Summer is here and we hope your plans involve getting out to Georgia waters and wetting a line.

Looking for fishing information? We got you! Visit our Angler Resources webpage at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources to find general fishing info, links to trout fishing news and stocking reports, angler reward programs, fishing forecasts (details info about species, best methods and more for 31 lakes and 18 rivers) and an interactive fishing map to help find a location close to you!

NEWS TO KNOW

• Combat Aquatic Invasives! You make a difference in keeping Aquatic Nuisance Species out of Georgia waters. Check out the online certification training course at GeorgiaWildlife.com/ans to learn more about invasive species found in or near Georgia.      
• Free Fishing Events: Georgia offers family friendly fishing events across the state. Check the Events page at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to find one near you!
• NEW Bass License Plate: 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!

Be sure to take advantage of all the resources on our website before you Go Fish Georgia!

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 5.5 FEET, 80’S – Bass fishing is fair. Bass are feeding aggressively on points, rocky banks, humps, and shallow offshore structure during the first few hours of daylight. Walking baits, flukes, and swimbaits are producing some of the best fish of the day. As the sun rises, the offshore bite becomes the dominant pattern. Many anglers are finding schools of bass around brush piles in 15 to 30 feet of water, while others are targeting deeper points and channel swings where baitfish are concentrated. The spotted bass and largemouth bass are both beginning to settle into predictable summer locations. Start early around long points and humps where blueback herring are active. Target offshore brush piles in 15 to 30 feet once the morning bite slows. Focus on areas holding large concentrations of baitfish throughout the day.

LAKE SINCLAIR 

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.5 FEET, 80’S – Bass fishing is fair. Look for the shallow bite to get better over the next month. Top water, jigs, and square bill crank baits are the baits of choice on mid lake docks. Early and late each day, throw a plopper or a prop bait around sea walls, lay down trees, and overhangs that have flies present. Bream-imitating colors will get the most bites. When the top water bites slow, try a Spro Fat John square bill crank bait around these same areas. Fishing the crank bait parallel to the sea wall will produce more bites and the baits will stay in the strike zone the entire way back. Also follow up with the jig in a brown and orange color. Fish these jigs slowly underneath dock walkways, at the base of sea walls, and in any wood cover. Bass are warm shallow feeders. This is a great way to catch a big fish. Concentrate on Main River stretches for best results. Deep diving crank baits, Carolina rigged soft plastics, and drop shot rigs have all been productive on these deep water offshore structures. Deep humps, long points, and river ledges will all hold fish this time of year. The deep bite is better when Georgia Power is moving water.

LAKE RUSSELL 

LAKE RUSSELL IS DOWN 1.2 FOOT, 80’S – Bass fishing is fair. The lake is transitioning into a solid summer pattern as water temperatures continue climbing. Unlike some of the more developed reservoirs in the region, the abundance of standing timber, creek channels and offshore structure continues to hold fish throughout the lake. Bass are beginning to group around deeper cover and baitfish concentrations. The early morning top water bite has been excellent. Bass are actively feeding around points, pockets, secondary points, and areas where blueback herring are present. Walking baits, flukes and swimbaits are producing quality fish before the sun gets high. Once daylight increases, many anglers are finding success targeting standing timber, brush piles, and channel-related structure in 15 to 30 feet of water. Russell’s clear water often rewards anglers willing to fish patiently and focus on offshore structure holding bait.

LAKE OCONEE 

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80’S – Bass fishing is fair. The largemouth bass are beginning to establish predictable summer patterns around docks, brush piles, points, creek channels and offshore structure. The early morning bite has been productive around seawalls, riprap, shallow docks, and points where shad activity is present. Top water baits are producing quality fish during low light conditions, especially around areas holding bait. As the day progresses, many anglers are finding their best success targeting offshore brush piles and deeper docks. Bass are grouping up around brush in 10 to 20 feet of water, and fish relating to creek channels and secondary points are beginning to become more predictable. Oconee’s brush pile bite should continue to strengthen as summer progresses.

LAKE JACKSON 

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL FOOT, 80’S – Bass fishing is fair. There is a lot of top water action early and late. Buzz baits and Whopper Ploppers work best in the middle half of cover, especially when there is a slight breeze blowing in. Flats in front of seawalls and around boathouses are the key areas right now. It’s starting to get tough during the day, especially on Saturdays when the boat traffic starts. Try the YUM Mother Bug on a 1/0 treble hook and pink has been the hot color. Jigs skipped under piers and boat docks are the best bet as the bass retreat into the shade. The Whopper Ploppers are great lures for any level angler. But it’s a good idea to have both the large and small sizes and only one color: bone. Try both a fast retrieve and a slow one.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

• McDuffie PFA Information
• McDuffie PFA Fishing Guide
• PFA water clarity: 33″
• Water Temperature: 86 degrees

The rain this week at McDuffie PFA brought a welcome cool down for anglers. Those who were willing to dodge the rain during their fishing trips have been rewarded this week, especially with bream numbers. A PFA regular caught close to his limit in bluegill one afternoon after a rainy morning. He was able to land his fish using crickets as bait. A couple of young anglers had good luck the same afternoon fishing Willow lake. They were able to bring in over 10 shellcracker fishing earthworms close to stumps and blown-down trees near the lake shore. Fishing close to natural cover like these stumps and logs can be a good bet for getting more bream bites.

PFA visitors searching for bass have been seeking out time to fish in the early morning and just before dark. These cooler times of day provide an uptick in bass activity. During the warmer parts of the day, anglers have been looking for bass in shaded areas like around the docks, fishing piers, and under shade provided by trees. Topwater lures like whopper ploppers and frogs are exciting and effective options for those morning and evening periods when light conditions are low. As the heat of the day comes on, bass will prefer to conserve energy. Presenting a subtle lure close to where bass are expected to be hanging around can help produce fish.

Harvest-size channel catfish have been coming from McDuffie this week on a variety of tackle. One angler chose earthworms on a cane pole fishing close to the boat docks and came away with four nice fish. Another reported catching several catfish on ham hocks. A popular lake for catfish is Jones Lake, which is open for fishing 24 hours a day, a nice way to get around this Georgia heat!

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.

MARBEN PUBLIC FISHING AREA (courtesy of PFA Manager Jamie Dowd) —

• Marben PFA Information
• Water Level: Most ponds remain full, with the exception of some smaller ponds.
• Water Clarity: 18 – 36”, depending on plankton bloom and amount of rain
• Surface Temperature: 72 – 80 degrees. Cooler late spring nights have maintained lower water temps, especially in the larger lakes. However, temperatures will most likely increase rapidly in June.
• 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: Early morning and late in the afternoon are the best time to try and catch largemouth bass. Using baits mimicking shad or any finesse rigs such as drop shots are a safe bet. Crank baits, jerk baits, and top water lures have also yielded success recently for anglers. Try fishing on or near the bottom of the ponds.

Crappie: Few crappie are being caught this time of year. As temperatures continue to increase, night fishing may yield better results. Whether it’s during the day or at night try fishing suspended brush piles or structures. 

Bream: Using Red wigglers and wax worms are a good bet for this time of year. Try fishing at different depths with these. Smaller beetles, spins, or grub imitation bits could work as well. Fishing for bream should pick up in the late afternoon and at night.

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

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

I received some good saltwater reports this week. The trout and flounder bite has been picking up. Stay hydrated if you get on the water this weekend. It’s going to be hot.

River Gages as of June 25th:

• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 9.5 feet and rising
• Lumber City on the Ocmulgee – 9.1 feet and falling
• Clyo on the Savannah – 4.3 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 6.8 feet and rising
• Alapaha on the Alapaha – 13.2 feet and steady
• Waycross on the Satilla – 17.1 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 14.4 feet and rising
• Quitman on the Withlacoochee – 8.4 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the Saint Marys – 2.0 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 3.5 feet and steady

Full Moon is on June 29th. 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/.

RIVERS

I didn’t receive any reports from any rivers this week due to the high water levels. It will probably be a while before the Altamaha and the Satilla will be low enough to fish them again. 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 and I fished a club tournament at Lake Iamonia last Saturday. We got 3^rd place with 14.32-lbs. and won the rollover big fish pot with my 6.13-lb tank. Most of the bass were caught on soft plastic lures. Jimmy has been catching some bass in local ponds this week on Mann’s jellyworms (grape, black, and strawberry colors). All of them weighed between 1-3 pounds. An angler reported that he caught a 5 pound channel catfish at a local pond while using an urchin bait. Southern Bass Busters Trail hosted an open tournament at Banks Lake last Saturday. Out of the 29 boats that participated, only 13 weighed in. Chris and Joe Smith won first place with 11.12-lbs., Paul and Mark Spampinato won second place with 10.39-lbs. (they won the second big fish pot with a 6.19 pounder), and Tommy and Parker won third place with a 9.91-lb. trophy bass. Jim Jurney fished at Banks Lake last Saturday. He caught 10 nice slabs while using a small jig and crickets under a cork. Jim O’Conner also fished at Banks Lake and landed 5 largemouth, 2 warmouth, and he also missed 4-6 other fish. All of the fish ate black soft plastics.

SALTWATER (GEORGIA COAST)

Kim Arnsdorf fished with Captain Tim Cutting (fishthegeorgiacoast.com) on Monday in the Saint Simons area. They landed 22 flounder, 2 redfish, and 2 trout. Doug McNeil fished with Captain Tim on Tuesday and they caught 14 flounder (12 measured over 14 inches long), a redfish, and a trout. Jeffrey, Jaxson, and Conner Ross went on a guided trip with Captain Tim on Thursday (June 25^th) and they managed to catch 30 trout, 3 redfish, 2 flounder, and a Spanish mackerel. All of the fish on those trips were caught on 4-inch Gulp minnows and Fourseven Lures plastics. Captain Greg Hildreth reported that the inshore trout bite has picked back up this week. The trout have been munching live shrimp under a float in 3-5 feet of water. He said the the whiting have been biting well on the beach. He also said that the tarpon are showing up in good numbers right now.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

Captain Bert Deener went fly fishing on the east side of the Swamp last Friday. He landed a pair of warmouth early in the morning before switching to the long rod. He caught a yellow bullhead, a Florida gar, 15 bowfin (biggest weighed 3-lbs. 14-oz.), with a micro fly (tiny zonker/tinsel pattern). He said that the yellow flies are still pretty bad so he would recommend wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt if you go. 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.

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

Weather has been consistent with daily rain or pop-up thunderstorms so be careful out on the lake from strong winds and storm gusts to low visibility during the pour downs. All the rain has also made the water very muddy, so using live baits or lures with vibrations/noise makers will be your best chances of catching fish.

Channel Catfish are biting from the bank to the channel, with Flathead Catfish mostly just in the channel. Depending on what you are looking for, use worms for Channel catfish and live bait for Flathead catfish. Bream and Crappie are still very common catches from the reports around the lake, though finding them is starting to become more difficult. Check structures and weed lines. 

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

• Big Lazer PFA Information: GeorgiaWildlife.com/big-lazer-creek-pfa
• Surface water temperature: 81^o F
• Water visibility: Visibility is about 23”
• Water level: Water level is up 3” from Full Pool

The lake has a good summer bloom present but is slightly stained from recent heavy rains. The water level is also well above full pool. Bass fishing has been slowed by higher summer temperatures.  Try locating bass in 3 to 8 feet of water.  During the middle (hottest) part of the day, fish for bass in and around heavy cover. The bream fishing is pretty good right now. It is common for them to be close-in to the banks during spawning season.  Crickets, as well as pink and red worms are excellent live bait for bream.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

According to Ken Sturdivant at Southern Fishing, Bass fishing is good. Top water early is a great bet for hungry bass at Eufaula. The frogs and swim jigs in the shoreline grass and pads, and Pop Rs and Spooks on points around the mouths of main lake pockets. A Bang O Lure with a rear prop works well early in the pockets around stumps for a quality bite. Secondary ledges and ditches on the main lake flats should hold some bass. Try crankbaits, or slow roll spinnerbaits along the ledges. The 3/8 ounce Greenfish Tackle Little Rubber Jig paired with a 3.75-inch Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog. Key areas of isolated structure by flipping and pitching skirted jig. Main lake ledges should start to hold good numbers of bass soon. Some late bedding fish have been pulled off due to heavy rains upriver and the need to pump water south. Bass are holding near rip rap especially where there is a grass patch. Blue and black jigs with blue trailers work. Finesse worms also do a good job. Carolina rigs around deep cover with a creature bait also works.

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA

• Silver Lake PFA Information: GeorgiaWildlife.com/silver-lake-pfa

Fishing at Silver Lake has slowed down with the increase in temperature, but there are still plenty of opportunities for those who are willing to fish the cooler parts of the day. The bite seems to slow around 10:00 am and pick back up at around 6:30 pm. Bass this time of year are targeting big slow-moving presentations; think big texas rigged ribbon tail worms, or large crawdad imitations through the pads. If you get there early enough there is a decent frog bite right after sunrise. Bluegill and crappie have started to turn their nose to anything that isn’t alive, so if your goal is to take home some panfish, you might want to stop at the bait shop first.

NORTH GEORGIA

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

Habitat Work Happening: Around 700 plants were put out on the shoreline of Lakes Chatuge and Nottely this week, with the vegetation coming from both the GADNR Walton Hatchery Greenhouse and the UGA Cooperative Extension. UGA personnel, Gwinnett College Students, private citizens, and GADNR employees all helped to plant during the two days it took for the habitat work. This aquatic vegetation should provide valuable, natural fish habitat for the reservoirs once water levels come back up.

LAKE ALLATOONA 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair. The top water bite has been good. Early mornings have produced explosive action as spotted bass feed aggressively on blueback herring and threadfin shad around points, humps, seawalls, and offshore structure. Walking baits, wake baits, and plopper style baits are all producing quality fish before the sun gets high. Once the morning bite slows, many anglers are finding their most consistent success targeting offshore brush piles in 15 to 30 feet of water. Spotted bass are grouping up around brush and feeding heavily throughout the day. Electronics are playing a major role in locating fish suspended around deeper cover. ​Anglers should also be aware of the ongoing blue green algae bloom that has developed in portions of the lake. While fishing remains good, cleaner water is generally producing better results, and heavily affected areas may be worth avoiding when possible. Start your day on points, humps, and brush piles with top water baits before the sun gets high. Focus on offshore brush in 15 to 30 feet of water during the middle of the day.

Crappie Fishing Report (courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits): This week’s Lake Allatoona crappie fishing report is brought to you by Rite-Hite Marine Products:

• Air Temp: High: 90 – Low: 64
• Wind: 5-15 mph
• Lake Level: 840′ (Click HereFor Current Water Level)
• Water Surface Temp: 82 – 84
• Water Clarity: Clear Green!
• 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

This past week was not too bad for Lake Allatoona crappie! The first part of the week we had a nice little cool down which made fishing really enjoyable! The wind kicked up a little the last couple of days of the week but all in all it was a great week for some solid Allatoona crappie action! It’s June in North Georgia and the temps are going to be climbing into the high 80’s and 90’s throughout the summer. The best time to be on the lake is in the morning before the heat, wind and pleasure boaters get on the water. We usually hit the lake between 0600 and 1100 and call it a day. That’s just summertime crappie fishing on most any lake and it’s no different on Allatoona. There are some days where we can’t make it on the water until late evening and that’s ok…the crappie will still bite in the late evening! The lake has cleared up from the rains we had a couple of weeks ago and it should be smooth sailing for most everyone who gets out on the water. We have been hitting our summertime brush piles anywhere from 16′ – 18′ deep with crappie suspended in that 12′ – 14′ area all the way down to the bottom of the brush. The number one way to hook up with a crappie is to spider rig minnows this time of year. If you get into an area with brush and you don’t have Forward Facing Sonar (FFS) just drop a buoy marker in that area and drop those minnows down between 10′ and 14′, put the rods in the rod holder and wait…you will get bit. Everything is biting minnows in the summertime from Crappie to Bass to Catfish. We are also catching some nice active Crappie throwing jigs into the brush piles and slowly swimming a small profile jig like the Red Rooster Dagger in and around the brush. The Dagger was specifically designed for this time of year! It is a small 1.5″ split tail crappie jig that was designed to entice finicky Black Crappie that are feeding on smaller baitfish. The Dagger has been our go to jig for summer time Allatoona crappie for 2+ years now and it gets bit when nothing else will. We pair the Dagger with a 1/24th or 1/16th oz. jig head as we want to keep the profile as small as possible. If they crappie get real finicky we will use a 1/32nd oz. jig head and put a small split shot about 12″ – 18″ above the jig to improve the drop but not add to much size to the jig. 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. Red Rooster makes custom jig heads, under spins and we can color match any jig color that you want or need. We love talking about crappie fishing so we are here to help. We also do a Facebook Live most Friday nights unless something comes up.

Make sure to check out our past June Lake Allatoona Crappie Fishing Reports to see what we were doing this time last year!

LAKE HARTWELL 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair. The majority of the spawn is finished, and bass are beginning to group up on offshore structure throughout the lake. While there is still a solid shallow bite early and late in the day, the most consistent action is coming from points, humps, brush piles, standing timber, and offshore schools of bait. The top water bite has been excellent during the first few hours of daylight. Spotted bass are aggressively feeding on blueback herring around long points, humps, and open water bait schools. Walking baits, fluke style baits, and swimbaits are producing some of the best fish of the day before the sun gets high. As the day progresses, many anglers are finding success targeting offshore brush and timber in 15 to 35 feet of water. Hartwell’s spotted bass are beginning to settle into their summertime locations, and schools of fish can often be found around bait rich areas throughout the main lake. Try the Jerk bait or the Fluke Drop Shot with a finesse worm. 

Catfish (courtesy of Captain Bill Plumley; report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends): Captain Bill Plumley reports that during June channel catfish will bite well on dip baits and worms. The flathead catfish action should also be good and fish should be caught on both live and fresh cut bait, especially in low light conditions around brush. Blues will be harder to target as they return to the deep timber after spawning.

LAKE LANIER 

Bass (courtesy of Phil Johnson (pjohnson15@hotmail.com or 770-366-8845); report via Southern Fishing): Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently a little over four feet below full pool and the water temperature is running in the low eighties, Overall, the lake is clear. The bass are setting up in their true summer locations which are humps and long points with brush on them in the twenty to forty feet of water. The top water bite is running strong with several baits in play. On the days with stronger wind the OG and the Chug Bug are producing good fish while on the calmer days the Riser, Ima Skimmer and Gunfish are working well. For the days that they don’t want to fully commit to a top water bait the Slick Stick and Sebile have been a good choice. The main color of choice over the last few days has been Chrome. The Fluke has been a steady producer in both strong wind or calm days with Chartreuse, Chartreuse Shad or Electric Blue being the main colors. You may have to move on several locations to find the feeding schools but with FFS it’s easier to cover water. The Drops hot is definitely in play right now around the deeper brush with Sweet Rosy, Morning Dawn and Blue Lily worms. It’s important to identify where the bass are set up on the brush each day, they can be in it or anywhere around it. There is still a night bite going on which seems to be starting later. A half ounce Georgia Blade spinnerbait in either black, red and chartreuse or black and blue have been very productive with a chartreuse trailer. Work the rocky points and humps while bottom crawling this bait for the strikes. It’s getting hot but the bite is still on so Go Catch ‘Em!

Linesides (courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tales Fishing Products & Guide Service (404-510-1778); report via Southern Fishing): Lake Lanier stripers are moving south but you can still get bites from Gainesville creek and south to the dam. Down lines seem to have the advantage over the planer boards because they are schooling around the river channels at the points and drop off near the islands. Water temperature at River forks is 82 degrees and as the sun rises the fish tend to slowly move to the river channels. Downlines over 50 to 70 foot bottom with blue backs at 30 to 35 feet deep is where the bait stays alive the best. I’m sizing up my leaders to 15# fluorocarbon expectations for larger fish. There’s schooling fish on the surface so be ready with your favorite top water lure, they won’t stay up long so be on your toes. Remember to wear your life jackets and I’ll be at this year’s GON BLAST in Emerson Georgia so come and see me. BuckTales 404-510-1778.

Linesides (courtesy of Captain Ron Mullins, The Striper Experience): 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.

What Will Work (Consistently):

• Slow-pulling live bait
• Live bait presentations will continue to be a foundation pattern. As fish move deeper, presentation depth becomes increasingly important.
• Fishing vertically on active fish
• Once you locate a group of fish, slowing down and thoroughly working the area can produce multiple bites.
• Lead core trolling
• June marks the beginning of a productive lead core trolling season. Covering water efficiently becomes increasingly important as fish spread out.
• Artificial presentations
• Keep casting presentations ready. While surface activity will become less frequent, opportunities can still appear unexpectedly.

What Will Stop Working:

• Relying on the spring topwater pattern
• The consistent surface bite will continue fading as water temperatures rise.
• Fishing too shallow all day
• Fish may use shallow water briefly, but most will spend increasing amounts of time deeper.
• Ignoring bait movement
• Summer fish become increasingly tied to forage and depth positioning.

Key Takeaways for Anglers:

• June is the bridge between spring and summer patterns
• Fish will increasingly position deeper as water temperatures rise
• Focus on pockets, drainages, and areas with nearby deep water
• Live bait and lead core trolling will both be productive
• Stay flexible and let bait location guide your decisions

What to Expect Heading Into July: By July, fish will become even more dependent on deeper structure, brush, bait schools, and precise depth control. Successful anglers will spend less time searching shallow water and more time locating fish on electronics and targeting them with precision.

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!

LAKE WEISS 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is fair. Top water baits are producing quality fish during low light conditions, especially around areas holding bait. As the day progresses, many anglers are finding their best success targeting offshore brush piles and deeper docks. The 3/8 ounce Greenfish Tackle Little Rubber Jig paired with a 3.75-inch Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog. Key areas of isolated structure by flipping and pitching skirted jig.

WEST POINT LAKE 

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is good. In the summertime bass seek out deeper water. But with the boat traffic head up the river. Look for the heavy cover most often wood on the banks and creek bends with any kind of cover on the banks. It can be hard to present a lure into these areas without getting hung up. But the Spro Bronzeye Frog Pop Bait is the best summertime lure because the hooks hug the body of the lure keeping it weed less. It can skim across cover. When a fish bites the body compresses, exposing the hooks. And try a Texas rigged 7 inch green shad Culprit u tail worm on a 3/0 Mustad offset worm hook and some braided line by Sufix. Try the urchin style baits rigged on a 2/0 Eagle Claw Trokar TK250 Double Frog Hook with a drop shot weight. This will keep the hooks up and the bait down.

Crappie (courtesy of NOEoutdoors): Crappie have transitioned into deeper summer locations and are holding around brush piles, bridge pilings, docks, and standing timber. Most fish are being found in 10 to 20 feet of water and are suspending around cover near creek channels and deeper pockets. Brush piles continue to be one of the most reliable patterns on the lake. Anglers locating cover with electronics before fishing are finding the most consistent action. Live minnows remain highly effective, while small jigs are also producing quality catches.

Top 3 Crappie Baits: 

• Live Minnows
• Chartreuse Crappie Jig
• White Tube Jig

Crappie Tips:  

• Focus on brush piles near creek channels and deeper water.
• Fish slowly and maintain your bait above suspended fish.
• Target areas with visible baitfish activity whenever possible.

RIVER REPORT

Support 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.

Mixed Bag (report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company): Creek fishing for both trout and redeye has been awesome. We’re getting some terrestrial eats using beetles hoppers and stonefly imitations. Places with higher flows run a small kreelex or sparkle minnow through as well.

Mixed Bag (report via Jeff Durniak, Unicoi Outfitters):

Trout: UO staffer Dredger woke up to a chilly Wednesday morning and decided to hit a headwater rainbow stream high above Helen. He was glad he did.

Both air and water temps were a refreshing 61F. The stream was low and clear, but shade was abundant.  He started with a tan elk hair caddis (#18, then 16), and had a few hits, but the bugs were hard to see in the early morning shadows. Refusals equaled hooksets, but plenty of little wild bows came to hand. The day’s trophy was only about 7.5 inches, but they were all colorful and fun on his 3-weight blueline outfit. He quit at 11AM as the sun rose above the trees and the air warmed.

Wes’ Hot Fly List:

Dries: Water walker, chubby Chernobyl, micro chubby for creeks, yellow humpy, stimulator or elk hair caddis, purple haze or parachute Adams.

Nymphs & Wets:

• Squirmies, Mops, and buggers for stockers.
• Drowned ant, green weenie, micro girdle bug, Walt’s worm, lightning bug, redneck.
• Mountain streams: drowned ant, green weenie, prince nymph, improved yallarhammer.
• Streamers: Sparkle minnow, jig bugger, bank robber sculpin.

Reservoir Bass & Stripers:

• Cowen’s somethin else, low fat minnow, game changer, Clouser.

River bass:

• Topwater: poppers, stealth bomber.
• Streamers sparkle minnow, feather changer, thrasher, tweaker.
• Bottom bouncing flies: crittermite, crawfish jambalaya, hairy fodder.

Bream: Boogle bugs, Bumble butt, prince nymph, bream reaper.

Carp: Carp it bomb, hybrid worm, ball peen craw.

Bass: UO-Helen manager Wes: “Jimmy and I took out a couple of young fly anglers on a shoal bass trip earlier in the week, when the river was clear. The fish are starting to get into their summertime patterns. We caught fish in the morning hours on stealth bombers and in the afternoon on sparkle minnows and hairy fodders. Chasing river bass is an awesome way to beat the summer heat. Just make sure to check river gauges for recent spikes from rain. You’ll want good water clarity for the best success.”

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

Trout (courtesy of Tad Murdock, Georgia Wild Trout Fly Fishing Guide Service): The Chattahoochee will fish well throughout June. Expect more traffic from floaters and boaters trying to beat the heat on the river. The midge hatches have moved to very early or late in the day, so if you’re looking to do some dry fly fishing on the Chattahoochee, you’ll want to target these times. Another fun bite during the summer can be found throwing a streamer. The smaller fish found in the tributary creeks will move closer to the mouths during the summer. The more periodic releases from the dam place these fish in much closer proximity to predatory trout close by. These areas will be best for streamer fishing. Everything from 2-3” sculpin patterns to 6-8” stocked trout imitations can get looks from aggressive trout. Learn more about fly fishing streamer patterns in this article.

TOCCOA RIVER

Trout (report courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company): The Toccoa tailwater has been fishing great, we’ve been picking fish up on just about everything. Targeting rising fish with caddis imitations and running pheasant tails and pats rubber legs as our point flies with caddis imitations off the back of those. Cloudy days we are picking up fish on sparkle minnows and mini dungeons on low water.