Georgia Fishing Report: July 26, 2024

There is still time this summer to take your kid fishing before the school grind starts. You can find information on fishing with kids on the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division website or check to see if there is an upcoming Public Fishing Event near you on the Events Calendar at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com.

Four year old Watson got to experience his first time fishing at the recently held City of Sylvester annual fishing rodeo. His "pawpaw" bought him a new reel, rod and tackle box of supplies to use. Watson caught a catfish but it fell back in the water as they were taking it off the hook. He was not discouraged and kept on fishing. Thanks to his family for introducing him to fishing and thanks to the City of Sylvester for hosting the event. We hope this fishing event brings Watson, and all the other participants, a lifetime of joy!

NEWS TO KNOW

• 2024-2025 Hunting and Fishing Regs: The new combined (1 book!) Hunting & Fishing Regulations Guide are in stores and online.
• Christmas idea in July: Want a fun new "fishy" book to read with your kids? Check out All Fish are Awesome. This book is available now for preorder, stocking and shipping in fall 2024.
• Leave No Line Behind! Be an ethical angler and dispose of your discarded fishing line. Why? It creates a hazard for wildlife, especially birds, and can cause stress, injuries and even death. Find out more in a recent blog post at georgiawildlife.blog.
• Boating Safety: Are you keeping everyone on your boat safe when out on the water? Make sure you are following all the correct boating rules and regulations and wear your life jacket!

This week we have fishing reports from Southeast, North and Central Georgia. Be the reason your kid smiles when they catch that first fish (or their 50th) as you Go Fish Georgia!

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

The dog-days of summer are here, but the bites have been good all-around southeast Georgia. The Okefenokee Swamp and saltwater have produced the best reports this week.

River gages on July 25th were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River - 6.7 feet and rising
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee - 4.6 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha - 7.9 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla - 11.2 feet and cresting
• Atkinson on the Satilla - 8.3 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha - 7.7 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the St Marys - 3.7 feet and rising
• Fargo on the Suwannee - 7.9 feet and rising

Last quarter moon is July 27th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA/OCMULGEE RIVER

I talked with a duo that ran limb lines early this week in the lower Ocmulgee River, and they only caught 2 channel catfish. Two-Way Sportfishing Club is hosting a catfish tournament on September 21-22nd. It will be a rod and reel only tournament. For details, contact tournament directors Jamie Hodge (912-271-8589) or Tiff Thompson (229-938-4789).

SATILLA RIVER

The river has been high this week, and I haven't gotten any reports. The catfish bite is your best bet for this week with the higher water. The Hwy 84 (Blackshear Bridge) ramp is closed for bridge construction (and will be for years…literally).

ST MARYS RIVER

The St. Marys is one of the few fishable rivers in southeast Georgia. I only received one report from a Blackshear angler who was fishing the small tributaries and pitching chartreuse Okefenokee Swamp Sallies. He caught 10 fliers with the little fly. Pitching bugs should work for panfish around shoreline cover, and fishing shrimp on the bottom should produce a mess of catfish.

SUWANNEE RIVER

The state record bowfin was challenged this week, as an angler caught and certified a 15.4-pounder. That's a big mudfish! I certified the state record, and it was a MONSTER! This fish was close but had not eaten quite enough bullhead catfish!

LOCAL PONDS

I fished a Brunswick pond with Joshua Barber on Friday night, and we did really well for catfish using a 3/16-oz. Catfish Catcher Jighead and cut bluegill. We fooled 34 channel catfish, and Joshua had the biggest at 3 pounds. Those fish are going to be the honored guests at a GREAT fish fry! Jimmy Zinker fished a Worth County pond on Thursday and caught 8 bass from 1 to 4 pounds on a Jitterbug and a Squeaker Trophy Bass Buzzbait. He expects the nighttime bass bite to pick up as the moon heads toward the New Moon phase.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The warmouth bite has remained consistent this week with quite a few fliers mixed in the catch. John and Cindy Swain had an awesome trip to the swamp this weekend. Cindy said that she has never caught a mess of fish like that before. They bought a pack of pink/white Super Sallies from Satilla Feed and Outdoors before the trip, and those were the ticket for them. They fished them on a bream buster pole under a cork for a while and slammed them, and then John started pitching them on a micro 33 and 4-pound test and continued whacking the fish. They had a huge pile of warmouth (check out the photo at Bert's Jigs and Things on Facebook) at the end of the trip. They had one bluegill that John said he could not get his hands around. Chuck Coomer and his grandson Samuel fished with me Monday morning on the east side, and we caught a total of 40 fish. We flung pink/white Super Sallies and whitetreuse Warmouth Whacker Jigs on bream-buster poles for some nice warmouth and fliers. The Super Sally was the ticket, as Samuel had the hot hand. The last couple hours of the trip we trolled for bowfin and ended up catching a bunch of them up to 4 pounds. The best colors were lemon-lime and crawfish-brass blade. Bill Stewart fished with me Wednesday morning, and we fished for warmouth almost the whole time. We pitched whitetreuse Warmouth Whacker Jigs and pink/white Super-Sallies under floats for our fish, and both warmouth and fliers bit our offerings. We caught and released all but 6 fliers of the 36 panfish we caught in about 3 hours of fishing. The best bite was actually 9:30-10:30, so that was much later than the usual peak bite. The half-hour of our trip we trolled Dura-Spins and caught 2 pickerel (one was 18 inches) and 4 bowfin. The best color was fire tiger-chartreuse blade. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 120.84 feet.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

One of the neatest catches was made on Saturday by Ben and Sammie Kuhn. They caught and released a gator trout that measured 32 1/2 inches while fishing with their dad (Andrew) and St Simons Island Cub Scout Pack 227 on Jekyll Island. Georgia's current state record trout (9-lb., 7-oz.) measured only 30.5 inches. Rickey and Donna O'Berry dabbled fidder crabs around hard cover over the weekend in the Brunswick area and caught a "Drum Slam", which included a black drum, red drum (redfish), and sheepshead. They had a great fish fry after that trip! A couple of Brunswick anglers tried some inshore areas on Thursday morning and jumped 4 tarpon but didn't land any of them. They fooled them with artificials. The water was muddy when the arrived, and the fish did not bite until the current slowed and the water cleared. Jamie Hodge fished for tripletail on Friday with a friend, and they whacked 2 really nice ones that looked to be pushing 10 pounds from the photo. Several friends came down and fished with Don Harrison a couple days this weekend, and they did well for flounder, redfish, and a few trout at the St. Marys Jetties. Their best day produced 9 keeper flounder, and they had a few redfish mixed in. Mudminnows were the ticket that day. The most aggravating part of their trip was when one of their redfish got sharked on the way to the boat, and they lost their catch. Capt. Cody Baker of Top Hook Charters out of Fernandina (fishtophook.com) said that tarpon are around the jetties and hitting live pogies best on the incoming tide. The bull reds are also around the rocks, but they're eating best on the last of the outgoing. There is a lot of bait in the rivers, and Capt. Cody has been catching reds and flounder inside. Most of his bites have been during the first couple of hours of outgoing tide. A buddy has been gigging the Brunswick area this week and doing pretty well for flounder. Don't forget about the fish carcass freezer at the Waycross Fisheries Office at 108 Darling Avenue. The Coastal Resources Division collects most inshore saltwater species so that they can determine age and growth for each species. All the supplies and information cards are in the freezer. Filet your fish then drop off the carcasses in the freezer. Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is now open every day. On Mon-Thursday their hours are 6:30-10am and 2 to 5pm and Friday through Saturday from 6:30am to 5pm, and Sunday 6am to 5pm. They have plenty of lively shrimp and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. They're on Hwy 303 just north of Hwy 82. For the latest information, contact them at 912-223-1379.

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

NORTH GEORGIA

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

Allatoona Bass Report:(This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant via www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is good. The bass are still deep and will be for another month. Right now the brush pile bite is still good. We are using a Picasso double weed guard Jig head and Money Maker worm in great pumpkin. This technique is very slow and methodical. The secret to working this bait is not to work it at all and just drag it slowly until and locate the brush pile. Slowly work the jig head through the debris. A very sensitive rod is key. Use the 20-pound Sunline fx2 braid tipped with Sunline sniper Fluorocarbon as a leader. When they bite just start reeling. The second technique is a deep diving crank bait. Switch it up between a Spro Little John DD and 6 or 8 XD. Use 10-pound test Sunline Fluorocarbon and a glass Shimano cranking rod. Fish this bait on the long points that are near the channel with scattered brush or boulders. Run and gun don't stay in an area if they are not biting. Now divide the lake up into three regions. South end is Allatoona Creek to Bethany Bridge. Mid lake is from Bethany Bridge to Galt's Ferry. North is Galt's Ferry north to the Etowah River. There are no particular areas that are producing better than others. Pick the area of the lake and run the mid to deep depth pattern.

Allatoona Crappie (This report courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits):

• Wind: Up to 10 Mph
• Lake Level: Approx. 840′
• Water Temp: 86-90
• Water Clarity: Clear to light stain
• Area Fished: Blockhouse (Tanyard/Clark Creek Area), Galt's Ferry & Kellogg Creek
• Jigs Used: Jive Turquee Chartreuse - Slab Dragon, UV Shad - Dagger, Watermelon Ghost - Dagger
• Technique: Casting Soft Plastic Jigs & Spider Rigging

The summer crappie pattern is in full swing, but we are finding and catching good numbers in the early morning hours. The summer pattern is the same and will not change until early October depending on the water temperature. As you can imagine the water temperature is between 86-90 degrees on the surface so the crappie have moved to deep water structure between 18′ - 25′ and are suspended in 14′ - 16′ above this structure. We are finding that the suspended fish are active in the morning but after the sun gets up around 11:00 they move in tight to the structure. The general depth of the crappie is 14′ to 16′, however they do go deeper from noon until late evening. You need to be on the water early because you only have a few hours of activity this time of year. Spider rigging minnows is the number one technique for catching crappie this time of year. We are catching between 20 - 30 crappie per trip spider rigging over brush and structure. We catch 2-3 per location and then move to the next because crappie will shut down on you if they feel threatened and they won't bite. We did have good luck this week casting jigs on a 3/32 oz. jighead using Red Rooster Daggers and Slab Dragons. The Jive Turquee - Chartreuse pulled in two nice Black Crappie and two nice White Crappie. We were real happy with those results. The jig bite only lasts for a couple of hours in the very first part of the morning but the crappie are not chasing after the sun gets up, you will need to revert to minnows. We hope this report will help you catch more crappie on Lake Allatoona! Be safe out there and wear your life jackets as the summer boat & jet-ski traffic ain't no joke. Remember to keep only the crappie that you need and release the rest to keep our great fishery strong for generations to come! Lord willing Team Red Rooster will bring you another report next week!

Allatoona Fish Attractors: Find DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including Allatoona, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Allatoona News Nugget - Did you know that the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division and Army Corps of Engineersplants native aquatic plants (primarily American water willow) on the shoreline of Allatoona to provide habitat for game fish such largemouth bass? Now you know!

Lake Hartwell Bass Report:(This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant,www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is fair. High daytime temperatures are here, and the fishing has been a challenge up and down the lake. Some of the small spots are l roaming the banks early in the morning and late in the evening. The larger bass both spots and largemouth have moved to the channel ledges on the main lake. These fish can be found by using the Lowrance Down Scan technology. Use the Rapala DT10 in the shad and green tiger colors. Cast Parallel to these ledges and use a slow to moderate retrieve once to the ten-foot depth. The Spy Baits are taking some fish but use light fluorocarbon line. Must have a Carolina Rig on ten-pound test Sufix Siege line and a 1/4-to-3/8-ounce weight. The leader needs to be 18 to 20 inches long. Tie on a 4/0 or 5/0 wide gap VMC Hook and add a Zoom green pumpkin finesse worm. This will work well on a 6 1/2 foot or 7-foot medium heavy rod and a spinning reel. Bites will be subtle and sometimes on a little added weight it is all that is there. Locate the ledges and fish this Carolina rig really slow after the sun comes up over the treetops. A four-inch Fat Albert Grub can work on a light lead head jig. Pearl and black silver flake are both good choices in the grubs.

Lake Lanier Bass Report:(This report courtesy of Phil Johnson, 770-366-8845 viawww.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is good. The lake is currently a little more than a half foot below full pool with the water temperature running in the upper eighties. Overall, the lake is clear. We have been running pretty much a top or drop pattern for the last week. There has been a decent top water bite particularly if there is some wind and sun with the Gunfish, Skimmer and Slick Stick. These have worked best over and around brush on humps, long points and ledges in the thirty-to-thirty-five-foot range. On sunny days the chrome has worked the best while white is the color for overcast days. If they don't want to play with the top water baits, we have been working the same areas of brush with a drop shot set up. Fifteen-pound braid, eight pond fluorocarbon leader, number one hook and a quarter ounce weight has been the set up for the week. The Lanier Baits Fruity worms have produced all of the fish this week on either the Epic Flash, Blue Lily or Sweet Rosy colors. The fish may be directly in the brush, but they have seemed to more likely to be scattered around it so look in the area not just at the target brush. Finding these fish is not that hard but the challenge is to find a school that will bite so you need to have a number of places to check. For the most part the structure we have been working has been offshore but there are still fish to be caught in the shade on deeper docks with a three sixteenths spot sticker and a green pumpkin trick worm. Look for the fish to stay in the areas now till fall. It's still a great time to have fun on Lanier so Go Catch 'Em!

Lanier Stripers (This report courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tails Guide Service 404 510 1778): Lake Lanier stripers are below Browns Bridge in large numbers but there are still some stragglers up lake. Down lines and weighted flat lines are still working with blue backs in the 30-40′ range over open waters. Trolling lead core 240 to 280 feet back at 2.5 to 3.5 mph is the best option when locating fish. Once you mark the fish using the electronics mark it and bring your trolling equipment in and go back and drop live bait or a big spoon. The umbrella rigs are another option trolling 110 to 130 feet behind the boat at 2.5 to 3.5 mph. Remember to watch your electronics and stay out of the danger zones. Remember to wear your life jackets.

Lake Lanier Fish Attractors: Find DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including Lake Lanier, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Lanier News Nugget - Did you know the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division stocks Lake Lanier with walleye and striped bass annually? Now you know!

Lake Weiss Mixed Bag Report: (This report courtesy of Mark Collins Guide Service and www.southernfishing.com): The fishing has not changed for the past few weeks so all the fish in Weiss are on their typical summer patterns and things will stay that way for the next month or so.

• Bass fishing is good, and they are on the creek and river channel ledges. Deep running crank baits and Carolina rigs are catching fish.

• Crappie fishing is poor. They are on deeper brush in 10 to 18 feet of water and can be caught spider rigging with minnows and Jiffy Jigs, Some crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs.

• Striper fishing is good, and they are in the lower Chattooga River, the Cave hole and Little Spring Creek. Live Shad down lined and free lined is the way to catch these fish.

• Catfish are biting in the bays and creeks in 8 to 15 feet of water. Cut bait is working best.

Weiss News Nugget - Did you know Lake Weiss is home to one of only a handful of naturally reproducing, land-locked striped bass populations in the nation? Now you know!

West Point Bass Report(This report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant,www.southernfishing.com): Bass fishing is good. The fish are shallow early and late and there is a mix of largemouth and spots chasing bait school. So, use the Lowrance Structure Scan technology and scan the area for bait. During the day the fish have moved into their summertime pattern. Use the Carolina rigged worms in black grape and June bug and dark blue. Fish the mouths of Wehadkee Creek Veasey Creek and Stroud Creek right before dark. Lipless crank baits can be fished in both shallow water and deep water just with a change in retrieve speed, so these are a good idea, especially during the early summer times when schooling bass may be found at various depths. The crankbait that resembles the local baitfish are usually more productive. Old roadbeds are good summer locations. Cranking main lake and river points with a deep diving crank baits has been productive for early morning actin. Let the bait sink deep enough before starting to reel it in. The bass might be just a foot or two deeper than usual. Check out the Liberty Hill area upriver for some good crank bait fishing with the Rapala DT10 shad and hot mustard lures.

West Point Fish Attractors: Find DNR fish attractors and much more information for a variety of water bodies, including West Point, at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

West Point News Nugget - Did you know that the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division has placed over 134 fish attractors at West Point to improve fish habitat and fishing quality? Now you know!

TROUT REPORT

Trout Stocking (This report courtesy of trout stocking coordinator John Lee Thomson): Over 25,000 trout were stocked across north Georgia this week! Like usual, you can find out where by checking the Weekly Stocking Report each Friday afternoon. With summer temperatures in full swing, try to be on the water as early as possible, as trout will feed best during the cooler morning hours. As afternoon temperatures heat up, trout feeding may slow up, especially in warmer, lower elevation trout streams.

Trout and More(This report courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters): Be sure to check out Unicoi Outfitter's regular Angler Management fishing blog each week for info!

"Skinny" Water Trout (This report courtesy of Unicoi Outfitters) These daily storms have recharged our streams just a bit, so it might be worth your time to return for a headwater trip. Head high up the mountain or to north slope streams to find willing wild fish before the afternoon heat shuts them down.

"What should you throw?" you might ask. Well, we've got you covered. Check out Dredger's latest column in the July issue of The Angler Magazine - Atlanta edition. Turn to page ATL-2 and catch "Summer Colors" before you depart for high elevations. Good luck. Stop in either UO shop if we can help y'all out. Unicoi Outfitters: Friendly. Local. Experts.

Summer "pop-up" thunderstorm fishing (Report courtesy of Paul DiPrima, Trout Unlimited) - The past couple of weeks of afternoon rain has brought back memories of great fishing days that were the result of being in the right place at the right time, either in the rain or right after a brief, heavy rain.

About thirty years ago I drove to Noontootla Creek. The sky was clear when I left home but turned cloudy on the way to the stream. Upon arrival it was beginning to sprinkle so I donned my rain jacket. As I began fishing my way upstream the rain picked up and the water began to get a little cloudy and faster. Immediately I had a 12-inch rainbow which is above average for the stream. A storm must have happened a few miles upstream because the water was turning darker and was rising even more. Out of nowhere the line stopped as if I had snagged a log, and then the log made a run upstream. It was an 18-inch brown. As I was turning it loose, I heard a voice from above. "Nice fish", the voice said. I looked up the steep hill and a game warden said, "Can I see your license?" I pulled it out and held it up and he said, "good enough, keep fishing". That was about the best day of big fish ever for me on Noontootla. I have had similar trout days on Mountaintown, Tickinetly Creeks and others and striper days on local streams when sudden storms and rising water turned the fish on. I will never forget a storm on Anna Maria Island. We were throwing "Squid Spoons", catching jack crevalle and large Spanish mackerel on every cast while waves were breaking over the floorboards of the city pier. The whole time we were soaked by rain. Take advantage of the opportunity that these brief summer storms can give you. When rising water washes food, debris, and clouds the water, big fish come out of hiding. Be wise and if the water is too swift or too muddy try another nearby creek. In the summer it can rain on one side of the highway and not the other.

Toccoa Tailwater (Report courtesy of Matt Morrison, Cohutta Fishing Company): With water temps staying in the low 60s near the dam, the early morning bite on the tailwater is good with dry flies and dry dropper rigs. As the sun gets higher, the fish start to really critique your presentation. Fish are still being caught until the 10am generating rolls in. Fishing terrestrials on the bank has been good, but you have to get it tight to the bank and keep it there. If done right, you'll catch fish that you wouldn't think were there. Those of you who are wondering what terrestrials are, they are any bug you'd see on land. Tons of bugs like hoppers, beetles, ants, and even inchworms fall from trees and into the water. For these terrestrials, smaller hoppers, beetles and ants have been working great. For those fish that aren't as willing to rise, throw a small Jigged Pheasant Tail or Hare's Ear variation under it. Highwater streamer fishing has been good as well. With most days having some rain and cloud cover lately, the fish have been feeling pretty chasey. Fishing terrestrials late into the afternoon has been great as well. This is a great way to dodge a lot of the midday traffic on the river from kayakers and tubers.

Small Trout Streams (Report courtesy of Matt Morrison, Cohutta Fishing Company): Some of the small, stocked streams can get too warm this time of year. But if you're willing to take a drive up into the National Forests you can find plenty of cool enough water to fish. If you're looking to hone your small stream skills or just catch some fish in some really scenic places, you need to check out a few of the small streams in our area. A few of these creeks are stocked pretty frequently and are great for beginners. Creeks like Cooper's Creek, Rock Creek, and Fires Creek in Western N.C. For the experienced angler, the wild trout streams fish great this time of the year. Most of the time you can get away fishing just a single dry fly. These fish are opportunistic, so they are pretty willing to rise even in the deeper holes. Now that definitely doesn't mean these fish are dumb. They make sure you are using light tippet and a good drift before they eat. Usually anything yellow in a sz12-14 can do the trick to match the Sulphurs and Yellow Sallies. Beetles, ants and other small terrestrials work really well too.

Georgia Trout Slam: There is still plenty of time to catch Georgia's three freshwater trout species. If you have the skill to successfully catch all three species of trout (brook, brown, rainbow) in Georgia within a calendar year, consider giving the Georgia Trout Slam a try. All successful submissions will receive the coveted Georgia Trout Slam Sticker and be entered into a drawing for an annual grand prize. Program details can be found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/trout-slam. Slammer intel for the week - brown trout were stocked in the Hartwell Tailwater, Dicks Creek, Boggs Creek, Frogtown Creek, Rock Creek, Soque River, and Toccoa River just to name a few.

Trout Fishing Opportunities for Those With Disabilities: There are sites open to the public that offer specific amenities for anglers with disabilities.

Parting Trout Note: Want to do more to support trout fishing in Georgia? Consider upgrading to a Trout Unlimited license plate this year. 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, hatcheries, and wild trout efforts in the state.

CENTRAL GEORGIA

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

Central Georgia fisheries staff from Thomson, Walton, Marben PFA, Flat Creek PFA, and Fort Valley joined forces this week to train up the next generation of natural resource professionals at Marben PFA. Twenty-three high school students enrolled in DNR's Career Academy learned about fisheries management and sampling techniques including boat electrofishing, data collection and processing, and constructing fish habitat and fish attractors. All of the fish attractors that the students created were subsequently deployed in Fox Lake at several locations.

RESERVOIR REPORT

Reservoir reports below are courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing report and other contributions by WRD Fisheries staff, guides, and local anglers.

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 80'S

Bass: (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. During the early morning periods use the Rapala Shad Raps and Rapala DT6 along the banks are still producing some Bass. The rip rap rock is also showing us a Bass or two but only until about 9:30 a.m. at the latest. After about 10:00 a.m., the vast majority of bass are being caught in the deeper water along the main lake points with Carolina Rigs. In the Savannah River just at the point where the Rocky River feeds into the lake find Markers 30 and 32. This will be at the southernmost part of the McCalla State Park. The Savannah River splits just north of this area and runs quite close to this side of the lake. The big cove between the two needs to be fished too. Find 15 to 25 feet of water in the middle with narrow flats along the bank. Fish depths anywhere from twelve to twenty feet deep. Use a jig or Carolina Rig along with six-inch Zoom U tail worm will usually catch a limit during the day. Adding scent and a little color to these baits wouldn't be a bad idea. Try different colors when the fishing gets slow.

Striped bass (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Wendell Wilson (706-283-3336) reports that in July the striper should be catchable on both ends of the lake, with free-lining working in the upper lake and down-lines working in the lower lake. At the end of the June the fishing had really picked up and they were even catching some fish around timber mid-lake.

Crappie (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that fish should move into deeper brush in July, and the fish could start to shift out of the creeks and into the main lake. They will be caught on jigs and minnows. June was very strong for crappie but by the end of the month they were already feeding mostly in short windows early and late.

Catfish (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that catfish should go deeper in July assuming water temperatures continue to warm. Fish should be caught in 15-25 feet of water on cut herring. Other fish are deeper but with so much underwater timber they are hard to target.

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 80'S

Bass: (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. There are still a good many fish that have held up shallow. Get a Whopper Plopper or a Spro Frog and use them both all day. Some fish up shallow points at less than 10 feet deep. Those shallow fish can still be caught on jig head and worm combo top water and swim baits. Use a 3/16-ounce Texas rig with a Zoom Swamp Crawler in green pumpkin or watermelon seed around the shallows. Fish top water and buzz baits early and late. If we have some wind or rain fish a ½ ounce River 2 Sea Bling spinnerbait in the I Know It pattern with double willowleaf blades. Once the sun gets up stay shallow and grind it out or try to find some bigger fish out deeper. Stay shallow and cover as much water as possible. Rig up a River 2 Sea Biggie Smalls crank bait in abalone shad and a green pumpkin Berkley Havoc Pit Boss. For the deeper fish the numbers are not there but the size is good. The deeper fish are really spread out with some on point's ledges brush, but the one constant is bait fish. Find areas that are stacked with bait and crank a Rapala DT 10 in shad or green tiger.

Striper and hybrids: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Little River Guide Service reports that at the end of June the bait was still fairly shallow, but in July fish should be found 40 plus feet down suspended over deep water. They will be caught on down-lined herring. More striper should start to show up again this month - in June the catch was heavy on hybrids.

Crappie: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Little River Guide Service reports that after a slow pre-spawn and spawn the crappie fishing picked up late this spring, and it has stayed good into the summer. In July fish should be found around brush that sits 25 or more feet down. Anchoring and then fishing vertically with minnows is usually the best pattern.

Catfish: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Captain Chris Simpson reports that the best fishing in July will again be in the early morning or late evening. Anchoring on humps and points and fishing with cut bait at a variety of depths is the best bet. As the spawn mostly passes the fishing will improve after a slow-down in late June.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.5 FEET, 80'S

Bass: (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. The creeks are slightly stained up and some try flipping jigs on and behind the docks in the creeks. Brush piles in 8 to 10 feet of water on the docks are holding a few fish. Try sticking a Texas rig but it is slow so be patient. Expect the top water bite to only last a short time early and late along the blow downs. Water temperatures are in the mid 80's and highs in the low 90's this week should warm the lake up a bite more making the shallow bite tougher than it already is. It is hard to set up a decent a pattern out on the on the ledges. The fish are not staying in the same place day in and day out so it is a hunting game. Catch a few fish at varying depths on different structure and move on using the slow-moving plastics are definitely the only way to go. Now is a great time to ride the lake and scan the point's humps and ledges with the Lowrance Structure Scan and Down Scan technology. Now anglers and spend less time searching and more time catching once this technology unlock the lakes secret.

Linesides(courtesy of Dillan Greeson Fishing): Dillan reports the linesides aren't as thick down by the dam this week and may have migrated further north. Look for them in main channel creek mouths and over the river channel in 25' - 35' feet of water. Live bait is the ticket, but some artificials like a spoon can be fished directly over these schools. When the fish are roaming over open water, try trolling with lead core using mini Macks or single, large bucktail jigs.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80'S

Bass: (Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is slow. The lake is full. Stained up the rivers the main lake is clear, and Richland Creek is clear. The buzz bait bite is producing the first hour of daylight as well as the last hour in the evenings. White and chartreuse seem to be the best all-around color. Keep a trick worm tied on and if a fish misses a buzz bait follow it with the trick worm. Trick worms in pumpkinseed red has been fair. Pick up a few fish on soft plastics fished under docks on the main lake. There have been a few fish on the humps on the south end of the lake. Avoid the upper river due to runoff. They will take deep diving crank bait in a natural shad pattern. Don't forget to check out the grass beds on the south end of the lake at first light.

Linesides (courtesy of Dillan Greeson Fishing): Fish are concentrated near the dam. Focus on humps and points adjacent to creek mouths or find roamers over the river channel. Most fish are less than 40' deep. Drop a spoon or live bait for stationary fishing or try trolling leadcore or umbrella rigs to cover water.

LAKE JACKSON IS FULL, 80'S

Bass:(Report courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. There has been a fair Zara Spook bite early in the and around some small bass are roaming the banks as well as on the ends of points. The bass are shallow around any wood and cast baits to shadows all day. Use a green Zoom u tail worm down lake on Texas rig. Be sure to use a small sinker because the bite has been light from the fish. Look in the mid lake halfway back in the creeks and hit any dock or on points. Brush is a must, and the fish are on the shady sides. Up the river the fishing is slow. Try a 3/8-ounce spinner bait and be sure there is some green in the skirts. Zoom Baby Bush Hogs in greens is fair mid lake at the creek mouths. Be sure to work the baits slowly on wood and docks. Use a 3/16-ounce Weedless Wonder head and fish all lures slowly and let them fall.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

McDUFFIE PUBLIC FISHING AREA(courtesy of McDuffie PFA Manager Chalisa Fabillar)-

• McDuffie PFA Information
• Surface Temperature: 88°F+
• Water Visibility: ~30"
• Water Level: Most lakes are full
• McDuffie PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Bass are being seen and caught in the early mornings, but enticing a bite is challenging. Folks have caught bass using trick worms and creature lures moving slowly along the bottom near vegetated banks. Angler Darryl Welch caught this bass on a topwater frog this past Sunday.

Bream: Nice fish are lining the peninsulas of both Willow and Bridge Lakes. Successful anglers are using crickets, worms, and black soldier fly larvae. They are also biting deeper with warmer temperatures as well. Sink your baits a bit deeper than normal near structures, water intakes and siphon structures.

Channel Catfish: Folks have mentioned catching catfish using Catalpa worms. All catfish have been in deeper water. We have several Catalpa trees around the property: near Bridge Lake, near the office, and on the bank of Clubhouse Lakes. McDuffie angler Nathan caught this 7 lb channel cat on shrimp this week.

Striped Bass: Striped bass and hybrids are still being caught using topwater lures on Bridge Lake. Nice four to six-pound stripers have been caught lately.

Reminder: Live fish/minnows are not allowed on our PFA's!

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (this week's intel courtesy of WRD Fisheries Technician Amory Cook and Deven Thompson) -

• Flat Creek PFA Information
• Water visibility: 34"
• Water level: 45" below full pool
• Flat Creek PFA Fishing Guide

Lake levels stabilized this week thanks to more frequent afternoon rain showers, but we're still holding around 4 feet below full pool. The good news is that this gives bank anglers new targets in what would be deeper water and concentrates the fish for the potential of higher catch rates. Below is a summary of fish activity compiled by Fisheries Technician Deven Thompson:

Bream: The bream bite is in full swing with reports of lots of small to medium sized bluegill. The best bet is to use red worms fished either on the bottom or under a float around shallow flats and weed lines. Beetle spins are also a very productive when fished on shallow flats and coves where the bream spawn.

Crappie: The crappie bite has slowed due to the heat but catches are still common, best bet is jig fishing vertically or cast and retrieved style worked slow to get the finicky but fun fish!

Catfish: The catfish bite continues to be excellent with anglers having success fishing crickets under floats near the shore and chicken livers, chicken breast and cut bait on the bottom in deeper holes. Try soaking the bait in your own special attractant to find a recipe that works for you. For example, garlic has been proving to be an irresistible scent. This angler was surprised to find a nice largemouth bass on his line since he was targeting catfish using Kool-Aid-soaked chicken thighs as bait!

Bass: With water levels low the large mouth bite has been picking up with reports of fish all sizes being caught. Best bet is targeting them around offshore trees and brush piles utilizing crank baits and worms fished very slow, and fishing near the bank with top water plugs, buzz toads and buzz baits. Other notable baits would be spinner baits and under spins early in the morning along weed lines during the shad spawns.

ATTENTION ANGLERS: Flat Creek PFA staff are conducting an annual angler (creel) survey on the lake this year. If you are approached by a PFA staff member after your fishing trip, please take a moment to answer their questions and share information about your fishing success (or, lack of success, whichever may be the case). These surveys are a valuable management tool that can improve our understanding of the fishery and ultimately improve fishing quality on the reservoir.

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

• Marben PFA Information
• Water Level: All ponds and lakes are full.
• Water Clarity: Most ponds have 20" visibility. However, Fox is clearer and has a visibility near 3'. Heavy rainfall will reduce visibilities.
• Surface Temp: Mid 80s.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: The warm water temperatures still have the bigger bass back into deeper water. The shallow morning bite along weedlines or along submerged timber is still viable, but as the sun gets up, you'll need to look deeper to find the bigger fish. Topwater poppers and frogs are an excellent choice first thing in the morning. Jigging a worm or casting deep-diving crankbaits can be effective later in the day. Stay versatile and on the move to find fish roaming rip rap or holding tight to structure, as there is plenty of it in the lake.

Crappie: The crappie bite is still viable, but you need to locate deep structure to find them. Boaters seem to do well fishing over deep brush piles. Live minnows fished vertically over structure can call them up.

Bream: The bluegill bite is hot right now. The usual pink worms and wax worms are the ticket. You may pick up a few shellcracker as well if you fish pink worms close to the bottom.

Hybrid Bass: Look for shad schooling early morning and late afternoon. Put your bait right in the school and hold on. Hybrid bass pack a punch.

Channel catfish: The catfish bite is excellent in the summer. Fox Lake along the rip rap are good targets this time of year, but any lakes indicating catfish will produce bites with patience. Cut baits like livers and hearts, or nightcrawlers fished along the bottom will produce.

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