I tried to open this blog with a good fish joke, but I couldn’t find one. If you have one let MINNOW.

Fall starts next week! This weekend is a perfect time to start planning your fall fishing adventures (and time to think of better fishing jokes…).

NEWS TO KNOW

• September 26th is National Hunting and Fishing Day: NHF Day events provide an opportunity for everyone to learn more about outdoor skills and activities. Visit georgiawildlife.com/get-involved/nhfday to find events in your area.
• Let Your License Plate Show Your Support!: Georgia Wildlife Resources Division offers two license plates that support fisheries efforts – the largemouth bass tag and the trout tag, so put one on your car today! Learn more at GeorgiaWildlife.com/licenseplates and visit your county tag office to grab yours!
  
• Time to Create!: The 2027 Fish Art Contest is now open. For more information and entry forms visit georgiawildlife.com/fish-art-contest-now-open-entries.

NORTH GEORGIA

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE ALLATOONA

Bass Report 1 (Report courtesy of NOE Outdoors):

Surface temperatures on Allatoona are running in the mid-80s. One reading around 10:30 in the morning was 84 degrees. The lake is about 1.5 to 2 feet low, and it is still fishing more like summer right now. There are also some signs of baitfish starting to head toward the creeks. It is not a full fall pattern yet, but it is coming. Check the mouths of the creeks and work your way about halfway back. If you are not seeing bait, do not keep fishing empty water. Move somewhere else.  One cool morning is not going to change the whole lake, but several cooler nights can get the bait moving. Once that starts happening, do not keep fishing the same places you fished all summer.  Start at the mouth of a creek and work your way back. Look for small baitfish flipping on top or packed together on your electronics. If you do not see bait, leave that creek and try another one. Start using small topwaters, flukes, swimbaits, and shallow crankbaits that look like the baitfish. Check shallow rock, brush, and blowdowns.  The bass are kind of split right now. Some are following bait toward the creeks, but there are still plenty of fish out on main lake points, humps, and deeper brush.

Three things to try:

• Topwater at daylight: Throw a small walking bait or swimbait across main lake points and around the mouths of creeks. If fish start breaking the surface, cast past them and bring your bait through the school.
• Finesse worm after the sun gets up: Put a green-pumpkin finesse worm on a 1/8 ounce shaky head. Fish it slowly around brush and rock in 18 to 28 feet of water.
• Spinnerbait after dark: About an hour after dark, slow roll a single colorado blade spinnerbait along rocky points and steep banks. Keep it close to the bottom.

Bass Report 2 (Report courtesy of Bass Times with Diaz):

Slightly cooler mornings are here. That’s the switch that sets everything in motion for the start of the fall transition. The baitfish are grouped up and fish are always with them. When bait balls get big like they do this time of year, the blow ups get bigger and last longer. It’s an excellent time to target these bait balls in open water during the morning. Keep looking and you’ll find some quality fish. A simple set up will get bit. 7’ Medium action spinning rod, 3000 size spinning reel, 12lb test Cast X12 braid with 8-10lb fluorocarbon leader for long casts, a 3/16 – 1/4oz jig head with a 2/0 – 3/0 hook and a Keitech USA 3” Easy Shiner in Threadfin Shad or Gizzard Shad color. The squid scent really helps to get fish to commit. Good luck, go get ‘em!

Bass Report 3 (Video Report courtesy of The Fish School): 

Check out Jason’s on-the water mid-September (9/14) bass fishing report here.

Crappie (Report courtesy of NOE Outdoors):

For crappie, stay around brush with minnows while the water is still hot. Look for them around brush and other cover in roughly 8 to 18 feet.  If the fish are sitting above the brush, they are usually more willing to bite. If they are buried down inside it, they may be harder to catch. Give a brush pile about 15 to 20 minutes. If nothing happens, go find another one.  Once the water starts falling into the 70s, look for more crappie roaming around creek mouths and flats. That is when longline trolling small jigs should start getting better.

Three things to try now:

• Spider-rig minnows: Move slowly across the brush with live minnows set just above the fish. Crappie feed up, so do not put your bait below them.
• Cast a small jig early: Use a 1/16 ounce jig with a small natural colored body. Cast past the brush, count it down to about 10 and reel it back slowly.
• Fish at night: Put a green light around a bridge or deep structure and fish minnows or small jigs around the bait that gathers under the light.

Linesides (Report courtesy of NOE Outdoors):

For stripers and hybrids, follow the biggest groups of bait toward the creek mouths and north end.  Recent reports have the stripers and hybrids starting to work north, but fish can still be found anywhere from the dam up to the S-turns. The north end flats have been better for numbers, while the mid-lake flats have a better chance of holding larger fish. Throw topwater while the fish are up. When they go back down, run an umbrella rig through the same area or drop live bait to them.

Three things to try:

• Downline live bait: Drop live shad around flats and channel edges. Watch your electronics and keep the bait a little above the fish.
• Troll an umbrella rig: Focus on flats in 18 to 20 feet and let the rig bump along the bottom.
• Keep a topwater ready: The afternoon schooling bite has been good from the dam through the mid-lake area. When they come up, cast past the fish without running the boat through the middle of them.

LAKE BURTON

Brown Trout (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist Kyle Rempe):

Lake Burton has received its first annual fall Brown Trout stocking since 2023, with this year in particular providing some great angler catches to show off the efforts taken by GADNR’s trout hatchery system. In addition to the numerous angler award Brown Trout from bank anglers that have come in from the mouth of Moccasin Creek, some folks are also having good luck with targeting them out in deeper water. During the summertime specifically, they are more restricted to cooler water habitat, which results in these trout seeking out places like flowing tributaries or the dam area/cove mouths. Reservoir Brown Trout are not easily sampled by our usual survey gear (boat electrofishers and gill nets), so having folks like Hoyt report their success on the water with hook and line to us is greatly appreciated!

Public Access Fishing Pier (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist James Miles):

Interested in a new public fishing spot on Lake Burton? You’re in luck! Georgia WRD has just completed the installation of a new fishing pier on Lake Burton, giving anglers an opportunity to pursue our many lake species while fishing from the bank. This handicap-accessible pier can be accessed from the Georgia WRD Moccasin Creek Boat Ramp area. If interested in checking out other boat ramps in GA, please visit our interactive boating map found at Georgia Outdoor Map – Boating.

LAKE HARTWELL

WRD Staff testing water quality on Lake Hartwell

Linesides (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist Kyle Rempe):

Striped Bass habitat on Lake Hartwell still looks favorable up to the ACoE 230 bouy (as of 9/1/26), about 6 miles upstream of the dam, which is a good sign for fall conditions going into early September. Once October rolls around, things will start to cool down lake-wide, and stripers will not be as restricted to the thermal refuges they currently rely on near the dam and in the various tributaries. Many of our lakes in Northeast Georgia provide online lake profiles for water quality, and can be found on the maps associated with their respective Fishing Forecast page.

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report):

LAKE HARTWELL IS DOWN 10 FEET, 80’S

Lake Hartwell has been pulled down due to the seepage on the Saddle Dyke protecting Clemson. Hartwell Lake Level Restrictions

Bass fishing is slow. The bass are very sluggish. Fish the Rapala DT6, the Rapala RS, and Jointed Shad Raps in the early mornings. The bite picks up again from about 6:00 p.m. until dusk. Fish on the smaller main lake points and the banks between points. Look for two small points that are close to each other for better results. Just be sure to tie the lures directly to the braid with a double Palomar knot. Shady docks are also holding an occasional bass. Try the Berkley Stunna 112 in Northern Lights, Table Rock, and Hankie Pankie. This is a good all-day set of lures. Take along those jigs and lightweight Carolina Rigs for the midday bite. By 10:30 a.m., the bass will be retreating back to the deeper water and holding tight to cover. The best pattern for this week is to stay in close by. Bait is now the key element, so find some.

LAKE LANIER

Anthony’s Lake Lanier Catfish

Catfish (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist Josh Stafford):

On August 19, 2026, Anthony Scroggins set a new lake record on Lanier for blue catfish. Anthony caught the 22-pound blue catfish on cut bait and beat the previous record by almost 3 pounds. Congratulations Anthony!

Bass (courtesy of Phil Johnson, pjohnson15@hotmail.com):

Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is fair to good. The lake is currently six feet below full pool with the water temperature running in the upper eighties. Overall, the lake is clear. We’re still in the tough part of summer where fishing can be challenging on Lanier, but it can also produce some very good bass. The topwater bite is still happening but can change from day to day, so be flexible. A chartreuse Fluke, chrome Riser or Skimmer, and a Chug Bug have all produced over the humps and ends of long points that have structure on them. On windy days, look for these areas that have the wind blowing directly on them, as the bait will be pushed there. Scoping has produced some of the better bass that are hanging around the bait balls. Using your FFS, locate the bait balls and scan for bass around them. Throw a three-eighths Spot Choker with a three-inch trailer past the targeted bass and let it sink to just above the depth of the bass. Use a steady retrieve to bring the bait above the bass and watch for them to react. If they do react, speed up your retrieve to trigger the strike. This method takes time and covers ground over the deeper water, but it can produce some very solid bass. The drop shot bite will produce good numbers but mostly smaller bass around the structure in twenty-five to thirty-five feet of water. Blue Lily, Morning Dawn, and Epic Flash colors have all produced fish. For at least the first hour or so, it’s worth it to try either a Frog or a Buzz Bait around the shallow docks and structure in the backs of the creeks and pockets. There have been some very good Largemouth and Spots caught in less than ten feet of water in these areas. The cool down is coming, but for now you may have to work a little harder and be flexible with your approach; you can still turn some solid bass on Lanier, so Go Catch ‘Em!

Linesides (courtesy of Buck Cannon, 404-510-1778):

Lake Lanier stripers are scattered across the lower parts of the lake. Most schools can be located using your electronics, and using the downlines with blue backs seems to be the most effective method early in the morning. After 10 am start trolling around using the umbrella rigs and lead core. Trolling using your outboard at 2.5 to 3.5 mph. Lead core should be back 8 to 9 colors or 250 to 280 feet behind the boat, and umbrella rigs 130 to 150 feet back. Trolling over the channel and clipping the points can be tricky, so pay attention to your electronics. Remember to wear your life jacket.

Crappie (courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton, 770-530-6493):

Lake Lanier crappie fishing is good; the water temperatures are in the mid 80s. The Crappie are moving to deep brush. The fish we are catching are in 25 to 30 feet of water. The large schools of fish up shallow are not producing big numbers; the smaller groups off to the sides of the school, or the fish that are a little deeper, are the ones that we are catching. Minnows are working well, and the jig colors producing are translucent white or a dark green over chartreuse inch and a quarter soft plastic.

LAKE NOTTLEY

Crappie Condo structure in Lake Nottley

Porcupine Ball in Lake Nottley

Fish Habitat (Courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist Josh Stafford):

GA DNR staff recently deployed several fish attractors and brush piles near Jack’s Creek boat ramp on Lake Nottley. This was made possible through a partnership with Tennessee Valley Authority who purchased the materials used to make the attractors. As large reservoirs like Nottley age, structures such as large woody debris degrade over time and leave the reservoirs barren of quality fish habitat. Deploying a mixture of natural (brush piles) and synthetic (crappie condos, porcupine balls, etc.) structures ensures that there will be good habitat for fish and areas where anglers can target them. You can download the location for fish attractor sites and learn more about many of Georgia’s lakes and rivers by going to GA DNR’s Fishing Forecast page at Fishing Forecasts | Department Of Natural Resources Division.

LAKE WEISS

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report):

LAKE WEISS IS FULL, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. The hot days of summer are almost behind us. The fishing activity on Weis is getting ready to go into full swing. This means the Coosa spotted bass are getting ready to kick into another gear and show off their aggressiveness. Seawalls and rip rap that are close to some deeper water will be the pattern to focus on early in the day for fall bass. When the sun gets have the Rapala OG8 in parrot and shad patterns and cover the rocky and stumpy points. This crankbait pattern can produce some great action. Strike King put a new spin on their Rattlin Thunder Cricket by swapping the all metal blade for a metal/polycarbonate blade. That alone changed the flash and thump of the bait. Trick worms are also working and fish any cover on the banks and docks. Both of these patterns consist of covering a lot of water to look for the more aggressive bass. These patterns will also hold true through the next couple of months.

WEST POINT LAKE

Bass (courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, The Southern Fishing Report):

WEST POINT IS DOWN 5.2 FEET, 80’S

Bass fishing is fair. Now, as the days start to get a little shorter and the temperatures s cool just a little, the bass will begin to feed. Largemouth and spotted bass are still being caught on deeper brush piles, ledges, and road beds in the main lake area, basically holding to a summer pattern. Try big deep-diving crankbaits or Texas-rigged Zoom Ol Monster worms on a Texas rig and peg the sinker. Drop-shotting can be effective in these areas. The best fishing is around brush piles or other structure in these areas, and structure scan technology will pay off. Water generation always improves this main lake bite. Downsize baits in these same areas and improve the chances for spotted bass. A few fish will remain shallow, and the shallow pattern should improve as the water cools. Topwater baits such as the Whopper Plopper have both sizes in bone, and a Pop R. Spro Poppin frog can still be effective for shallow bass around grass beds and weeds. Try targeting the mouths of feeder creeks north of the 219 bridge in the Chattahoochee. Also have a jig handy to pitch into wood cover in these same areas. Spots are still the best bet on the south end of the lake and can be caught on Weedless Wonder lead heads loaded with Zoom Shakey Tail worm, and green pumpkin is the color. Try just dragging a Carolina-rigged Zoom Lizard too around shoal markers. Also try a small Texas-rigged worm or a jig n pig around blowdown trees.

RIVER REPORT

Staff sampling on the Conasauga River

Redeye Bass from river sampling

Conasauga River Redeye’s (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist James Miles):

Georgia WRD and US Forest Service completed a fish population survey earlier this month (Thursday, 9/3) on the Lower Conasauga River within the Cohutta Wilderness Area. Stream temperatures that morning were around 72° Fahrenheit. Redeye Bass were the star of the sampling event, with many healthy fish ending up in our nets. The average size of the Redeyes was around 4.5 inches, but the biggest collected was 8 inches. Most of these were found in deeper runs and pools with bedrock ledges or woody debris present. Get out there and beat the heat with some great Redeye fishing to be had!

TROUT REPORT

Wes’ Hot Fly List (courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters):

• Dries: parachute ant, parachute Adams, tiny chubbies, and yellow and orange stimulators.
• Nymphs & Wets:  Drowned ant, UV green weenie, Frenchie or pheasant tail, sexy Walts worm in higher flows/deeper water.
• Streamers: Jiggy bugger, muddler, micro peanut envy, small buggers for stockers

Jacks River Wild Trout (courtesy of Jimmy Jacobs, On The Fly South):

Planning a backcountry trout fishing trip to the Jacks River? Check out Jacobs latest article (Jacks River Wild Trout – ON THE FLY SOUTH) on the wild trout of the Jack’s for tips, tricks, and what’s needed for a successful day on the water.

Noontootla Creek Wild Trout (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist James Miles):

Staff getting ready to sample Noontoola Creek

Noontoola Creek Sampling

Our team, along with US Forest Service and volunteers, had the opportunity to sample Noontootla Creek within the Blue Ridge WMA last week (Thursday, 9/10). Stream temperatures that morning were around 63° Fahrenheit. The number of trout and the health of Rainbows and Brown looked good, with the average size of trout being in the 4-inch range. Other aquatic life that was plentiful included crayfish, Hellbenders, aquatic macroinvertebrates, Rock Bass, and other non-game fishes. We will continue to monitor this population to observe trends in trout population sizes, numbers, and health in this special regulation fishing area.

Also, please note that if you are visiting Georgia’s many streams and waterways, please avoid building rock cairns (intentional stacked piles of rocks). Those stacks of rocks may look harmless, but moving rocks in Georgia’s streams can destroy important habitat for fish, salamanders, and other aquatic wildlife.

Stockers (courtesy of GADNR Fisheries Biologist Chris French):

Stockers will be difficult to find now that the regular trout stocking season ended on Labor Day, September 7^th. However, be on the lookout for the trout stocking report on September 25^th that will highlight a select few “bonus” trout stockings at popular locations to help celebrate National Hunting & Fishing Day on Saturday, September 26^th. The Delayed Harvest Season will also begin in a little over a month on November 1^st. Look out for more information on the Delayed Harvest season in next month’s report.

Chattahoochee River Tailwater (courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters):

Chattahoochee Tailwater Brown Trout

Be ready for some stain with Lanier’s heavy fall stratification and its eventual Christmas turnover.

UO buddy Ryan: “I floated the Hooch this past weekend with a friend and had a great day.  We caught fish on both streamers as well as nymphs fished on an indicator rig with 5x tippet.  My same confidence flies that I throw while wading also produced plenty of fish while we were floating.  Eggs and hares ear nymph variations did most of the work.  We didn’t have any giant browns chase our streamers, but I still hold hope that I’ll tangle with one sooner than later!”

Toccoa River Tailwater (courtesy of Cohutta Fishing Company):

Late September is usually the one month we avoid fishing the Toccoa Tailwater. The lake is beginning to turn over, which leads to warmer, stained water coming from the dam. For now, water temps are holding in the low 60s and peaking at around 65 degrees midday at the dam. You’ll also notice that instead of gin-clear water, there is a slight stain to the water.

For now, the stretch from the dam to Curtis is cool enough to fish in the mornings. Horseshoe has been around 65 degrees in the mornings and is definitely climbing into the 70s by midday. Try to avoid fishing around Horseshoe or get off the water after the first couple of hours of daylight.

As we get further into turnover, water temps will warm, and the water will develop more of a rust-colored stain. Turnover is usually caused by water temps cooling on the Upper Toccoa and other creeks that flow into the lake. This means that as water temps climb near the dam, tributaries may actually cool the river off as you get farther downstream.

This time of year, keep your thermometer handy, keep ’em wet, and quit fishing when temps get over 68 degrees if you’re practicing catch and release. We’re coming into the one time of year when it might be best to fish elsewhere.

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.