National Fishing and Boating Week continues through this Sunday (June 14) and don’t forget that Sat. June 13 is another Free Fishing Day! On this day, Georgia residents don’t need a fishing license or trout license to fish in public waters. What a great opportunity to take a friend or family member that might be new to fishing with you. Find out more at GeorgiaWildlife.com/nfbw.

MORE NEWS:

• Free Fishing Events: Georgia offers kid-friendly fishing events, clinics, and family fishing opportunities across the state where young anglers can learn, compete, and make lifelong memories. Check the Events page at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to find an event near you!
• Put a Bass on Your Car: The newest Georgia license plate supports fisheries conservation and features a largemouth bass. Proceeds support fisheries conservation, habitat improvements, research, stocking programs, and education efforts across the state. Learn more at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates and visit your county tag office to grab yours!

Are you headed out to help someone enjoy the Free Fishing Day tomorrow? We sure hope you and yours have fun as you Go Fish Georgia!

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

A few anglers got out on the high rivers and caught some nice fish. Lakes and ponds have produced some of the best reports that I received this week.

River Gages as of June 11th:

• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 7.2 feet and falling
• Lumber City on the Ocmulgee – 1.9 feet and falling
• Clyo on the Savannah – 3.9 feet and steady
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 7.1 feet and steady
• Alapaha on the Alapaha – 7.3 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 10.8 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 7.4 feet and rising
• Quitman on the Withlacoochee – 2.9 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the Saint Marys – 1.7 feet and steady
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 1.6 feet and falling

New Moon is on June 14th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/rt). For the latest marine forecast, check out www.weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA RIVER

Seth Carter went out on the muddy river this week and caught 17 bass total. He caught them by using a scooter. The annual catfish tournament took place at Jaycee Landing last weekend. A total of 67 boats and over 150 anglers participated in the tournament. Kevin and Eli Carey won first place with 188.50-lbs. (had 5 fish). Second place had 114.35-lbs. and third place went 88.25-lbs.

ALABAHA RIVER

Justin Harrison fished out of his kayak for around 4 hours last week. He managed to land 5 nice bass.

WITHLACOOCHEE RIVER

Jim O’Conner spent around 4 ½ hours fishing from his kayak on Sunday. The river was very high and muddy, and the current was strong. Even so, he still caught a lot of Suwannee bass (biggest measured 15 inches long). All of the fish were caught on crayfish imitation baits.

LAKES AND PONDS

I fished at a Tifton area lake on Tuesday afternoon and caught around a half dozen bass. My biggest weighed around 6-7 pounds. Jimmy Zinker fished at Tired Creek Lake (near Cairo) last weekend and he caught 4 bass up to 6-lbs. 10-oz. Jimmy also night fished at Lake Miccosukee this week and boated 6 bass that weighed between 2-5.5-lbs. He said that Lake Miccosukee is so low right now that your boat trailer would probably drop off at the end of the ramp at Reeves Landing right now. Lake Iamonia is very low also right now and some anglers are having trouble launching boats there. Cooper Winn and his dad fished Cherokee Lake on Saturday morning (June 6^th). The bite was slow but they were able to catch a few bass and bluegill while using Swamp Spiders and Speed Craws. Jim Jurney fished at Banks Lake last Saturday and caught 3 bowfin, 3 giant carp (on 4 lb. test line), and 12 bluegill that measured between 8-10 inches long. The carp and bluegill were caught on crickets, and the bowfin were caught on a small fluke under a cork. Captain Bert Deener went fly fishing to a small local pond on Wednesday morning and landed 15 bluegill, shellcracker, crappie, and a big channel catfish. A popper-dropper setup fooled them.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The boat ramp on the west side (Stephen C. Foster State Park) is still currently closed due to some renovations that are taking place around the boat basin. They now estimate that it will be at least mid July before it is reopened. Anglers can still launch kayaks, canoes, and small boats from the bank. Captain Bert Deener offers guided fishing trips in the Okefenokee. To book a trip with him, visit his website bertsjigsandthings.com. Latest Swamp level on the east side was 120.34 feet.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Scott Smith and a friend launched at Shellmans Bluff and went offshore fishing. They caught several amberjack and Mahi-mahi, and a king mackerel. Captain Greg Hildreth reported that he is finding some keeper sized trout but most of them are underslots. He is catching them on live shrimp and mud minnows under a Harper’s Super Striker float. He is also catching some whiting on bottom in the sound.

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

(Fishing report courtesy of Laura Wenk, Fisheries Technician, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

Mayfly’s have been seen around the lake! No reports yet of large swarms, but if you need any mayfly lures to prepare stop by Flint River Outdoors.

Crappie and bream are still the top bites this week. Bream have been biting on crickets and worms. Remember there are tagged crappie out, so make sure you report if you catch one!

LAKE WALTER F GEORGE

Bream bites have been strong this week! They seem to be preferring red worms, though crickets have also been a big hit. For those folks looking for bass bites on the lake, their bites are fair at the moment. Try early using buzz baits for the best chance of catching them.

NORTH GEORGIA

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Bass (report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant kensturdivant@att.net via https://www.southernfishing.com/current-fishing-report.html) — LAKE ALLATOONA IS FULL, 70’S

— Bass fishing is good. Fish are looking to eat after being on the bed for several weeks. Now is the time to key on shad. Top water this month is as good as it gets. The first few hours of the morning should be spent throwing walking type baits, such as the Spro Dawg and Spook. Also mix it up with a popper style top water. Soft plastic jerk baits like the Big Bite Jerk Minnow are doing great. The key is covering water quickly. Faster retrieves where bass are not allowed time to think before they bite work best. The action will be fast and furious but will die off after the sun gets above the trees. Once the top water bite dies down, the swimbait bite is good, as well as the shaky head worm bite. Areas from Victoria to Little River are the best choice. Soon bass will move to a mid-depth by the mid to end of the month. The shad spawn and mayfly hatch will heavily influence the amount of bass activity. 

Crappie (Report courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits via www.redroosterbaits.com) —

• Air Temp: High: 86 – Low: 70
• Wind: 5-10 mph
• Lake Level: 841′ (Click HereFor Current Water Level)
• Water Surface Temp: 76 – 78
• Water Clarity: Clear
• Area Fished: Clark, Tanyard, Kellogg/Owl Creek, S-Turns & Little River Area
• Jigs Used: UV Shad – Dagger, Watermelon Red – Dagger, Motor Oil Red – Dagger, UV Smoke – Daggerand BlueGrass – Dagger
• Technique: Spider Rigging Minnows & Casting Jigs

The past couple of weeks have been up and down quite a bit with all the rain. We have had some bonified monsoons of late that has dropped 5-6″ of rain on Lake Allatoona which has raised the lake to above full pool. The rains that we would have expected in March/April didn’t come until the last two weeks of May! The heavy rains have not only raised the lake but have also pushed a lot of debris and trash in the water, especially the creeks. We saw several full-size trees floating as well as a few floating docks. Keep your eyes peeled because there are logs and limbs all over the lake right now. The crappie fishing is about to be in full summer pattern within a few weeks. The water temp is already hitting the 78 degree mark by the afternoon so any shallow crappie will be heading to those deeper brush piles and structure sitting around 16′ – 18′. It’s no secret we will rely heavily on spider rigging brush piles and Forward Facing Sonar (FFS) from June through October to find structure and determine what depth the crappie are sitting. For you folks that don’t have FFS…it’s a tool like anything else you can still catch plenty of crappie without it. You will just need to rely more on 2D Sonar, Sidescan and downscan to find structure and determine if there are fish on found structure. Use the old floating buoy marker technique once you locate the brush. Throw a marker in and around the brush…set your minnows down around 12′ – 14′ and you should be able to catch a few slabs. This time of year we will mainly fish in the early morning hours up until 1100 as that is typically when the bite trails off when the sun gets high. Also there will be an uptick in summertime boat traffic that makes things a little more difficult. We will still fish in the afternoons and evenings but the most productive times are early mornings. A small jig like the Red Rooster Dagger is our go to jig this time of year because of it’s small subtle profile. We will slow roll a natural color Dagger in and around brush and stucture for those active crappie suspended over brush. The Dagger is also our style of choice for shooting docks with a 1/32nd jig head. Our favorite colors this time of year are UV Shad, UV Smoke, Watermelon Red, Motor Oil Red, Watermelon Ghost and Mayfly. We like those colors as they are natural, translucent colors in the light stain to clear Allatoona waters.

LAKE LANIER 

Lanier Report (Report courtesy of Southern Fishing by Ken Sturdivant via https://www.southernfishing.com/current-fishing-report.html; this Lake Lanier Bass fishing report is by Phil Johnson. pjohnson15@hotmail.com 770 366 8845)– LAKE LANIER IS DOWN 4.3 FEET, 70’S — Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake has come up a foot and is now four and a half feet below full pool. The water temperature is running in the upper seventies and overall, the lake is clear with some light stain up the river. It seems the lure choice right now really depends on the weather conditions so be versatile with what you do. The key target areas have been brush in the twenty-five-to-thirty-five-foot range on humps and long points. It’s the time of year where one fisherman gets skunked on a bait while another fisherman has a great day on the same day so location can be very important. For the days with more wind, the spinnerbait, OG, Chug Bug and Gunfish have been great choices. For the sunny days use the chrome and cloudy days use either bone or white. Swimbaits such as the Slick Stick, Sebile and Sweet Bait have been producing well over the brush also on the days with wind. With calmer conditions, the Riser, Fluke and Skimmer have been good choices. Keep in mind that the Riser can be worked both on the top and just below the surface to draw strikes. The bite around the brush is picking up with the drop shot and will keep improving as the water warms even more. Sweet Rosy, Blue Lily and Sand colored drop shot worms have all produced fish. If you like working the worm, work the docks in fifteen feet or less range with any of the green pumpkin color combinations to catch them. As said above, be versatile with your baits and Go Catch ‘Em!

Lanier Striper Report (Report courtesy of Buck Cannon 404 510 1778) — Lake Lanier stripers are being caught on planer boards, flat lines and down lines using live bait on herring and gizzards shad. The river channel is holding fish where there is contact with creeks and deep coves. Start in the back and work your way out to the river channels. Put your baits 40 to 50 feet behind the boards and flat lines 80 to 100 feet behind the boat trolling 05-1.5 mph. Your electronics will help with the depth so be aware of the bottom contours that meets with the river channels. The lead core and umbrella rigs are both important methods that as the water temperature rises can offer some exciting results. Remember to wear your life jacket.

Stripers (report courtesy of Captain Ron Mullins via https://thestriperexperience.com/) —

• Lake level: 68 (4.32 feet below full pool and falling)
• Water temps: Mid to High 70’s
• Water clarity: Clear lake-wide

June is a major transition month on Lake Lanier. The consistent spring topwater bite begins to fade, water temperatures continue climbing, and stripers start making their move toward deeper summer patterns. The anglers who recognize this shift early will stay on fish, while those who keep fishing spring locations will find the bite becoming less predictable. The good news is that June offers several productive patterns, and fish can still be found in relatively predictable locations if you understand why they are there. 

How the Pattern Will Change This Month — Early June still carries some leftovers from late spring. You may see occasional surface activity and fish using shallower water during low-light periods. However, as the month progresses, the trend will be clear: fish will spend more time deeper and become increasingly dependent on bait positioning. The biggest adjustment anglers need to make is following the fish into areas that offer multiple feeding opportunities throughout the day. Rather than simply targeting shallow points, focus on locations where fish can move easily between shallow feeding areas and deeper water. 

Where Fish Will Set Up – As June progresses, focus on:

• Coves and pockets from Chestatee Bay to the dam
• Drainages entering major south-end creeks
• Points at the mouths of pockets
• Ditches and deeper water running through coves
• Areas that provide quick access to both shallow and deep water

These areas allow stripers to feed shallow early and late in the day, then slide into deeper water as the sun rises. Many productive pockets contain 10–20 feet of water on the points and 40–70 feet of water in the adjoining ditches.

To find out “What Will Work”, What Will Stop Working, Key Takeaways and What to Expect Heading into July, visit https://thestriperexperience.com/. 

Final Note — June is all about staying ahead of the transition. The fish are moving deeper, but they haven’t fully settled into their summer routine yet. Focus on areas that give stripers options, pay attention to bait, and be willing to adjust throughout the day. If you stay with the fish instead of fishing memories, June can be one of the most productive months of the year. Get out there and catch ’em up! 

Lanier Longnose Gar: (report courtesy of Jack Becker, aquadog45@gmail.com; www.Minithumper.com) — This week I had a chance to get back out on Lake Lanier early one morning.  I was waiting at Brooktons Catfish School Restaurant and Bait Shop to open at 5:30am. With the weather report calling for rain by midday I planned to be off the water by 10am.  Very calm water made for the perfect morning to look for Longnose Gar.  I like the big bay before you get to the AC1 marker in Ada Creek.

Since they can breathe air and tolerate very warm water with virtually no dissolved oxygen You can catch them all summer long. I look for them in the top 1/3 of the water column on my Hummingbird Helix. They can be mistaken for Stripers on your sonar but the marks are more of a straight line and high up in the water column. In water too warm to hold Stripers. My goal was to land one that will qualify for the Georgia Angler Award, which is 43″. In the past month I have caught 3 Gar over 40″ with the

biggest measuring 42 1/2″. Still short of the mark. I use the same setup that I use for stripers. 20 pound test Trilene Big Game main line & 12 lb. test Sunline FC Sniper flurocarbon leader. My bait was an 8 inch gizzard Shad on a 3/0 Gamagatsu circle hook.

Most of the bites come when I’m on spot lock or moving very slow .2 to .3 mph. I finally got the one I was looking for I stopped at Brookton’s again on the way home to measure and weigh it. The length was 53 inches and it weighed 20 lbs. 10 oz.  For more techniques you can use, including rope lures, without hooks, please email me.  I’ll be glad to share information with you. Jack Becker, Gainesville Ga a.k.a. Georgia Water Dog.  

ANGLER AWARDS

Anglers can get rewarded for fish that meet or beat specific weights and lengths. Does your fish qualify? Find out more about the Georgia Angler Award Program at https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/anglerawards.   

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant kensturdivant@att.net via https://www.southernfishing.com/current-fishing-report.html) — LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 6.3 FEET, 70’S  — Bass fishing is fair. Early use the trick worms and small Shad Raps on shallow flats with a creek channel close by. The bass seem to feed early and then late during twilight hours. The buzz bait is a good way to cover lots of water and this bait usually draws better fish in the summer. There is no set bait the bass seem to key on just make tons of casts to the structure. Try pitching and casting and concentrating on the wood. Casting close into and around all the wood and some docks has worked. Up the rivers is the better areas for less boat traffic. Zoom pearl Super Flukes are still working around docks especially in the coves and pockets in any shade. Large 3/0 Mustad offset hooks and a small stinger hook is a great all day lure. Think of this as a soft jerk bait and let it sink 2 to 12 feet on points in the creeks. Rapala has a Clap Tail 110 top water bait that has been working on all the bass. Be sure to have the shad and baby bass color. It’s got a blade on the top along with a plastic blade on the back. Fish this for anything. During the day, the Zoom finesse worm on a 3 foot Carolina rig will force anglers to fish deeper to the levels that the fish are holding at 12 to 16 feet off the main river points. The river fishing seems better with the cooler water having the bass more active.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant kensturdivant@att.net via https://www.southernfishing.com/current-fishing-report.html) — WEST POINT LAKE IS FULL, 80’S — Bass fishing is good. With the temperature rising this week there has been little change. There are still some fish shallow. Top water baits such as Pop Rs, Zara Spooks and buzz baits can be extremely effective for shallow and aggressive fish, especially around bream beds. The second pattern that works really well is to look for spawning shad. Rapala has a Clap Tail 110 top water bait that has been working on all the bass. Be sure to have the shad and baby bass color. It’s got a blade on the top along with a plastic blade on the back. Fish this for anything. Try fishing rip rap around bridges with spinnerbaits, small crankbaits and Zoom Super Flukes. Largemouth are still being caught on the Carolina rigs and a Zoom pumpkinseed lizard and try both small and larger one. Lots of spotted bass are caught by casting Spot Remover heads loaded with Shaky Tail worms or just dragging a Carolina rigged Zoom Finesse worm or mini lizard around sloping gravel banks.

WEISS LAKE 

Bass (report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant kensturdivant@att.net via https://www.southernfishing.com/current-fishing-report.html)-– WEISS LAKE IS FULL, 70’S – Bass fishing is good. With the hot weather and lack of rain the lake is getting very low oxygen levels, the fish are getting lazy and soft plastics are producing best. The deep water patterns will set up soon after the next full moon. Some are still under docks that have 4 feet or more of water under them. Slow roll a ½ ounce Strike King spinner bait in chartreuse and white with silver double willow blades or a Carolina rig with a Zoom big dead ringer in June bug. The Classic Rapala wounded minnow action a durable plastic body construction and loud rattles make the Harvest Shad ideal for targeting all gamefish in any situation. Fishing a brown 3/8 ounce Stanley jig with a Zoom chunk in pumpkin seed is producing some good fish, crank baits are producing some fish also. Target ledges that have 8 feet of water or more on top. The spotted bass have moved to points, humps and the old river channels use a Fat Free Shad crank bait in citrus shad color or a ½ ounce Oldham spinnerbait in chartreuse and white.

DON CARTER STATE PARK STOCKING

Last week, 1,000 Channel Catfish were stocked by GA DNR at Don Carter State Park for a free fishing day on June 6. There is another free fishing day tomorrow, June 13. On this day, Georgia residents do not need a fishing license or trout license to fish on public waters. Find out more at https://georgiawildlife.com/nfbw.

RIVERS & STREAMS REPORT 

Stocked Trout: Several streams are starting to heat up, making trout fishing a bit more challenging. Take advantage of the cool down next week to catch some stockers. After July 4, several streams become too warm to be stocked and won’t be stocked again until next season.  Stay up to date on the latest trout stockings and locations by visiting the Georgia DNR Trout Fishing page at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/trout.

Toccoa River: Recently, GA DNR and the Chattahoochee National Fish Hatchery provided fish for a stocking and fishing event on the Toccoa River with Partners from the Tennessee Valley Authority, Several local river outfitters, and Trout Unlimited. In addition to managing rivers for energy production, TVA also supports the Georgia Trout Stocking Program through the Chattahoochee National Fish Hatchery. Find out more about that event at Balancing Power and Play: TVA Showcases the Ocoee-Toccoa Experience.

Trout Fishing Tips and Tricks – New Video: Check out a new video from Pautzke Bait as they provide tips and tricks for trout fishing in North Georgia. Find it at https://www.youtube.com/@TeamPautzke (search for “Incredible North Georgia Trout Fishing”).

UNICOI OUTFITTERS REPORT: (Report courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Angler Management; report via Unicoi Outfitters 6.5.26) — A rainless week now has our trout waters low and clear and our bass rivers slowly clearing.  Wild trout, stockers, and even private water fish were on fire, thanks to an atypical run of cool weather that knocked down water temps. Pond fishing was also hot, while we’ve had no news from reservoir fans. The first week of June is National Fishing Week and GADNR offers two free fishing days (June 6, June 13), so introduce a friend to fishing for free! We have the events list in our full report.

Catch all the angling intel and event list in our full report at https://www.unicoioutfitters.com/fishing-reports 

Wes’ Hot Fly List: 

• Dries: yellow stimulator, purple haze, yellow humpy, micro chubby, water walker, tan elk hair caddis.
• Nymphs & Wets: Squirmies, Mops, and buggers for stockers. Soft hackles, zebra midge , micro girdle bug, frenchie, duracell, jig CDC pheasant tail.
• Mountain streams: Pheasant tail, prince nymph, small Frenchie, sunken ant, and soft hackle partridge
• Streamers: Sparkle minnow, jig mini bugger, bank robber sculpin.
• Reservoir Bass & Stripers: Cowen’s somethin else, low fat minnow, game changer, Clouser 

River bass:

• Topwater: Boogle popper, stealth bombers
• Streamers: Thrasher, leggy boi, feather changer, black woolly bugger, clouser minnow.
• Bottom bouncing flies: crittermite, crawfish jambalaya, jig bugger.
• Bream: Boogle bugs, Bumble butt, prince nymph, bream reaper.
• Carp: Carp it bomb, hybrid worm, ball peen craw 

Headwaters: They’re skinny once again due to a week without rain, but water temps are still good for your wild trout trips. Remember your black and yellow summer bugs.

Athens Jay offers: “I did some camping and mountain bike fishing for wild trout this week. I saw a few bugs here and there, but no fish rising to eat. I did have good luck with yellow dry flies. Yellow elk hair Caddis, parachute light Cahill, yellow stimulator all worked when presented properly. Lots of “bump refusals” as usual with wild fish.”

UO guide Syd: “On my off day this week, I took a friend to my favorite small stream and we wore out some small but BEAUTIFUL wild rainbows.   He caught about an 8 inch “trophy”.  Then we did some evening fishing at the lake and I caught my biggest bluegill!” 

Stockers: The GA program is still going strong. With warmer days forecast, the big-stream action will be better in the mornings, before water temps rise with the sunshine.  Small, shaded streams will still fish well throughout the day.   Check out the newest stocking list here and sign up to get your own copy each Friday afternoon at https://georgiawildlife.com/Fishing/Trout. 

UO guide Syd: “My public water guide trips have been fishing well early in the mornings. This week I got a mom and her daughter on her first trout ever and then took them to the lake to catch some bluegill. It was a fun time for our trio.” 

Private Waters: We’re done until next fall, except for a few instructional sessions vis our Gilligan Special. The last few, cool days gave us a nice closeout. Syd reports: “My client had a great time yesterday at Rainbow Point due to a cool morning that had the fish very active! We caught a lot of gooduns on pats and squirmies.”

Warm Rivers: Most of our larger rivers are finally clearing after last week’s post-storm, muddy messes. They’ll be a best bet as long as the storms back off and the water clears.

UO buddy RSquared: “Early this morning(5th), a neighbor & I made it to one of our local NW Ga. Streams. The water was still high, fast, and dingy, but I was desperate for some hydrotherapy. I was able to find some of our local “Alabama Brook Trout”(Coosa Redeyes ) looking up. Yellow continues to work on these scrappy little natives. Great fun on a light fly rod!”

The UO gang closed its two shops last Tuesday for their semi-annual staff fishing day.  Three raftfuls of anglers, armed with both fly and spin gear, assaulted a muddy Hooch, with just 2 or 3 feet of visibility. The fishing and fellowship were fun, while the catching was slow in the YooHoo.  They landed a bunch of feisty redbreast on small poppers and a handful of river bass on plugs, ned rigs, and crawdad flies.

Ponds: Still a best bet, especially when you can locate the bream beds.  Athens Jay: “Blue moon, blue boogle bug, bluegill:  Piedmont pond paddleboard fishing was good to me this past week. Lots of topwater action using a large blue Boogle, and using a big tan chubby Chernobyl.”

UO owner Jimmy’s grandson has been wearing out north metro pond bass on swim baits and Coikes (those urchin lookalikes). 

Events:

• Don’t forget our “First Friday” gatherings at the Sautee shop! Our first one is tonite!
• Speaking of free, introduce a friend to fishing on one of Georgia’s free fishing days. Details: https://georgiawildlife.com/national-fishing-and-boating-week-returns-june-6-14
• GADNR and the USFS often host kids fishing events at this time of year. See the list here: https://license.gooutdoorsgeorgia.com/event/EventsHome.aspx
• Dredger’s Rabunite clan assists the US Forest Service with a fun event on the Tallulah River on 6/13. Bring the kids! Event is 9am-12 noon, there will be lunch, fishing, goodie bags and prizes. Address: Tallulah River Campground (800 Tallulah River Road, Clayton, GA 30525). Need more info? Call 706-745-6221.

CENTRAL GEORGIA

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

Contributions for the Central Georgia fishing report are thanks to 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 LAKE IS DOWN 5.3 FEET, 80’S – Bass fishing is good. Start the Whopper Plopper and bot sizes, and have them ready all day. The Zoom Super Flukes in white ice and a Gunfish are also good lures. The fish are starting to move to summer locations in deeper water. Jigs, Carolina rigs and crankbaits are still working for some fishermen. Try pitching and casting and concentrating on the wood. Casting close into and around all the wood and some docks has worked. Up the rivers are the better areas for less boat traffic. The local tackle shops should have both sizes of the Whopper Ploppers and color does not matter. The largemouth are holding off the sides of grassy points in 12 to 18 feet of water and are feeding heavily on the crawfish in the grass. We are also finding several largemouth mixed in with the hybrids feeding on the herring.

LAKE SINCLAIR

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.6 FEET, 70’S – Bass fishing is fair. There is some top water action early. Use the water Devils Horse lures and all white buzz baits. All white seems to be the hot colors with a little green in the skirts. These baits have been taking some really good fish early in the day. After the sun gets up, slow rolling spinner baits and large crank baits has been the best way to get to the deeper fish on the river. Carolina rigged Zoom green pumpkin Trick worms or the same color in the Zoom lizard in the six-inch size will work, and some extra Mega Strike scent will help the fish hold the baits longer. There has been a good top water bite on docks on the shady side. Rapala has a Clap Tail 110 top water bait that has been working on all the bass. Be sure to have the shad and baby bass color. It’s got a blade on the top along with a plastic blade on the back. Fish this for anything. Use green frog and white buzz baits. Go up the river to work the points and small cuts up to and past Murder Creek. There is good fishing in these areas as the day warms up. Take the Carolina rig and fish the points out to 20 feet deep.

LAKE RUSSELL

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 1 FOOT, 70’S – Bass fishing is fair. Fish big clusters of rocks in the shade using a ¼ ounce jig with no more than 10-pound Suffix Line. Use the hot mustard Rapala DT6 or DT10 along these same areas and be sure to bounce the baits off the rocks. After the sun comes up, head to the bridge pylons. On a spinning rod, use a ¼ ounce Strobe Tear Drop Spoon by Blue Fox on 8-to-10-pound test Suffix Advantage clear line. Use a Robo worm in morning dawn and fish this vertical jig on all the pylons under the bridges starting at one side, then move to the other. Most strikes will come on the fall of the bait and watching the line is a must. Rapala has a Clap Tail 110 top water bait that has been working on all the bass. Be sure to have the shad and baby bass color. It’s got a blade on the top along with a plastic blade on the back. Fish this for anything. Use the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology while fishing the bridge pylons.

LAKE OCONEE

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 70’S – Bass fishing is fair. Bass are being caught in less than 5 feet of water and many different baits are working. The shad spawn is just starting. First thing in the day, look for rocks where the shad are spawning and work that area well. There can be a mixed bag of fish consisting of whites, hybrids, and largemouth. If there is any wind, work the windblown banks with a small crank bait like a ¼ ounce Rat T Trap in the chrome/black or a #5 Rapala Shad Rap in silver and black colors. A zoom finesse worm or a 5-inch lizard in the watermelon or green pumpkinseed fished on a Carolina rig with a 24 inch leader is another alternative. Fish this bait around sea walls, rocks, and docks in the back of pockets off the main lake and creeks. A good number of fish are also coming off spinner baits. If there is any stained water, fish the area work an all-white spinner bait around any docks or blow downs. Early and late in the day a white skirt and silver blade buzz bait will get a good fish around docks and seawalls. If the day is overcast, this bait can work all day.

LAKE JACKSON

LAKE JACKSON IS DOWN 1 FOOT, 70’S – Bass fishing is good. The shad spawn is on, so have small baits ready most of the day. Try the white 3/8 or ½ ounce Strike King Spinnerbait with silver willow leaf blades. Also try a white Chatter Bait and an Alabama Rig. Rip rap and seawalls in the creeks are hard to beat. The shad spawn only lasts a little while, but it’s fun. This is an excellent top water month and anglers are running and gunning several different baits. Use the popping style baits like a white Zell Pop and a Rico as well as prop style baits also in shad colors. After the sun gets high, go back to skipping a black brown Net Boy Baits flipping jig under shady docks and use the white Zoom Super Fluke 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: 40”
• Surface Temperature: Mid 80’s
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Our PFA ponds have been producing as well, especially for anglers able to fish early mornings and again in the cooler evening hours. The mid-day fishing has been challenging this past week, but anglers who have stayed into the evening have had their patience rewarded. Anglers reported catching 2-3lb bass on wacky rigged green pumpkin senkos and crawfish soft plastic baits. For those looking to catch bream, the later evenings hours have been producing nice numbers of shellcracker. Fish red wigglers near the bottom to get in on the action. The last hour before sunset has been good for people looking for catfish. Chicken liver and earthworms set out near piers and downed trees in the water have been the spot for taking home channel catfish.  

Largemouth: Most of the females have spawned and moved to deeper water. Carolina rigged lizards do well.

Crappie: Target brush, submerged timber, and pond edges with minnows or small jigs. Fishing success should improve significantly with consecutive days of warm weather. Crappie were really hitting jigs and jigs tipped with minnows.

Bream: 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. Bluegill have been biting worms.

Channel Catfish: Anglers fishing cut bait, worms, or prepared baits on the bottom should begin to see improving success, particularly during the evening hours.

Photo Captions:

MB-A,B: We had a great time this past Saturday during the kid’s fishing event at McDuffie PFA. The kid’s showed up early and filled the coolers with catfish. Earthworms and hot dogs were a popular choice of baits with the kids. Maybe the most popular choice of bait for the fish was shrimp soaked in a homemade marinade. One angler using this caught and released 31 catfish!

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of Area Manager Amory Cook) —

• Flat Creek PFA Information
• Flat Creek PFA Fishing Guide
• Water Level: 47” below full pool
• Water Temperature: 80’s
• Water Clarity: 37.5″

Bass: Anglers are having success using plum colored ‘Ol Monster worms by Zoom, white buzz baits, and minnows. Most bass are being caught from boats, though we had someone catch a 4lb bass off the dock this week!

Bream: Red Wigglers continue to produce Bream. Target the treetops next to the boat ramp.

Crappie: Minnows have been the go-to bait, while jigs (John Deere or yellow and white colored Triple Ripple, or June Bug colored Teaser Tail) fished with light tackle to feel the slightest bite and trolled have been working very great! If you are bank fishing, try fishing near the pier. If on a boat, try cover (treetops).

Catfish: Most catfish caught has been bycatch while fishing for Bream or Bass. The last angler interviewed that was catching catfish had great success with worms fished on the bottom.  Remember the PFA lake record for catfish is still open and the minimum requirement to qualify is 12lbs or 32in long. You must have the catch weighed on a certified scale and properly documented.  Should you land a catfish that you believe to be at least 12 pounds (about 30 inches long), please notify DNR staff.

If you are having difficulty catching fish at FCPFA, try talking to other anglers. Flat Creek PFA receives high pressure, and it can take some time to narrow down techniques and locations where fish are biting.

MCDUFFIE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of Area Manager Chalisa Fabillar) — 

• McDuffie PFA Information
• McDuffie PFA Fishing Guide
• PFA water clarity: 37″
• Water Temperature: 80 degrees

This past week at McDuffie PFA, the temperature isn’t the only thing that’s been on the rise. Anglers reported bluegill heating up at the beginning of the week coming off our last full moon. Using worms and nightcrawlers, anglers have been able to target the beds the bream have made to have successful fishing trips. As we move further away from the full moon, the bluegill have been moving off their beds, however reports have still been good for bream numbers at the end of the week. Take a look around the edges of the lakes where the lake bottom is sandy, and you will be able to see where the bream made beds.

Catfish harvest has been consistently strong with anglers having luck fishing with chicken livers and hotdogs. In general, anglers have been having more success in the cooler mornings and evenings than they have fishing in the heat of the day.