I appreciate the cold weather. I really do. I mean, less bugs when I am fishing is always a plus. But, it does take a little extra planning because I definitely don’t like to get cold when I fish. What items are on your must-have “don’t get cold” checklist (base layer, hat, gloves, etc.) to ensure a fishing trip doesn’t end early? 

NEWS TO KNOW:

  • Let’s Get Some Fishing Knowledge at the Boat Show: Ken Sturdivant, of Southern Fishing with Ken Sturdivant, will host all the LET’S GO FISHING SEMINARS at the 2024 Atlanta Boat Show. The Boat Show runs January 11-14, 2024 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Meet many of the fishing gurus whose wise words of fishing we often share with you here on this blog, such as Ken Sturdivant, Matt Driver, Captain Cefus McRae, Rick Burns, Captain Josh Thornton, Phil Johnson, Rene Hesse, Chris Scalley, and Erica Delana in the Let’s Go Fishing Seminar area. 
  • Renovation Continues at Go Fish: The Go Fish Education Center in Perry, GA will remain closed through the month of December as they continue to work on a renovation and refresh to exhibits, interactive opportunities and aquariums. The re-opening date looks to be in early January.  

This week, we have fishing reports from North, Central and Southeast Georgia. Bundle up! Don’t let the cold keep you from hitting the water as you Go Fish Georgia! 

NORTH GEORGIA

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

With colder mornings and cool afternoons, the winter fishing patterns are starting to solidify.  Below are the latest tricks and tips from the fishing experts to help increase your chances of success.

RESERVOIR REPORT 

LAKE ALLATOONA

Crappie (Report courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits) –The lake level is dropping, and water temperatures range from 50 degrees in the morning up to 55 degrees by late-afternoon.  Lake turnover coupled with cold and windy days plus a full moon took its toll on fishing this week.  Fortunately, conditions are improving and so should the bite. Crappie are being caught near the mouth of the Little River and fish are holding tight to the bottom.  Anglers may also want to try the mid-lake areas near Galt’s and Kellogg Creek.  Most fish are small but still fun to catch.  The hot jigs this week were the Watermelon Red Dagger, Watermelon Ghost Dagger, Gray Ghost Dagger & Cajun Chicken Dagger. 

Bass (Report courtesy of Allatoona tournament bass angler Matt Driver) — There are two patterns to follow in December. Suspended bass and deeper, bottom hugging bass. For suspended fish and we tend to stay in the main lake around point and bluff walls. The bass tend to key in on the 10-to-14-foot range. Our favorite techniques are the jerk bait and a rig and we tend to slow down quite a bit. We use several jerk baits that run at different depths. The Mega Bass 110, the Pointer 100, and the Strike King KVD in the 200 and 300. We like to fish it as fast as the fish will let me. Start off fast and slow down until we start getting bit. A lot of the time the hit comes during the pause. Let the fish key in on the proper cadence. Lighter line allows to get the bait deeper. Use 5-to-10-pound Sunline fluorocarbon. The Alabama rig is the Picasso bait ball. Downsize the baits in the winter. Try a 3-inch paddle tail. Make long casts, count it down to 10 and slow roll it back. For the bass holding tight to the bottom use the 3/8 Little Spotty by Picasso. The green pumpkin amber is my go-to color. The key is a slow retrieve. Feel every rock on the bottom. Try the medium heavy Shimano Expired 7-foot jig rod and 12 pound test Sunline fluorocarbon line. Fish main lake points and parallel bluff walls. Concentrate on areas north of Bethany Bridge. Fish the mouth of Stamp and McCaskey creeks and up to the mouth of Illinois Creek. 

Linesides (Report courtesy of Robert Eidson www.firstbiteguideservice.com) — Flatlines, planer boards, downlines, umbrella rigs and spoons are all working well. The northern end of the lake is fishing best. The bigger fish are coming from Victoria up to Fields Landing. The bigger number of hybrids and white bass are coming mid-lake from Victoria to Stamp Creek. Downlining threadfin shad and shiners is your best bet for quantity. All the flats mid-lake are holding fish at sunup. Once the sun gets up, swap over to Mini Mack rigs and spoons.

CARTERS LAKE

Bass (Report courtesy of Guide Bill Payne) — We continue to catch spots on shaky heads like the Picasso Rhino Head in 3/16-oz with a Softy Lures finesse worm. This bite will continue to be fairly strong into December and through the winter out on long points, humps and breaklines with cover in the 20- to 35-foot depths.  One of the best baits for bass that are following baitfish into deeper water is the old and reliable 3/4-oz. jigging spoon, like a Hopkins or Georgia Blade’s jigging spoon. These fish can be caught around bait anywhere from 20 to 60 feet deep, and it doesn’t matter how deep the bottom is. Other lures like an underspin in 3/8- or 1/2-oz., as well as blade baits, like the Silver Buddy or a tail spinner like the new Jackall Deracoup will put fish in the boat as well. December has traditionally been the best month for a jig for me. My favorite is the Picasso Little Spotty tungsten football jig in any of their crawfish imitation colors tipped with a Zoom Creepy Crawler twin tail. Even though deep water gets lots of attention during December and on through the winter, nasty weather with rain, sleet or snow has a way of moving the big spots up shallow, and techniques like the Float-n-Fly can produce some big catches. Add a little wind and it can get really miserable out on Carters, but a spinnerbait and a jerkbait can pay huge dividends with big spotted bass.”

Bass (Report courtesy of Louie Bartenfield, http://www.carterslakeguideservice.com/) — We are catching spotted bass on drop shots, 1/4oz spoons, & a Spotsticker underspin tipped with a small fluke or swimming fluke. Look for the spots in the back 1/3 of major creeks around channel bends & the steepest/vertical side of points. I’m targeting fish in 30-60ft of water.  Keep a very close eye on your electronics and watch closely for schools of spots hovering over bait balls.  Some of these fish will also be suspended over much deeper water, 60-100ft. Back off & fish slow!

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (Report courtesy of Rick Owen www.captmacks.com) — Bass are biting on main lake creek ledges and in the mouth of the creeks. Rapala DT bream crank baits are fair and use light line to get the baits deep. Use the Texas or Carolina rigged worms in Zoom red shad or gourd green and use the brass and glass weight for extra sound. Work all slow lures all the way back to the boat on the points and ledges. Up river in the creeks mouths, slow roll a larger 1/2 ounce Stanley spinner bait with gold and silver willow leaf blades. Later each day, the fish are moving to river points. Later in the day and use the Lucky Craft Redemption spinner bait in the 3/8-ounce size with the shad head. Big bass will feed in the middle of the day. 

Linesides (Report courtesy of Captain Mack www.captmacks.com) — Versatility remains the key so plan to use a variety of techniques such as free lines, planer boards, down lines with some casting opportunities. Stealth trolling is also a good technique and is gaining strength with the cooler water temps. I think overall the down line is the most productive technique, with Trout and Herring both producing well. Look for the fish to be roaming around deep bait schools in creeks and drains adjacent to channels. 40 to 50 feet has been a good depth to start searching for bait and fish. Once you find the bait, deploy the spread and spot lock, or move slowly around the area until you see the fish. Moving allows you to saturate an area more effectively and gives you the opportunity to mix Mini’s or other artificial and trolling baits into the spread. You can always hit the Spot Lock when you get the boat on top of the fish. If you spend 20 to 30 minutes in an area and are not catching fish, move onto the next place.  There are also a few fish roaming shallow humps up tight on points that will respond to casting baits. Casting Mini Macks have a great application here, target humps or points 5 to 20 feet. Swim baits will still get a few bites, and maybe even a topwater bait. High Saturation is the key, and low light, wind and clouds will generally make this pattern stronger. 

LAKE LANIER 

This 32″ striper from Lanier was the best fish of the year for Jack Becker.

Stripers (Report courtesy of Jack Becker) — Back out-on Lake Lanier this week looking for Stripers north of Port Royale off the main river channel.  Water temperature was 59 degrees. After catching several spotted bass and a bonus Largemouth using medium shiners on planer boards and free lines, I trolled along points where I saw several small groups of loons diving and moving down the bank in 35 to 45 feet of water. I stayed back away from them and trolled slowly at 0.4 mph.  It wasn’t long before I saw the largest school of Stripers that I have seen all year on my Humminbird Helix.  I dropped a waypoint.  They were in 39 ft of water, suspended close to the bottom.   I reeled in all my lines and drifted over the school with 2 down lines. I got a bite instantly. It was a 32” Striper my best fish of the year.  Using the birds and my electronics together helped to make a good day a great day. 

Crappie (Report courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton) — Anglers can find crappie on deep water timber for vertical jigging. In the past week we have had success in each of these situations on different parts of the lake. The biggest fish been coming from vertical jigging in about 25 to 30 feet of water. For big numbers go look for a dock with brush near a main channel. 

Lake Lanier Spotted Bass for Keith Blackwell.

Lake Lanier Spotted Bass for Dylan Johnson.

Bass (Report Courtesy of Phil Johnson ) — The shallow bite has been good with Rapala DT6 crank baits, worms, spinnerbaits and jerk baits. The key factors have been rock and wind for these baits. Both the main lake and secondary areas in the creeks have produced fish with many quality fish mixed in. Early has been a key time for these baits then there seems to be a lull with the bite picking up again later in the day. The dock bite has been getting steadily better as the fish pull back into the creeks. Look for docks in the ten-to-fifteen-foot range and work them with a three sixteenths spot sticker and a green pumpkin trick worm. As the sun gets higher look to the humps and ditches for schools of shad. Your best range is going to be in the thirty-to-fifty-foot areas. The shad are not everywhere, and they haven’t locked down yet so be prepared to move around to find them. Several techniques are working for these fish. The Spotchoker Underspin, A Georgia Blade Spoon, the Damiki rig and a drop shot have all produced fish this week. Throw the Spotchoker down the middle of the ditches and slowly craw it back. Often the bite will just feel like you picked up some trash or a slight tick. Just continue a steady reel and slightly pull on the bait. With the Georgia Blade, drop it all the way to the bottom and reel up about a foot off the bottom. Use a steady bounce of about a foot. The Damiki rig is a very subtle bait. Simple drop it to the depth you want and hold it steady. The movement of the boat will give it all the action it needs.

LAKE WEISS 

Mixed Bag (Report courtesy of Mark Collins Guide Service www.markcollins service.com) — Bass are on secondary points, humps, road beds and sand bars. Rat L Traps, flat sided crank baits and spinner baits are catching fish.  Crappie are still on the deeper brush. A lot are showing up on the creek and river channel ledges at 12 to 20 feet deep. Spider rigging with live minnows and jigs over brush and stumps is the way to catch fish in the fall. A few Crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs. Some fish are starting to suspend in the river channel in Little River and can be caught long line trolling with Jiffy Jigs.

West Point Spotted Bass for WC Raven.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant www.southernfishing.com) — Bass are in the creek channels and expect the bass to be no further back in the creeks and coves past the secondary points. The docks in the creeks mid lake are good and find the road beds in the creeks also. Some good quality bass are coming of the rip rap. Spoons and jigs are best and concentrate on the ledges on the old creek bends. A ½ ounce Flex It spoon on heavy 14-pound Suffix Elite line and a heavy action bait casting rod is the right rigging. Add an all-black jig and use the Uncle Josh all black eel and drag this bait on the same bait casting rig on and over these locations. Mid lake is the best area because the creeks are much stained. Be sure to find the shad schools in the coves and creeks.

Bass (Report courtesy of Brent Hess, fisheries biologist) — A buddy of mine caught spotted bass this week off brush piles while fishing with a drop shot rig. Water temperature was 58-60oF.

TROUT REPORT

Rainbow Trout (Joseph Wilkerson)

Brown Trout (Joseph Wilkerson)

Brook Trout (Joseph Wilkerson)

Delayed Harvest Trout Slam: We are giving a shout out to Joseph Wilkerson for completing his Georgia Trout Slam! Mr. Wilkerson netted all three species of trout within the Delayed Harvest section on the Chattooga River. For those of you still interested in snagging a slam before the end of the year, the Chattooga River is a wonderful place to give it a try. Keep in mind, this is a single-hook, artificial, catch and release only section of river.

Providing Trout Support:  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.

Chattooga River Delayed Harvest Rainbow Trout for Glenn Wilson.

Smith Creek Delayed Harvest Rainbow Trout for Jan Kozak.

Delayed Harvest: Delayed Harvest streams are fishing well.  Several reports came in of nice fish from the Chattooga River and Smith Creek.  As we near colder days and nights, keep in mind that the fishing will get more challenging. Trout are often more like the Grinch in the winter months than Cindy Lou Who; they won’t feast! This is a perfect opportunity to hone your newly acquired fishing skills, and practice new, specialized techniques. Check out advice from the following great sources:

MISCELLANEOUS

How do I? New to fishing? Don’t know where to begin? Take Me Fishing is the resource for you! They have the information you’ll need to get your “feet wet,” from buying a license, choosing tackle, locations and seasons to fish, and beyond. Additionally, they have released a new series of short videos that will teach you some great new skills to help you hit the water this weekend:

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, 50’S

Bass fishing is fair.  For mid-day fishing go to shallow water baits such as the Rapala DT10 shad crank bait; try the shad and the hot mustard colors during the day.  Fish will show up on the deeper more normal structures such as roadbeds and deep brush piles.  The crank baits like the Model 7 or 8 Bomber Fat Free in citrus shad color or a football jig are good choices for deeper fish.  A Carolina rigged trick worm in green pumpkin will also catch fish.  Another fairly reliable pattern is a 3/8-ounce Lucky Craft Redemption spinnerbait and there is not a bad color here.  In the clearer water shad patterns around patches of rip rap rock near the bridges first thing in the morning is working.  For spotted bass, use Weedless Wonder lead head with a Zoom Shakey Tail worm around bridge pilings, brush piles, or rocky banks.  A Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm on a Carolina rig will continue to produce fish throughout the fall.  Try fishing the mouth of the larger creeks.  Gravel points and shoal markers are a good place to start on the south end of the lake for the best results.

CLARKS HILL LAKE IS DOWN 7.7 FEET, 50’S

Bass fishing is fair. Lots rain pushed the bait up shallow so get out on the main lake points and use the Rapala DT 10 crank baits.  Also look on the secondary points in the creek and ride by them and watch the Lowrance for the water to drop to 35 feet deep.  This is where the fish stage after cold fronts.  Find the ditches with grass on them and then locate the shad on the sonar.  This will be the most productive areas mid-day until dark.  Shad colored #5 Shad Raps fished on eight-pound Sufix line in the ditches appears to be working.  The Rapala DT6 will also work and use no more than ten-pound test line.  Main lake points are also productive but remember the bass are scattered about.  Ease over a point, watch the Lowrance Down Scan, and zoon in one time and sit still.  The bass may be on the bottom and the Down Scan can see them.  Keep a top water bait on the deck in case the fish schools move up.  Bait will be the key now so use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Side Scan technology and search them out.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 60’S

Bass fishing is fair.  Bait and bass are moving toward deeper water.  Look for fish in 15 to 25 feet of water with the Lowrance Sonar 83kHz frequency.  Once the Lowrance Sonar finds them fish vertically over them with 7/8-ounce silver spoons.  Also fish a drop shot worm in watermelon and green pumpkin colors; dipping the worm in some red or chartreuse JJ’s Magic will produce more bites in stained water.  For the shallow bite work some docks in 7 to 10 feet of water with a 3/8-ounce jig.  There may not be a lot of bites but a good one may show up.  Keep a top water bait on the deck in case the fish schools show up.  Bait will be the key now so use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Side Scan technology and search out.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.6 FEET, 60’S

Bass fishing is fair.  It’s a wide-open bait week. Fish are from 2 to 10 feet deep near shore cover.  Rip rap is still producing a few fish, mainly on small to medium crank baits and jigs.  Experimenting with various baits daily or even hourly can be crucial for success.  Use the Shad Raps in sizes #5 and #7, Shad Rap RS series in #4 and #5, Rapala DT10, Fat Free Shad #6, Norman DD14 and Thunder Shads.  Chrome blue, shad, and chartreuse patterns should work on any of the baits.  For the jig use a ¼ ounce Strike King Pro Model jig in black blue with a Zoom Chunk in blue or green pumpkin.  Fish the jig on the rip rap.  Beaver Dam Creek has been good this week.  Fish shallow and use the shallow running crank baits.  Keep a top water bait on the deck in case the fish schools show up.  Bait will be the key now so use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Side Scan technology and search the bait out.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 50’S

Bass fishing is good.  Weather has been changing weekly so be versatile.  Look to fish the warmer areas of the lake.  Down lake toward the dam may be the best bet for favorable water temperatures and clearer water.  A warm night with rain and a sunny day can make all the difference.  Look for the best fishing when the sun is shining and find the warmer water.  Look for many fish to hold from 2 to 10 feet deep.  If it becomes overcast, these same areas can be good because the bite can go shallow around docks, rocks, and other radiant cover.  Throw a black and blue jig thoroughly on the docks.  Keep a top water bait on the deck in case the fish schools show up.  Bait will be the key now so use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Side Scan technology and search out their food sources.  Try crank baits on the rocky areas.  Cranking rocky features is a classic winter pattern and use a craw or bream-colored Rapala #5 Shad Rap.

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)

Warm-cold-warm-cold – get used to it. Winter is almost upon us. The bite can be fantastic if you find them and pretty poor if you don’t. We have gotten just enough rain to raise the rivers but not blow them out yet.

River gages on December 7th were:

  • Clyo on the Savannah River – 3.6 feet and rising
  • Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 2.0 feet and falling
  • Doctortown on the Altamaha – 5.2 feet and falling
  • Waycross on the Satilla – 7.6 feet and rising
  • Atkinson on the Satilla – 5.4 feet and rising
  • Statenville on the Alapaha – 3.8 feet and falling
  • Macclenny on the St Marys – 10.3 feet and falling
  • Fargo on the Suwannee – 8.3 feet and cresting

New Moon is December 12th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE. For the latest marine forecast, click HERE.

Wayne Huntley of Leesburg caught this 2-lb., 10-oz. crappie while using a minnow at Paradise Public Fishing Area last week and earned an angler award from the Wildlife Resources Division.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton, more info HERE)

The crappie bite always takes off when the cold gets here, and this year is no exception. The first angler-award sized crappie (over 2 pounds) was reported last week. Wayne Huntley of Leesburg caught the 2-lb., 10-oz. slab from the Lake Patrick pier while using a live minnow.

ALTAMAHA/OCMULGEE RIVERS

A Fitzgerald angler and his fishing buddy fished the Ocmulgee this week and caught a few nice bass – most on worms. But, they saw a bunch of fish on their graph that they could not get to bite. They switched to small crappie-sized lures (Satilla Spins and curly-tailed grubs) and caught several nice slabs and even a couple really big bluegills. One of the oddest catches I heard of this week was a hybrid spotted/shoal bass that was caught out of Altamaha Park. Both species are in the upper Ocmulgee River, but this is the farthest downstream that I’m aware of them being caught.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

A Waycross angler fished the east side on Friday. He said that the cypress needles were blanketing the surface, so casting was a struggle. He was able to manage 7 bowfin up to 5 pounds and a 22-inch pickerel on Dura-Spins (fire tiger-chartreuse blade). He also caught 2 big fliers in the boat basin after taking his boat out. The fliers ate pink sallies fished under a small balsa float.  The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.80 feet.

LOCAL PONDS

Noah and Sophie fished a Moniac area pond with their grandparents and caught yellow bullhead catfish one after another on shrimp fished on the bottom. Chad Lee put it on crappie and bass this week. He and Daniel Johnson fished an Alma-area pond on Sunday and caught 40 crappie up to about 1 1/2 pounds and kept 25. They also had a couple bass – one pushing 4 pounds. They used white jigs on chartreuse Zombie Eye heads and live minnows. Harry Beverley and a friend put it on the crappie again this week. They fished minnows in a pond for a limit of slabs. Crappie fishing should be very good this weekend with the warmer temperatures behind the current cold snap.

Jay Ventulett from Albany caught this giant trout this week in the Brunswick area while fishing with Capt. Tim Cutting (photo courtesy of Capt. Tim Cutting).

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

I fished the Brunswick area for just a couple of hours on Sunday evening and caught a bunch of trout and redfish. I started by pitching live shrimp on a Shrimp Hook and caught 7 small trout (all throwbacks) from a point. I switched to a small creek, and the redfish were biting. A 24 1/2-inch red started the melee by eating a rootbeer-chartreuse back Keitech rigged on a 1/16-oz. Zombie Eye Jighead. I then switched to live shrimp tail-hooked on an 1/8-oz. Shrimp Hook and caught 5 slot-sized reds in 8 casts. The next fish was a 24-incher that I tagged before moving spots. I caught a few more scattered trout and pulled into the ramp right before dark. It was a fun trip, and I ended up with 11 trout (1 keeper), 7 redfish (5 keepers), a black drum, and several pesky yellowtails. The yellowtails reminded me why I rarely fish live bait…. Cason Kinstle got on some good trout using artificials in the Ogeechee River on Thursday. His trip was the perfect example of winter fishing for trout. He fished Thursday morning trying this spot and that spot to no avail. Most were stained a little more than he preferred, so he thought that he would try to find some clearer water. After trying a half-dozen spots, he figured out the key to the puzzle and caught (and released) keeper trout after keeper trout up to 18 inches. The key was the 10 to 15-foot depth range. He tried an 1/8-oz. Zombie Eye Jighead shallow but couldn’t fool them. His switch to a 1/4-oz. Zombie Eye Jighead and fishing slightly deeper was the ticket to his catching dozens of nice trout in the same spot. His plastic was a shad color with a green back, but color may not have mattered once he figured out the other details of the bite. Capt. Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) said that the trips this week were basically a “feast” (play on the feast or famine saying…). He’s put folks on both trout and redfish this week. They’ve been eating plastics very well, and the big trout have started showing up. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is running a special this Saturday. They will give a free Shrimp Hook to the first 25 people who purchase a quart of live shrimp. They are open Friday through Sunday from 6am to 4pm each week. They have plenty of lively shrimp and fiddler crabs and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. They’re on Hwy 303 just north of Hwy 82 in the same location as the previous J&P Bait and Tackle. For the latest information, contact them at 912-223-1379.