Late winter marks the start of one of Georgia’s most unique fishing opportunities—walleye season. These hard-fighting, great-tasting fish begin moving upriver from lakes like Blue Ridge and Hartwell as spawning time nears. The bite can be tough to predict, but when it happens, it’s unforgettable. For anglers who enjoy a challenge and cold-weather adventure, walleye fishing offers both.

NEWS TO KNOW:

• Burton Hatchery: The Burton Trout Hatchery has completed their paving and construction project and is back to operating at regular hours. Check out more about this facility at GeorgiaWildlife.com/burton-trout-hatchery.
• Brook Trout-Shared Waters Project: The Georgia DNR, along with other state and federal organizations, had the opportunity to work on a Brook Trout Story map with the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture. This was a great project to be part of, and provides an avenue to introduce our connection to Brook Trout and threats to its habitats. Check it out at easternbrooktrout.org/shared-waters.
• GON Outdoors South Georgia Spring Sportsman Expo: Head to Tifton March 6-7 for this exciting event to visit with hunting and fishing vendors and professionals. More info gon.com/south-ga-spring-sportsman-expo.
• CoastFest: CoastFest is an exciting free annual event (scheduled for Mar. 21 at Mary Ross Waterfront Park in Brunswick) hosted by the Coastal Resources Division, dedicated to celebrating and educating the public about Georgia’s coastal heritage and natural resources. Expect hands-on learning, live wildlife, exhibits, and fun for all ages.

This week, we have fishing reports from Central, Southeast  and North Georgia (Southwest report will be back next week). Whether you are fishing for walleye or not, we are glad that you Go Fish Georgia!

CENTRAL GEORGIA

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

This week’s Central Georgia fishing report is brought to you by Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report, and contributions from Region 3 WRD Fisheries staff, local guides, and anglers.

RESERVOIR REPORT 

CLARKS HILL LAKE

CLARKS HILL IS DOWN 6.7 FEET, 50’S – Clarks Hill fishing has really been heating up this past week! Anglers are catching ’em no matter what species they’re after. From largemouth to stripers to catfish to crappie, the fish are active!

Emery Burnett took home the win over a crowded tournament field at a recent Major League Fishing Bass Fishing League event with 22 pounds, 1 ounce. Riley Hale covers this and additional CSRA anglers’ tournament activity at https://www.wrdw.com/2026/02/16/csra-anglers-shine-bass-fishing-tournaments/.

Noah Dowis and Ethan Swaney won first place at the Tri Lakes Catfish Club tournament with 102 pounds, including a 38-pound blue catfish weighed in for big fish!

Hanson Powell and Troy Maddox show off some recent fishing success of their own on Clarks Hill. Anglers targeting stripers and hybrids have been finding more consistency lately, particularly around the Little River area. Crappie are also being reported this week, although depths are still a little all over the place from 2 to 30 feet of water.

LAKE OCONEE

Lake Oconee Fishing Report – Spring fishing is heating up on Lake Oconee, and the 12th Annual Oconee Fishing Derby is officially underway. Anglers are taking advantage of warming water temperatures and increased fish movement as multiple species become more active.

Lake Oconee Derby 1st place striper goes to Chad Wammock at 9 pounds 11.7 oz.

Lake Oconee Derby crappie 1st goes to Josh Shiver 2 pounds 2.3 oz.

Crappie: Crappie fishing has been very good, with quality fish being reported. Several crappie over 2 pounds have already been weighed during derby events, and anglers are finding success targeting brush piles, dock structure, and creek channels. Minnows and small jigs continue to produce, especially during early morning and late afternoon periods. Derby crappie 1^st goes to Josh Shiver 2 pounds 2.3 oz.

Striped Bass: The striped bass bite has been strong, with fish in the 7–9 pound range being caught. Anglers are reporting success trolling live bait and casting swimbaits in open water areas where baitfish are present. Watch for surface activity and bird movement to help locate feeding fish. Derby 1^st place striper goes to Chad Wammock at 9 pounds 11.7 oz.

Largemouth Bass: Bass activity is increasing as fish move shallower with warming conditions. Anglers should focus on secondary points, docks, and shallow cover using soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and crankbaits. Stable weather patterns will continue to improve consistency.

With spring patterns developing and derby excitement in the air, now is an excellent time to be on the water at Lake Oconee. As always, anglers are encouraged to adjust techniques based on daily conditions and practice safe boating during increased fishing activity.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.3 FEET, 50’S

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant’s Southern Fishing Report) Bass fishing is fair. The best areas are up Little River, the back of Rooty Creek and up the Oconee River. Go to crankbaits right now are a Little Earl in pearl and chartreuse and a Bandit 200 in similar colors. Fish turtleback spinnerbaits in chartreuse and white. Also fish a Rat L Trap or a Red Eye Shad shallow where the lake bottom drops 2 to 4 feet. Fish a chartreuse and white Chatterbait with a swim body trailer parallel to the grass, as well as a June bug red monster worm with a 1/16 ounce weight Texas rigged on the edge of the grass or fished slowly around the docks. An alternative bait on the docks is a Super Speed Craw and a shaky head worm. There will be a jerk bait bite on the lower end if the water visibility gets better than 1 foot. The key to tournament success is to fish the stained to muddy water and don’t be afraid to throw it shallow.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

Marben Public Fishing Area (courtesy of PFA Manager Jamie Dowd) —

• Marben PFA Information
• Water Level: Most ponds remain slightly below full pool; recent rains have improved conditions.
• Water Clarity: Clear to lightly stained
• Surface Temperature: Warming into the 50s
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Marben PFA is a great place to shake off cabin fever and enjoy early spring fishing. As always, anglers are encouraged to adjust tactics based on daily conditions and water temperatures.

Spring conditions are beginning to take hold at Marben PFA, and warming water temperatures have anglers eager to get back on the water. As daylight increases and temperatures rise, fish activity should steadily improve across all ponds. 

Bass: Bass fishing is expected to improve as water temperatures continue to warm. Fish will begin moving shallower during stable, warming trends. Anglers should focus on soft plastics, spinnerbaits, and shallow-running crankbaits around shoreline cover, woody structure, and pond points during the afternoon hours when water temperatures peak. 

Crappie: Crappie will transition from deeper winter holding areas toward shallow structure as spawning approaches. Target brush, submerged timber, and pond edges with minnows or small jigs. Fishing success should improve significantly with consecutive days of warm weather. 

Bream: Spring is an excellent time to target bream at Marben. Recent bluegill stockings will provide additional opportunities for anglers, and fish will become more active as water temperatures rise. Red wigglers and crickets fished near the bottom around shoreline cover and shallow structure should produce steady action. As spawning activity increases later in the season, anglers can expect even better catch rates. 

Channel Catfish: Catfish activity will increase with warming water temperatures. Anglers fishing cut bait, worms, or prepared baits on the bottom should begin to see improving success, particularly during the evening hours.

McDuffie Public Fishing Area

• McDuffie PFA Information
• McDuffie PFA Fishing Guide

Flat Creek Public Fishing Area

• Flat Creek PFA Information
• Flat Creek PFA Fishing Guide

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

(Fishing report courtesy of Joshua Barber, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

Bass have been biting good this week and the bite will keep getting better as the weather warms up. Some big females will be caught in the coming weeks. Lakes, ponds, and the Okefenokee should be good options for this weekend.

River Gages as of February 26th:

• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 7.9 feet and rising
• Lumber City on the Ocmulgee – 4.1 feet and rising
• Clyo on the Savannah – 5.1 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 3.2 feet and rising
• Waycross on the Satilla – 7.2 feet and rising
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 5.0 feet and rising
• Quitman on the Withlacoochee – 2.8 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the Saint Marys – 2.0 feet and steady
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 1.7 feet and falling

Full Moon is on March 3rd. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA/OCMULGEE RIVERS

Jason Lee and Quinton McMichael fished the lower Altamaha this week and caught around a dozen bass. Spinnerbaits and speed worms worked best and the fish were caught in oxbows and in the main river. The Catfish Legends group had their first tournament of the year at Altamaha Regional Park last Saturday. First place went 49.8 pounds, and big fish weighed 27.7 pounds. Three Rivers Tournament Trail hosted their first tournament of the 2026 season out of the Lumber City Bridge last Saturday and some big bags were caught. First place was 28.90-lbs., second place went 19.58-lbs., and third place was 17.53-lbs. The big fish of the tourney was a 9.22-pound river monster.

SAINT MARYS RIVER

Dale Anderson caught this 19 pound catfish out of the Saint Marys River last Friday.

Blake Edwards had a good day on the Saint Marys last weekend. He fished out of the middle river on Sunday and landed 13 nice crappie and 4 bass (2 of them were nice sized ones). One of the bass was his personal best! A 1/16 oz. Mirage jig tipped with a minnow was the ticket. Dale Anderson and Tim Hartley ventured to the river last Friday and they managed to catch 4 big catfish. One of them almost weighed 20 pounds. Chad Purvis and Van Cross boated 22 keeper sized panfish (redbreasts and bluegill) last Saturday morning on the lower river.

SATILLA RIVER

Kevin Mullis and a friend caught a two-man limit of bass in the river yesterday. A couple of them were nice sized ones. Craig James and his mom Stephanie caught 20 crappie this morning (kept 12 over a pound) on live minnows. Alvin Thrift went to Burnt Fort recently and reported that he caught 9 bass and 5 specks while using soft plastic worms. He said that he caught them by dragging the worms on bottom. Before your next trip to the river, stop by Satilla Feed and Outdoors located at 2270 US-84 in Blackshear. They have a variety of rods, reels, and fishing tackle. For hours, call 912-449-3001.

LAKES AND PONDS

Jimmy Zinker landed this nice bass at a Worth County pond over the weekend.

I fished at a lake last Saturday and landed 17 bass (biggest weighed 3 ½-lbs.) and 4 jackfish. One of the jackfish was almost 2 feet long. I had to work for my fish though as they were pretty spooky in the sunny weather. The fish started biting better when the clouds rolled back in the afternoon but then a rainstorm ran me off the water. Swimbaits (silver color worked best), speed worms, and glide baits fooled them. Jimmy Zinker went on a night fishing excursion last Saturday at a Worth County pond. He waited for the evening rainstorm to pass through and then he headed out. He caught 5 bass that weighed between 3-5 pounds (two were in the 5-lb. range) while using a Muskie Jitterbug. When the clouds cleared up the fish shut off like a light switch. Jimmy went back to that same pond on Tuesday morning (February 24^th) and landed around 20 bass. He caught the big one that he was looking for that weighed an estimated 7 pounds (both of his scales were dead). He used a Bang-O-Lure, glide bait, and a white/silver colored spinnerbait to catch them. Cooper and Jackson Winn (with HeyCuz Outdoors) fished with their Papa Jerry and Aunt Cathy at a Bacon County Pond last weekend. They landed over 4 dozen crappie and some bass and bream on Mr. Crappie jigs and a Sheboggy Baits Swamp Cricket. Chartreuse was the best color of the day. Danny Cooley and a friend fished at a lake last Saturday in the high winds and they managed to catch 13 nice bass. Black plastic lizards were the ticket. Mr. Charles Roland had two good days at Dodge Public Fishing Area last week. He kept 22 crappie on Thursday and 15 on Saturday. He fooled them on live minnows in 3 feet of water. A Waycross area angler fished in his kayak at a local pond yesterday afternoon and landed a dozen bass, 4 crappie (all were around 1-lb.), and a pair of big bluegill. A purple/white crappie jig, gold colored jointed minnow, and a crankbait fooled them.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Richard and Nicolas Pellizzari went on a guided fishing trip with Captain Bert Deener last Saturday on the east side. They targeted fliers in the morning and trolled Dura-Spins for bowfin for the rest of the trip. They ended up having a great day catching 61 fish total (fliers, bowfin, and pickerel). Nicolas hung a bowfin that was in the 10-pound class that came off halfway to the boat. Pink sallies and crawfish Warmouth Wacker jigs worked best for the fliers and lemon-lime, fire tiger, and crawfish colored Dura-Spins were the ticket for the bowfin and the pickerel. The boat ramp on the west side (Stephen C. Foster State Park) is currently closed due to some renovations that are taking place around the boat basin. They estimate that it will probably be at least early May before it is reopened. Anglers can still launch kayaks and canoes though. Captain Bert Deener offers guided fishing trips in the Okefenokee. To book a trip with him, visit his website bertsjigsandthings.com. Recent Swamp level on the east side was 120.20 feet. Be careful driving your boat with the low water conditions.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Mike Pinson landed this big sheepshead last week in the Saint Simons area.

Jay and Ann caught a pile of fish (redfish and sheepshead) on a guide trip with Captain Tim Cutting.

Mike Poilucci went sheepshead fishing with his friend Mike Pinson over two afternoons last week in the Saint Simons area. They caught 7 total with fiddler crabs that they dug and suspended them on sheepshead rigs around docks (all caught on low tide). Brandon Nix and Matthew Harrelson went on a trip in the Saint Marys area recently and reported catching 6 trout and a pair of black drum. They used live shrimp on drift corks and bottom rigs. Captain Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) took Tom and Mary on a guide trip yesterday in the Saint Simons area and they landed around 20 redfish. Most of them were big ones. Captain Tim took Jay and Ann out today and they caught a half dozen redfish and kept two limits of sheepshead (biggest weighed 7 pounds). Live shrimp worked best on both of those trips.

Before your next fishing trip, stop by Winge’s Bait and Tackle located at 440 Memorial Drive in Waycross. They have all the tackle you need for a successful trip! For their hours, call 912-283-9400.

If you have any fishing reports or fish pictures that you would like to be included in this report, email them to me joshuabfishhunter@gmail.com or send them through Messenger on Southern Waters Fishing Report’s Facebook Page.

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA

Sorry y’all, our fisheries folks are out doing fisheries stuff. The Southwest Report will return next week!

NORTH GEORGIA

(Fishing report courtesy of James Miles, Fisheries Biologist , with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

RESERVOIR REPORT 

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Lake Allatoona (Courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report and GA DNR/U.S. Army Corps) — LAKE ALLATOONA IS DOWN 12.8 FEET, 50’S – Bass fishing is good. Mid-day anglers are throwing shallow running square bill crankbaits, lipless crankbaits and Chatterbaits most of the time. Later in the month use slower moving bottom baits, such as the Ned rig and Carolina rig. For the jerk baits use the Sunline Sniper 8-pound test and work areas around Illinois Creek, the mouth of the Little River and the Sweetwater Creek area. The best areas to begin the month with are main lake points and secondary points. Later in the month there will be more activity toward the backs of the creeks and pockets. For the month of March, Illinois Creek, Sweetwater Creek and the mouth of Little River have been really productive.

Allatoona Fish Habitat: This winter, DNR staff partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete habitat enhancement projects across multiple areas of the lake. At the Red Top Mountain Fishing Jetty, 150 Christmas trees were anchored around the jetty, with an additional 50 placed in Coopers Branch. Clusters of bamboo structures were also installed in Clear, Illinois, and Stamp Creeks, as well as Coopers Branch. Each site consisted of 6–8 trees, with five sites completed in total. In Little River, Sweetwater Creek, the Allatoona Creek arm, and Clark Creek, DNR staff felled and anchored 44 shoreline trees to further increase structural habitat and improve fish holding cover. All habitat improvements around the lake can be found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts (select Lake Allatoona).

LAKE HARTWELL

Lake Hartwell (Courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report and GA WRD) — LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 7.4 FEET, 40’S — Bass fishing is fair. But, the cold front will be back. With the lake still showing a good level of water this week the bass are looking to the creeks and coves past the secondary points. Fish any rip rap in the Seneca River and Tugaloo River. Both the original and RS models of the Rapala Shad Rap is working good while working any area with rip rap rock. Long casts and slow retrieves seem to be the pattern for working this rock. Wait until the sun comes up and shines on this rock for at least thirty minutes or so before fishing the rock. Another sign to look for while fishing is to take a look in the shallows to see if the small sunfish are moving in after the sun comes up. The majority of the bass I am catching are feeding on the bream and perch up in the shallows. Shad Rap and Jointed Shad Raps is my baits of choice while fishing the shallows. Reed Creek and the Twenty Six Mile Creek are good places to check out their week. Along with The Shad Raps, take along some Husky Jerks in the glass minnow, glass blue minnow and the glass perch colors. These baits are working well in the slightly stained water off the points. With the wind blowing, fish only the wind blown banks and points for the best results. Also by making long casts, this will give the bass plenty of time to move through the cold water and find the bait.

Lake Hartwell walleye catch.

Walleye: (Courtesy of Kyle Rempe, Fisheries Biologist) — Completed another Walleye scouting mission this week shocking up to the Walker Creek access. Water temperatures there were right at 45.9 °F. After shocking for half an hour or so there we were able to net 21 males and 1 female, with the female being the biggest. Hopefully the warmer weekend temperatures will continue to heat things up and more fish will continue to travel up the headwaters of Tugaloo. 

LAKE LANIER

Lake Lanier Bass: (Via Phil Johnson, Pjohnson15@hotmail.com (770) 366 8845) — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is fair. The lake is currently five and a half feet below full pool but is rising from the recent rains. The main lake is clear with some staining in the backs of the creeks and up the rivers. The water temperature has risen to the mid to upper forties. The bass are in the early stages of pre spawn, and it has been day to day on catching them. Over the last few days the bite has picked up as the bass have moved shallower. Right now, the bass are scattered from fifty feet deep all the way to the bank so you still have options on how you try to catch them. The better bite of late has been the bite in less than thirty feet of water on a quarter ounce Spot Choker with a two eight Keitech, a three eights Picasso jig in crawfish color or a green pumpkin Dimiki rig. Work the Spot Choker starting in the thirty foot range and work all the way up to the ten-foot range concentrating on the rocky points and docks. The jig and the Dimiki rig will work in the same depth range but be sure to use a slow presentation. There are still fish deep and you can catch them with either a half ounce spoon or a three eights Spot Choker worked slowly along the bottom in the thirty-to-fifty-foot range. The key is to locate these with your electronics and target them with your baits either by dropping directly on them or bringing you Spot Choker slowly through them to draw strikes. It’s transition time for the bass and as the water temperature continues to rise with the warm weather, look for the shallow bite to be the key to a successful day. The weather is warming and so are the bass so Go Catch ‘Em.

Crappie: (Via Captain Josh Thornton (770) 530 6493) — Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good. The water temperatures are in the upper 40s and the water is stained in the northern rivers The Crappie are suspended in open water at 5 to 8 feet deep near main creek and channels and on deep water docks. Minnows are no help and the jig color of choice is d2d or a white and chartreuse by ATX lures. For your best fishing experience consider using the following equipment: a one-piece ACC Crappie Stix rod and reel paired with 4- or 6-pound test K9 line with a Atx lure company jig. Further optimizing your efforts with a Garmin LiveScope. To schedule your guided Lake Lanier crappie fishing trip, please contact Captain Josh Thornton at 770 530 6493. Additional information and helpful fishing tips can be found on our websites: Guide Josh Crappie Fishing, learn about Lake Lanier Fishing Guide 

Stripers: (Via The Striper Experience Guide Service) –

• Water Temp: 50-53
• Clarity: Clear main lake. Creeks are slightly stained as you work towards the back. Upper river arms are stained to muddy with recent rains.
• Lake Level: 1065.63 (5.37 ft below full pool)

Weather Trend – Back to February weather with lows in the 30’s and 40’s and highs back to the mid 60’s by the end of the week. This should give us a little bump in water temps by the weekend, but not much.

What’s Working Right Now: Down lines continue to work in the 40-60ft range with herring, small trout and medium shiners, but flat lines and planer boards are really becoming the better option as the water warms up into the mid 50’s.

WEISS LAKE

Weiss Lake (Courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report) — WEISS LAKE DOWN 3.2 FEET, CLEAR, 50’S — Bass fishing is fair, and they are on their winter pattern on the river and creek channels. Drop shot rigs and Carolina rigs are catching fish. Crappie fishing is good, and they are suspended in the creek and river channels 8 to 20 feet deep and can be caught longline trolling with Jiffy Jigs in colors JJ13 and JJ17. A lot of crappie have suspended in the Coosa River channel 20 to 25 feet deep. A few crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs.

WEST POINT LAKE

West Point Lake (Courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report) — WEST POINT LAKE IS DOWN 4.7 FEET, CLEAR, 50’S — Bass fishing has been fair. Expect big changes with another cold front soon. Next week the largemouth bite to continue to be good around any shallow wood or brush, rip rap or around shallow baitfish schools. Shallow water baits such as Chatterbaits, square bill crankbaits and Rat L Traps should work. Spinnerbaits and jig and pigs are also producing some fish around wood and rip rap. Later next week can be a good time to catch some big fish. But numbers are still a few weeks away. One of the main keys to this type of shallow fishing is to look for warmer stained water. A ditch or creek run sometimes helps to bring warmer water into an area, especially after a warm rain. Dark chunk rock and red clay retain heat and attract bass. Fishing for spotted bass is better as they move more in colder waters. Small crankbaits or Carolina rigged finesse worms will catch fish on almost any gravel bank in most creeks.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT 

Hugh Dorsey of Ringold caught this 2 lb, 3 oz crappie at Rocky Mountain PFA.

Fisheries staff have started monitoring the white bass on the Coosa River for the spawning run.

Black Crappie – Rocky Mountain PFA (Report courtesy of Fisheries Technician Richard Childers): With temperatures warming, crappie fishing at Rocky Mountain PFA is starting to pick up.  The fish are still schooling deep, but they will continue to move shallower throughout the month of March.  Look for crappie holding on deep structure, such as the dozens of brush piles and fish attractors continually placed at all three lakes by Rocky PFA Fisheries staff.  Hugh Dorsey of Ringold recently boated a nice 2-lb. 3-oz crappie from Antioch East using a Bobby Garland jig.  The fish easily qualified Hugh for a 2026 PFA Angler Award.  We expect plenty more 2+ pound crappie to be caught at Rocky PFA this spring, so come-on out and give it a try! 

RIVER REPORT 

Coosa River White Bass and Crappie Report: (From Fisheries Biologist John Damer) — Sampling crews have been on the Coosa River over the past couple weeks monitoring the start of the white bass spawning run.  Last week’s warm temperatures had many white bass up shallow, but the recent cold snap forced those fish back to deeper waters.  Far fewer white bass were seen this week, but with forecasted high temperatures soon approaching 80 degrees those fish should quickly return over the next week.  We are also seeing great numbers of crappie mixed in with the white bass, some close to a pound in size.  Anglers can target both species from Mayo Lock and Dam Park down to Brushy Branch.

TROUT REPORT 

Wild and Stocked Trout (Courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Unicoi Outfitters) —

Wes’ Hot Fly List: 

• Dries: Black elk hair caddis, grey elk hair caddis, griffiths gnat, small Parachute Adams, indicator flies for dry droppers (micro chubby) (stimulator)
• Nymphs & Wets:
• DH Stockers: twister egg, pheasant tail (nymph, soft hackle) or Frenchie, sexy Walts worm, rainbow warrior.
• Mountain streams: zebra midge, soft hackles, prince nymph, frenchie or pheasant tail.
• Streamers: UV polar jig, jiggy fry, sparkle minnow, bank robber sculpin.

GA Women Flyfishers with a successful rainbow catch on Nacoochee Bend.

Beautiful trout in hand for this angler on a north Georgia river.

Headwaters: Mountain streams are still very low and clear due to a lack of rainfall. Several anglers visiting our new shop reported topwater success during last week’s warm afternoons. In fact, wild bows even preferred dries over droppers. That action will slow until midweek warmth thaws out the wild fish again.

Delayed Harvest: Fishing reports were positive on DH streams. February stockers have smartened up after three weeks of angler pressure, so smaller egg and nymph patterns were more successful than the bigger, gaudier bugs that were hot at the first week of the month.

Stockers: Stockers remain slim.  Your best bets are the two tailwaters for summer/fall holdovers and  just outside the DH stream boundaries to find the wash-downs.  Fishing public waters above or below private trophy waters might fetch you a straying brute or two. It’s Rainbow Romance season and some bows may swim upstream in search of clean gravel.

Private Waters: Private waters fished decently during the warm spell. Low, clear water and “experienced” fish made the catching challenging, especially for newer anglers. Veterans with light tippets and perfect drifts still did well. Private water action should rebound at midweek. Just follow rising stream temperatures to your own success.

The GA Women Flyfishers assaulted Nacoochee Bend on both Friday and Saturday. They had to work hard for a handful of big, picky, and powerful rainbows. Changing flies often, the experienced club members scored on a variety of egg, worm, nymph, and bugger patterns.

Tailwaters: UO buddy Retiree Jay: “My friend David from ATL and I did a float trip yesterday on a north Georgia river I had never fished before. We saw lots of black Caddis flies hatching all day, but very few rising fish. David had a little luck early on a size 12 black Caddis dry fly. I tried swinging nymphs and soft hackles with no luck. The rises ended quickly, I was stumped so I tried something completely different (streamers)! I immediately was rewarded with some hefty trout that were willing to chase my brown articulated streamer with small dumbell eyes.”

UO buddy Ryan: “This past weekend I had a chance to get out with some friends on one of my favorite access points on the Hooch Tailwater.  The weather was nice, and it seemed to have fish more active than the weeks prior I’ve fished here.  My friends and I caught fish on both natural nymphs sz 18-20 as well as egg patterns, all euro nymphing.  No browns this trip, only rainbows came out to play!”

Nimblewill Trout (Courtesy of Jimmy Jacobs, On The Fly South) — Check out this interesting fishing history piece on Nimblewill Creek to learn how this trout stream has changed over the years, maybe even for the better. Find the copy at OnTheFlySouth.com/nimblewill-trout.

Supporting Trout Fishing: Want to do more to support trout fishing in Georgia?  Consider upgrading to a Trout Unlimited license plate this year. See more info at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates.  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 which can be found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/trout. Hatcheries and wild trout efforts both benefit from the trout tag.