Marshall Stamps with a Flint River shoal bass catch in 2023.

The Shoal Bass is the State Native Riverine Sportfish and one of the 10 species of black bass found in Georgia. They are native to the Chattahoochee and Flint River basins; and introduced in the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers. Anglers interested in pursuing shoal bass should check out the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division interactive map to help pinpoint suggested locations. Shoal bass are one of the most popular species anglers target when pursuing a Georgia Bass Slam.

Want to know more? Read the shoal bass blog post on the WRD Fishing Blog or listen to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Fish of the Week” podcast about fly-fishing for shoal bass. 

Want to be involved in decisions about shoal bass regulations? Recent fisheries research, sampling efforts, and angler success have suggested Georgia’s rivers may benefit from updated regulations. To measure public interest and gather input, the WRD Fisheries Management Section developed a Shoal Bass Survey. This survey only takes a few minutes to complete and can help fisheries managers make informed decisions about future shoal bass harvest regulations. We appreciate your time and input!

NEWS TO KNOW

  • Help Keep Invaders Out of Georgia Waters: Your efforts to help spot and report aquatic nuisance species (ANS) are vital to keeping Georgia waters free of these invaders. 
  • Harvest Time: Spring Pond Harvest at the Go Fish Education Center in Perry GA is underway. Bring the cooler and take home your catch during this event.

  • Art Deadline Extended: Great News! Your student still has time to enter the Fish Art Contest for 2024. The deadline for entries has been extended to March 31, 2024. This contest uses art and writing to 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. 
  • Educators: Free Fishing Lesson Plans: The NEW FishOn! Lesson Plans are available to everyone. These plans offer innovative activities to provide educators with engaging resources to enhance their existing science, art, and writing curriculum.

This week, we have fishing reports from North, Central and Southeast Georgia. Whether you fish for shoal bass or any other species, we appreciate that you Go Fish Georgia!

UPCOMING EVENTS: MARCH-APRIL 2024

NORTH GEORGIA

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

Allatoona Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) — Bass fishing is good, and the big fish are biting but the bites are few and far between. The shallow bite is where it’s at for big fish. The plastic swim baits, chatter bait, square bill, and the weightless soft plastic Big Bite cane stick fished in 1 to 8 feet of water on routes to pre spawn areas. A jig and a Davis Shaky Head and a jerk bait have been the most productive lures still this week. The dock bite is starting to pick up as well, particularly when the sun is out. Look for the docks in the 15 to 20 feet range at the front to be the best right now, and if brush is around, even better. Also, look for the rocky areas in creek that receive all day sun to continue to produce at times also pre spawning areas. Use a 6-foot medium cranking rod and a Lew’s speed spool reel on 15-pound Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon. Fishing these baits slow in stained water, in areas where sun hits the banks and warms the water on the north shore side. Be ready as the bite is ever so slight and the rod just loads up. The front and rain may change things for the next few days, but this is nothing drastic. The soft plastic jerk bait will start up soon.

Lake Hartwell Striped Bass for angler Tommy Price.

Hartwell Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) — Bass fishing is fair, and the fish are on main lake pockets and ditches in the backs of the creeks. The Shad Rap has continued to be reliable in the creek pockets as well as an Ito Vision 110 jerk bait, Fish Head Spin and a jig. Also try a ½ to ¾ ounce bait with a large #7 Colorado rear blade. This bait should be bulged just below the surface and retrieved over or very near likely looking cover. Jigs and soft plastics continue to draw a few bites around docks and shallow brush. The jig bite has been the most consistent bait on the humps points and flats. Carolina rigs and crank baits are the primary baits here.

The Rapala X Raps are working on the points with a slow jerking motion along with the Rapala DT6 and jointed Shad Rap. Color depends on where you fish and the clarity of the water. Jigs and Carolina rigs are also working in and around structure. Work the deep-water docks and jigs and Texas rigged worms.

Lanier Bass 1 (Courtesy of Captain Mack, Captain Mack’s) — It looks like the Bass are really enjoying the warming water, and while some fish are hanging on to the deeper structures, many fish are really moving up onto pre spawn areas. That may take a bit of a hit with the predicted cooler temps, but I think it will be temporary, if a pullback even occurs. The baits that are producing are really varied. Almost a “you pick ‘em.” With fish on so many structures and using a wide depth range, you can make almost anything work to some degree.

Crank baits continue to produce well, and some of the smaller baits in shallow water areas have been strong. Shad Raps are a favorite, but many other baits that dive to similar depths will also get the bite. This pattern is best in the creek backs, stained water is a big plus. Small Points, flats near the old creek channel, or any visible structure along the shoreline. Often, you can just go down the bank, there are enough fish roaming that you’ll catch some that are not really on a specific piece of structure. One of the advantages of this pattern is the high saturation factor.

Spinnerbaits and jerk baits are also very productive and should become more so was we move toward the spawn. Cast the spinnerbaits around visible structures, particularly blow downs. With the high water levels, there will be an abundance of blow downs to cast to. Worms and jigs will also be a good choices for the lay down trees. They can be used as a primary technique or as a follow up to the spinnerbaits. The Jerk baits can be applied much the same as a crank bait. Cast them to any object you see, or over points and flats. Stump fields are also an excellent place to cast the jerk baits. They will work under almost any conditions, but stained water and or a little breeze will likely increase their effectiveness. 

Lake Lanier Spotted Bass for angler Jacob Brewster.

Lanier Bass 2 (courtesy of Phil Johnson (770-366-8845, pjohnson15@hotmail.com); report via Southern Fishing) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently a little over one foot above full pool and the water temperature is running in the mid-fifties throughout the lake. The backs of the creeks and up the river are stained with the main lake still relatively clear. The bass have made their move for spring into the shallower water so plan to target water that is less than twenty foot deep. With spring fishing lots of patterns and baits will work if you concentrate on the prespawn areas. The most consistent bait for both numbers and size has been the shakey head. Several colors have been working such as Trixster Baits Tamale five-inch Sweet Candy, Green Shiner and the standard green pumpkin. Work these on a three sixteenths head and focus on rocks and secondary points. A quarter ounce Spotchoker with a two point eight Keitech worked on the same structure and in the backs of pockets is also producing good numbers of bass. A DT6 crankbait or a RCrawler in a craw pattern is a good choice on rocky structures and red clay points anywhere in the lake. A jerk bait worked with a slow jerk pattern or simply slowly reeled in with also produce fish. There is a little topwater beginning to show up so have something handy on the deck to target these fish. As you can see there are multiple ways to target the bass right now while they are in prespawn mode so be versatile with all your baits. It’s a fun time to fish with the bass feeding up for spawn so Go Catch Em’.

Lanier Crappie (courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton (770-530-6493); report via Southern Fishing) — The water temperature is in the mid-50s. Crappie are suspended 4 to 10 foot deep under docks. Look for creeks or coves near a main channel for roaming fish they are shallow in 2-4 foot of water cast to them or troll for them. Try colors white with sparkles, or green and black and green and chartreuse. The gear I recommend for crappie fishing is Acc crappie stix 1-piece rod and reel with a 6-pound test K9 line, along with Garmin Live Scope and Power Pole. 

Lake Lanier Striped Bass for angler Cameron Peters.

Lanier Linesides 1 (courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tales Guide Service (404-510-1778); report via Southern Fishing) — Lake Lanier stripers are heading north and the schools are large, most on the smaller size fish but that indicates a healthy population in the future. There are still some big ones in the mix so you can still pull in your personal best. The bait store can provide you with assortment of bait, blue backs, trout, gizzard shad and shiners all have worked. Methods are planner boards, flat lines, balloons and always have a down line. Water temperature is in the mid-50s and climbing and it’s not far away from spring and it should be lots of fun. Using your electronics focus on the larger bays and river channels and 30-to-50-foot depths are holding fish. The bird activity can be used to locate fish and be sure you have a top water lure tied on if you’re lucky enough to be in the right place. Remember to wear your life jackets. I’m going to be at the lake Lanier Boat show so stop by and say hello! 

Lanier Linesides 2 (courtesy of Captain Mack, Captain Mack’s) — Striper Fishing has been very good, Live baits, trolling, and casting various baits are all producing! The patterns really have not changed much in the last few days, and there are more areas to fish with the stabilizing water conditions. You may also want to add the rivers to the list of areas to target as many fish are making their way up into the rivers for the annual spawning run. The open water bite is excellent, primarily mid lake channels and feeders, with lower lake areas also having fish. The creek backs, as well as the larger drains, may also have fish present, especially in the stained water. How far back is too far in the creeks? Some of the Stripers are pushing on back, 5 to 8 feet, and if bait is present, there will probably be fish too.

The Live baits are across the board, but Herring and Gizzard Shad have been consistent producers, And Threadfins will also produce and are pretty easy to net right now. Free Lines and Planers have been the preferred method, with a few fish being taken on down lines as well. The fish are showing up over a variety of places, really the same areas as in the past two weeks. Mid lake channels and drains, backs of the creeks, and keep the rivers in mind especially as we approach this next warm up. If you venture into the creek back with a bait spread, keep something tied on to cast. As you approach points, or flats, casting a buck tail, or a Mini Mack will likely get you a couple of extra bites. This is actually strong enough to be a primary pattern but is really under the radar. casting is particularly strong in areas with stained water.

Trolling has been excellent! The large rigs and the Minis are producing well, but over all I think slow trolling the Minis is very productive, and may be the best overall pattern. Troll the Minis on lead core if you are on the big motor, or slow down and pul them on the trolling motor. A 1 MPH speed is good, depth varies anywhere from 15 to 30 feet down. On the deeper end of that scale pull them as flatlines, fishing the Mini on the Perfect Planers may be best on the shallow side of the range. Adjust the depth based on the sonar picture, and pretty much if you have fish on the screen, they will take the Mini. 

Lanier Linesides 3 (courtesy of Fisheries Biologist Hunter Roop) — Lake Lanier is in the high 50s to low 60s mid-lake. These are perfect temperatures for hunting schools of shallow stripers, and so the Gainesville crew was on the water this week to conduct annual striped bass electrofishing surveys. This time of year, the striped bass are slowly making their way north into the Chattahoochee and Chestatee Rivers, or they can be found moving into larger tributaries on the main lake. Schools of striped bass are chasing blueback herring and threadfin shad that are in large schools over shallow flats, points, and in the backs of the creeks. Pulling planar boards or freelines with blueback herring, or casting shallow-running lures like jerkbaits, bombers, and Sebiles can be effective. Look for ideal water temperatures between 58 – 62 degrees to find the thermal sweet spot for stripers.  Right now, major creeks on the east bank have temperatures within this range, while those on the West Bank are running quite a bit cooler (i.e, we measured an 8-degree temperature difference between Taylor Creek and Johnson Creek on Monday this week).

Lake Lanier Striped Bass for angler and blog contributer Jack Becker.

Lanier Linesides 4 (courtesy of Jack Becker AKA GA Waterdog) — Back out on Lanier this week.  Launched at Little Hall Boat ramp and fished around the big island south of the ramp. I got on the water late and fished until 5:30. Water was 56 degrees. I only marked a few fish and very little bait. Using medium gizzard shad on planner boards and small trout on down lines. I trolled the main river channel until the wind picked up and the boat traffic made it too rough for my little 14’ boat. I headed for the back side of the island where the wind was blowing pretty hard against the bank. I trolled at .5 mph with one planner board within 20’ of the bank. On the 2nd pass a nice 29” Striper chased my Shad out of the water and came back to eat it.  Seeing that fish chase my bait made my day.

Weiss Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) — Bass fishing is good and they are being caught shallow at 4 to 8 feet deep on the creek channel ledges, humps and points, on Spinner Baits, Alabama Rigs and Carolina rigged plastics some fish are being caught, shallow in the back of the coves, on Rat L Traps, shallow running crank baits and spinner baits.

Weiss Crappie (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) — Crappie fishing is great and they are being caught long line trolling in Little River and Little Spring Creek and a lot of fish are starting to be caught in the bays up river near River Side Camp Ground, 3 Mile Creek, Cowan Creek and Big Spring Creek are producing a lot of fish also. They are being caught trolling with 1/16- and 1/24-ounce Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ01, JJ13, JJ17, JJ20, JJ24, JJ25, JJ37 and Mark’s Special Blue. Hurley’s Cove and Little Nose Creek are starting to produce some crappie.

West Point Lake Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) — Bass fishing is good. The best bite is fishing 10-to-12-foot brush piles in the creeks. Use the Rapala DT10 in fire tiger and chrome Rat L Traps just running the banks. These colder temperatures will slow the migration for bass. Stained water conditions may hamper the deeper bite and the shoreline structure is a good option. Spinner baits, Chatter baits and jigs are going to be heavy favorites this week and with a stained lake. Use the chartreuse and white with a Colorado blade will be a good choice. Find the fish on the Lawrence Down Scan technology and if have Fish Reveal use it on the Down Scan so the fish appear like on regular Sonar. Look for shad and fish activity on the surface and pay close attention to the electronics to help pinpoint key areas. Once the top water bite is over anglers are best bet for numbers and quality fish is to throw a crankbait on shallow main lake and creek channel ledges in the 6-to-10-foot range. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology to help find the concentrations of bait and the bass will be there too.

RIVER REPORT

Chattahoochee River Brown Trout (Photo courtesy of Tim Thurman)

Chattahoochee River Rainbow Trout (Photo courtesy of Jim Lovell)

Rainbow Trout Catch for angler Zachary Chapman.

Heavy Trout Stocking Starts Soon: It is time to get your trout fishing gear ready because weekly trout stockings are right around the corner.  Heavy trout stocking will begin the last week of March, but to satisfy those trout anglers who can’t wait, look HERE for a list of waterbodies that were stocked this week. These stockings were scheduled because our hatcheries are slam full of quality trout and room to grow is needed. Currently, our trout hatcheries have more than 200,000 trout that have already reached the 10-inch target size and are ready for stocking. Additionally, we will be stocking a few 14-inch trout with most of our loads.  These are quality fish that I’m sure anglers will enjoy. Make sure you fishing license and trout stamp are up to date and if a renewal is needed, click HERE. Go Trout Fish Georgia!

Trout Report (courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Angler Management; report via Unicoi Outfitters): Check out the following tips:

  • Headwaters: They’re clear and flowing well. Toss dries on warm afternoons.
  • Delayed Harvest: March stockers have been in residence for several weeks and are now smartening up. Try some hatch-matching dries and nymphs instead of eggs and squirmies unless the water is stained.
  • Wes’ Hot Fly List: Dries: Rage Cage Caddis, parachute Adams, Drymerger BWO, Griffith’s gnat, yellow stimulator or small micro Chubby Chernobyl as a headwater dry for your droppers.
  • Nymphs & Wets: Girdle bug, squirminator, jig cdc pheasant tail, fast water prince, depth charge caddis, oil slick perdigon, soft hackle partridge, trip saver.
  • Streamers & warm water: (Trout) Squirrely bugger, sparkle yummy, muddy buddy, bank robber sculpin. (bass & stripers) clouser minnow, finesse changer, Cowen’s coyote, polar changer, crittermite, jiggy craw.

Fishing for Stocked Trout (courtesy of Tad Murdock, Georgia Wild Trout) — Georgia’s Stocked trout streams will fish a bit differently than the wild trout streams this time of year. The last week in March or first week in April are major weeks for stocking in North Georgia. Just about every stocked creek in Georgia will have some new fish introduced within a two-week period from the last few days in March through the first week in April. These stocked trout are less in tune with the river and will seek out water more like the raceways they were reared in. Look for knee high to thigh high water moving at walking pace or a bit slower. These areas will hold the majority of the stockers on any given body of water. These trout will be much less inclined to feed from the surface, and nymphs along with other junk flies will yield the best results. Once pressured in these runs, some trout may move to find cover along undercuts or submerged cover. When comfortable they will continue to feed. When heavy rains push through in the early spring, look for stocked trout to push towards the bank to escape faster currents. Wooly buggers and squirmy worms are staples during these high water as the can help you find these scattered fish more efficiently. If you are able to find good cover for the fish during high water, fish the area thoroughly as the trout will likely stack up when there are not many other refuges on the creek or river. These high-water methods will stay consistent during both early and late spring periods.

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 2.05 FEET OVER FULL, 50’S

Bass fishing is fair.  Water temperatures are changing daily and warming with the longer days.  Windblown rocky points are one of the first places to fish this week on points in the creeks first.  Then head into the coves and shallow pockets and cast a Zoom yellow Trick worm on any wood.  Crank baits and Jerk baits are two things you will need to have plenty of this week.  The water up in the rivers will have a little color to it so take along a variety of colors in both.  The bass are active now and are hitting a variety of baits as they roam about.  It is hard to beat a Rapala DT6, DT10 and X-Raps as they are all excellent baits to fish all day.

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 1.33 FEET OVER FULL, 50’S

Bass fishing is fair and there is a late day shallow bite around rocky points mid lake.  A Carolina rigged worm is working well on the points.  Also, look for any rock on any rip rap that the sun has been shinning on, as this area of water will be warmer by a degree or two and should be holding a few fish.  Use small crank baits like a ¼ ounce Rat T Trap in chrome and black back or a #5 Rapala Shad Rap in the silver color.  Shad Raps in the # 5 size in shad and baby bass colors will work.  The crayfish or craw is a classic of winter black bass fishing.  Rig up an all-black jig and trailer and fish it very slowly.  It is more effective when fitted with floating appendages that undulate at the slightest touch and trigger attacks.  Crayfish imitations are quite effective when these appendages are small.  This may seem obvious since a black bass does not necessarily want to have the inside of its mouth pinched by a crayfish with big claws.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL 50’S

Bass fishing is good.  The lake is full, stained over most of the lake.  Start in the middle of the coves and main lake creeks.  Fish boat docks, wood structure, and sea walls.  Work your way to the back of the coves and creeks.  Sugar creek has been the most productive over the past week.  Use Shad Raps and small crank baits with rattles fished on sea walls and around docks.  Dark Jigs with a rattle, brown, blue, and black have been the best colors.  Fish these around wood structure on the main river pockets above Sugar Creek.  Spinner baits fished along any rock bank will also draw a strike.  Remember to slow down your retrieve as the water is still cold below the surface.  If we get a few days with warm temperatures, look for the fish to start to move into the back of the creeks and major coves off the main lake.  If it gets cold again, bass will move back to deeper water.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.2 FEET, 60’S

Bass fishing is good.  The fish have made the transition to the shallows as the water temperature rises.  More fish are moving up every day.  Concentrate in or around protected spawning pockets for the next month.  Fish are staging on the primary and secondary points, but they will cruise back in the pockets at random times throughout the day looking for a good place to spawn.  A spinnerbait is hard to beat right now for both numbers and quality.  A chartreuse and white skirt on the Lucky Craft Redemption spinnerbait with double gold Colorado blades will get bites most days.  Cover water with the trolling motor throwing the spinnerbait at any piece of cover out there.  These fish will be shallow on the sea walls, backsides of docks, blow downs and grass beds.  Catch a fish in a pocket and now slow down and fish it again with a soft plastic.  A Texas rigged June bug Zoom lizard fished around dock walkways and sea walls will get many quality bites over the next few weeks.

LAKE JACKSON IS 1.3 FEET OVER FULL, 50’S

Bass fishing is fair.  Most of the lake remains stained, but Tussahaw Creek is relatively clear.  Fish crank baits and spinner baits slowly from 5 to 10 feet of water. The deeper range should be best, but do not count out finding some shallow fish.  Spend time on rocky main lake features.  A few fish are moving back in the pockets but stick with the points.  Use the Shad Rap or a chartreuse/white blade bait.  Copper Colorado blades are a good choice in the colored water, but gold will work but use a slow retrieve.  Keep the bait at the bottom and bumping cover and rock will help.  Early be sure to slowly work a jig and craw trailer in black and blue and green pumpkin.  Soaring afternoon surface temperatures can be deceptive, so avoid the temptation to fish fast and shallow.  Try it but do not waste time if it isn’t working.  A light and slow Texas rigged finesse worm will get you a few more numbers, but the dink spots can drive you crazy.  Watermelon seed and Mossy pumpkin are good colors.  If you like a Carolina rig, keep it light with a 1/4 to 3/8-ounce Trick worm or Lizard.  You might luck out on some hybrid action while you are on the points and humps.

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

Even with the cold mornings early in the week, there have been some really good catches. The southeast Georgia rivers are still blown out for now. Okefenokee, ponds, and saltwater have been very good.

River gages on March 21st were:

  • Clyo on the Savannah River – 14.6 feet and rising
  • Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 10.3 feet and falling
  • Doctortown on the Altamaha – 13.0 feet and falling
  • Waycross on the Satilla – 12.5 feet and falling
  • Atkinson on the Satilla – 13.0 feet and falling
  • Statenville on the Alapaha – 17.7 feet and rising
  • Macclenny on the St Marys – 6.2 feet and falling
  • Fargo on the Suwannee – 9.5 feet and falling

Full Moon is March 25th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE. For the latest marine forecast, click HERE.

Laurel is already hooked on bream fishing in ponds. She caught this monster bluegill from their family pond. The bream bite is picking up on warm afternoons all over south Georgia.

LOCAL PONDS

Jimmy Zinker, the pond guru, caught the biggest bass I heard of this week. He fooled an 11-pound giant with a topwater. Congratulations, Jimmy! Chad Lee fished an Alma area pond with his uncle, Lester Rowland, on Monday. They caught a 3-pound bass on a red shad plastic worm and a bunch of crappie. They had 20 specks that they kept, and they caught them with live minnows and Gulp! Minnows rigged on Zombie Eye Jigheads. Copper and Jackson fished with their friend Easton in a Hahira pond on Saturday and fooled over 30 bluegills with green worms and one with Lucky Charm cereal. A couple friends fished a Brunswick area pond on Friday afternoon for a few hours and caught 12 fish. They had 7 bass up to 3 pounds on shad-colored crankbaits, junebug wacky-rigged worms, and gold Rat-L-traps. Five of their fish were catfish that ate the same bass lures. Laurel and her brother have been whacking the bluegills this week in their family pond. On warm afternoons you can get them to chase artificials, but crickets under a float are sure-fire bream-getters!

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

I had a couple good trips on the east side this week. Shelton Hunter from Florida fished with me on Tuesday, and we caught 24 fish. The two most impressive were a 9-lb., 1-oz. bowfin that hammered a fire tiger-chartreuse blade Dura-Spin trolled in the canal and a 3-lb., 10-oz. pickerel that ate the same lure. The best Dura-Spin colors of the trip were fire tiger-chartreuse blade and crawfish-brass blade. We also caught 8 fliers up to 8 1/2 inches by pitching chartreuse and pink Okefenokee Swamp Sallies under a small balsa float. On Thursday, Bill Stewart of Folkston fished with me, and we caught a total of 31 fish – all by casting to them. They did not hit Dura-Spins as well, as we only caught a few on them. The lures of the day were crawfish and black/yellow 1/8-oz. Satilla Spins. We caught the usual swamp assemblage – fliers, pickerel, and even some bluegill on the small spinnerbait. Amazingly, we hooked the biggest bowfin I’ve had on with the lure, and it came to the surface and laughed at us before pulling off the small hook. Seth Carter and his fishing buddy Luke went to the west side early in the week, and it was not as friendly as the east side has been. They caught some fliers, stumpknockers, and bowfin, but they had to work for them. The cold mornings slowed the bite some, but it’s about to be wide open when we have stable, warm weather for a week. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 121.18 feet.

Timothy Musgrove caught this 25-inch bass while fishing Dodge County Public Fishing Area this week.

DODGE COUNTY PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Eastman, more info HERE)

Timothy Musgrove caught a big bass from the area this week while fishing from his kayak. The monster measured 25 inches.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

Joshua Barber fished the Brunswick area on his birthday over the weekend and had a great trip in his kayak. He caught a dozen trout and a flounder on live shrimp and grubs fished around oyster bars. Happy Birthday, Joshua! BJ Hilton fished the Brunswick area this weekend and caught 11 trout and 2 reds. One of the trout was a 22-incher, and he released her to spawn. Cason Kinstle made some great catches with friends this week in the Savannah area. On Thursday and Friday they dropped fiddlers down and caught 20 to 25 sheepshead per trip on nearshore wrecks. Their biggest was 5 pounds, but most were between 3 and 4 pounds, and best depth was around 45-feet. On Tuesday and Saturday they trout fished and caught between 15 and 20 fish per trip. They kept 7 nice ones for supper on Saturday. Most of their trout came on 1/8-oz. Zombie Eye Jigheads with natural-colored paddle-tail plastics, but some were on live shrimp. Jeremy Robertson fished out of his kayak in the Brunswick area on Monday and caught 26 redfish (kept 5) and a nice keeper flounder. He caught them on live shrimp free-lined and also under a popping cork. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is 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. For the latest information, contact them at 912-223-1379.

Blog Contributer Capt. Bert Deener guides fishing trips in southeast Georgia and makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures. Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook. For a copy of his latest catalog, call or text him at 912-288-3022 or e-mail him (bertdeener@yahoo.com).