a heavier and cooler rains.
  • Ellijay Trout Fishing in September: Trout fishing around the Ellijay area continues to be slow but should pick up with additional rains towards the end of the month. Trout stocking in Ellijay will stay slow until the end of the month as we enter Fall.
  • Dahlonega Trout Fishing in September: Fly fishing in Dahlonega has been fair the past several weeks but should improve in coming weeks. The Stocked creeks around Dahlonega should be slow in September which will spread out the fishing pressure which causes the smaller trout streams to be less productive. Wild trout should begin congregating in their normal holes during this low water time of the year. Downsizing flies will yield more bites in the circumstances.

Be on the lookout for more North Georgia trout fishing tips this month. The fall transition is a great time to be on the water. The transition is one of the best times of year to run across a trophy fish, or best trout of the year. Our upcoming articles will detail where and when you need to be on the water to capitalize on these opportunities, so keep your eyes on the Georgia Wild Trout site and Facebook page.

Trout and More (This report courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters) — Check out Unicoi Outfitter’s regular “Angler Management” fishing reports HERE.   

Parting Trout Note:  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.

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 BELOW COURTESY OF SOUTHERN FISHING WITH KEN STURDIVANT.

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair.  Buzz Baits fished along rocky points will produce the first hour of day light.  Fish the buzz baits along the points on the south end of the lake.  Some fish are under the deep-water ledges.  This is when the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology can unlock the locations many anglers miss.  Alabama rigs are also fair, and the fish are active right at day light on the lower lake min lake points.  If there is any top water action, use a top water lure like a Pop R or a Sammy.  Try some braid on a spinning reel and the casts can be a lot longer.  Just be sure to tie the lures directly to the braid, no leader, with a double Palomar knot.  Try a Zoom U tail natural blue worm on a Texas rig.  The humps on the lower end of the lake have also been producing when water is moving.  Now use the Carolina rigged worm on the humps.

CLARKS HILL LAKE IS DOWN 3.1 FEET, 80’S

Bass are starting to school up so be prepared with a Whopper Plopper and a Zoom pearl Super fluke.  Common locations now are bass schooling on humps on the main lake.  Throwing top waters and flukes at fish busting or just fan casting across the humps will produce fish.  Keep one eye on the Lowrance Structure Scan technology and when fish show up on the graph have lower a drop shot on their head, and they will usually bite.  One local favorite spot is any of the bridges.  Small herring will feed up on the shady sides of the bridges.  The bass will bust them up so throwing top waters will produce fish in these areas.  There is also a shallow buzz bait bite that can produce the more quality fish this time of year.  But this is hit or miss for now, but a few casts are worth the effort for a few bites a day.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair.  As the water cools down find any cooler water on a windblown point and get out the Husky Jerk Baits or the Rapala DT10.  The Ito Vision 110 with a slow retrieve seems to be working the best.  Slow crank the ledges for the best results.  Bass are still biting up in the narrow part of the rivers on top water, crank baits and plastics or small jigs.  The earlier action is best.  Pop R top water baits and the Rico are worth a few casts on any point or on any rock formations.  After the top water dies off, go to the Rapala Ott’s Garage OG8 in the white with green back.  Also try the Rapala DT6 or the Fat Free Shad in shad patterns and of course the Rapala #5 Shad Raps as well.  Try using jigs and plastics around wood during the mid-day period.  Expect bites to be slow all during the day.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.5 FEET, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair.  The action has started to pick back up with a few good fish being caught.  Most fish are being caught on Carolina rigged Zoom finesse or Zoom U tail worms in the green pumpkin or watermelon color.  Fish these baits on 12-pound test Sufix Elite line with a 2 to 3-foot leader and a Carolina keeper.  Alabama rigs are also fair, and the fish are active right at day light on the lower lake points.  If there is any top water use a top water lure like a Pop R or a Sammy.  Try some braid on a spinning reel and the casts can be a lot longer.  Just be sure to tie the lures directly to the braid, no leader, with a double Palomar knot.  Use the Fat Albert pearl grubs on the Alabama rig with a ¼ ounce plain lead head jig.  Fish the long main lake points and underwater islands.  A Norman Deep Little N fished in the same area has been catching some good fish.  The best bite is at daylight and then at dusk.

LAKE JACKSON IS DOWN .6 FEET, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair.  The bite has been picking up.  All the fish are small, and the best action lake wide has been close to the dam.  Jigs in combinations of browns and greens are fair but use small ones.  Mid-morning there has been a top water bite that coincides with the Fish and Game Forecaster.  So, a Devils Horse or a Whopper Plopper can work and keep the bait moving.  Then sue the jigs fished slowly around all wood in both shallow and deep water.  Never overlook all the lakes docks.  And work the docks from all sides and angles.  Use small 1/4- and 3/8-ounce jigs with small pork or Zoom salt trailers.  And do not forget to add some Jacks Juice to the lures.  Carolina rigged worms and small ones fished off the points are catching a few small spots and greens are the right colors.  Pumpkinseed, green pumpkin, and watermelon seed are fair and use a Carolina rig with 1/4 to ½ ounce weights.  Later in the day fish with the #5 Rapala Shad Rap at the small points along the main channels.

The Lake Lanier Boat Show is at Lake Lanier Islands on September 29 -October 1, 2023.  Click HERE to find the seminar schedule, ticket links and more info. Seminars and speakers are subject to change without notice.