Georgia Fishing Report: August 23, 2024

Time to get you a pole and throw out a line!

NEWS TO KNOW

• Closure Information: If you need to know about the most recent closures at WRD locations, be sure to visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/closures for the most current info.
• 2024-2025 Hunting and Fishing Regs: The new combined (1 book!) Hunting & Fishing Regulations and Seasons Guide are in stores and online.
• New Designs Added - Fishing or Hunting License "Hard Card": Add a Hard Card license to your wallet. Show off your love of hunting and fishing in Georgia with a license hard card. Choose from four different designs - a shoal bass, turkey, mourning dove or redbreast sunfish. Your current licenses are printed on the reverse of the card. Sign in to your customer account at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com and grab yours today.

This week we have fishing reports from Southeast, Southwest, North and Central Georgia. Let's 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 number of reports was way down this week with the heat and school starting back everywhere.

River gages on August 22nd were:

• Clyo on the Savannah River - 5.1 feet and falling
• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee - 1.4 feet and rising
• Doctortown on the Altamaha - reading not available
• Waycross on the Satilla - 10.0 feet and falling
• Atkinson on the Satilla - 12.6 feet and falling
• Statenville on the Alapaha - 5.7 feet and falling
• Macclenny on the St Marys - 9.1 feet and rising
• Fargo on the Suwannee - 12.7 feet and falling

Last quarter moon is August 26th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website. For the latest marine forecast, check out weather.gov/jax/.

ALTAMAHA/OCMULGEE RIVER

These are the rivers to spend your time this week if you want to fish a river. I saw the upper Altamaha on Wednesday, and it was in good shape and just a little stained. Expect to weave around sandbars on both rivers, and rocks will be plentiful in the Ocmulgee. But the bass and panfishing should be good as the extreme heat moderates somewhat this week. 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).

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The fish are still spread out into the prairies with the high water. You might luck out into a few fish, especially in the boat basins on either side, but I'm not fishing there this week…. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 121.73 feet.

DODGE COUNTY PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Eastman)

• Dodge County PFA Information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/dodge-county-pfa
• Dodge County PFA Fishing Guide

Ken Burke fished the area on Thursday morning and caught 3 bass with a total weight of 5 pounds. I didn't ask him, but he usually catches his fish on crankbaits or shaky head worms.

LOCAL PONDS

Chad Lee fooled 2 bass (about 2 pounds apiece) during his lunch break on Thursday by flinging Senkos along the shoreline. Jimmy Zinker had a slow week of trophy bass fishing. He flung Jitterbugs and buzzbaits at night and hooked 2 big fish but lost them both on the way to the boat. That is trophy fishing - he would have had some awesome photos if he would have landed either of those fish! In trophy fishing, you don't get many opportunities, but when it comes together you have something special at the end of the trip!

SALTWATER (GA/NORTH FLORIDA COAST)

Several folks checked their tarpon areas where they were catching them before Hurricane Debby, and a few found their fish, but most did not see anything. The better reports came from folks fishing south of Brunswick, but they were only seeing a few fish (better than NONE!). Capt. Greg Hildreth (georgiacharterfishing.com) was catching some good trout before this week's big tides. There was a decent early topwater bite for big trout, as well. He expects that bite to pick up again after the tides subside. Capt. Cody Baker of Top Hook Charters out of Fernandina (fishtophook.com) put Tom and Thomas on some decent redfish, jack crevalle, bluefish and a flounder while fishing inshore. They were using live shrimp under a float. His charters caught a few tarpon in the St. Marys area late last week on live pogies and artificials. I heard a few good reports of folks dabbling fiddler crabs around pilings and catching sheepshead and black drum in the Brunswick area. After your next trip to the Georgia coast, drop off your fish carcasses in the freezer at the Waycross Fisheries Officeat 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]).

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA

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

FLINT RIVER

Fishing on the Flint has improved this week due to lower flows and much better water clarity. The catfish bite has been decent in the deeper bends of the river with good catches of channel catfish in the shoal areas. Bass fishing has been decent with good catches of 12-14-inch shoal bass. Look to shoal areas for these fish with trick worms, flukes, and natural crawfish imitations. Top water bite is also good in mornings and evenings. Fly fishermen will do well with streamer presentations or natural color wooly buggers. Bream fishing is picking up as mayfly hatches continue. Fly fishermen will do well with any type of mayfly imitation around overhanging trees.

CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER

Decent catches of catfish have been recorded. Fish are being caught in deeper bends and on noodles. Blue catfish are being found near shoal areas. Some decent catches of crappie are being reported on deeper bends with live minnows. Bass fishing has been slow on the river with some fish being caught in the vegetation off channel. Most anglers are using frogs or punching.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

The lake remains full and the water warm. The largemouth bass fishing is probably best described as fair. Early morning grass and late morning ledges seem to be producing the most fish. However, most anglers are having to work multiple spots to catch some fish. Texas rigged worms in the shallows seem to be the most effective and crankbaits are hit or miss.

Deep water crappie fishing around sunken log jams and structure on the bottom has been consistent. Successful anglers have been using live minnows and/or plastic-tailed jigs slipped onto 1/32-to-1/16-ounce painted jig heads with a size 2, 4 or 6 hook. Those with side scan and live scope sonar are finding and catching fish. Including many that will pull the scale to two pounds or more.

Summertime jug fishing for catfish has been consistent on Lake George. Most angler have been fishing their favorite baits such as worms, shrimp, or stink baits about 6 feet below their jug or piece of noodle. Try drifting your noodles in coves or flats that are 8 to 12 feet deep. Try changing the depth of the bait if you are not getting many bites. Noodle fishing can be a relaxing fun family activity during the dog days of summer and a great way of getting some fresh fish for dinner and the freezer.

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

The august heat is in full effect reducing some of the bites on the lake. Reports of evening mayflies are still occurring with bream fishing continuing to be the most prominent of the bites likely from these occurrences. Try your line with Big Reds or some crickets and you might just find yourself a few!

LAKE SEMINOLE

Lake Seminole is full and in the 80s. Bass fishing has been good with top water action proving successful in the early mornings and evenings. Fish the grass and the edges where bass are seeking shade during these hot August days. Anglers are having success fishing with buzz baits and frogs over the grass. Come prepared to pull the fish out of dense grass with braided line and a rod with some backbone!

BIG LAZER PUBLIC FISHING AREA

• Big Lazer PFA Information found at GeorgiaWildlife.com/big-lazer-creek-pfa
• Big Lazer PFA Fishing Guide
• Surface water temperature: 83° F
• Water visibility: Visibility is about 18"
• Water Level: Down -5" from full pool

In general, the hot August temperatures can make fishing at Big Lazer challenging. However, cooler temperatures are on the way, which will improve the bite. Bluegill and Channel catfish are your best bets for a successful fishing trip. Fish for bream spp. in shallow areas around shady spots with smaller hooks. Target catfish in deeper areas all around the lake. Feeding bass will be most active during the early morning and later in the evening and can also be found in deeper waters right now.

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA

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

Silver Lake PFA surface temps are in the mid-high 80s and the air temps are even higher. Anglers are beating the heating early focusing on the topwater bite for bass. Flipping frogs into pads and fishing walking baits over dense submerged vegetation continues to produce quality bass. Crappie are holding deep near isolated cover. Fish minnow-tipped jig heads near standing timber at 10-15 ft. The fishing pier lights at the North Ramp are holding fish at night. Minnows under a lighted bobber are catching crappie, bluegill, and bass.

NORTH GEORGIA

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

RESERVOIR REPORT

Find A New Spot to Fish and Get Tips to Try There: Looking to fish a new body of water this summer or just want more information on your favorite spot? Go and check out the Fishing Forecasts page on the GADNR website! Forecasts contain extremely useful information for any angler, including fishing tips, water quality information, fish attractor locations, and more.

Bass Fishing on Reservoirs(courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Angler Management; report via Unicoi Outfitters) - They're still warm and full of boaters and skiers. Fish deep, like Jake, who is finding a nice bunch of largemouth and spots on the mountain lakes by fishing "deep, slow, and near the brush." Jake has started booking some lake bass trips, so call our Helen shop if you want to give reservoir bass a shot on conventional gear.

LAKE ALLATOONA

Bass(courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing is good. The fish are mostly out deep during the daylight hours. When temperatures are in the mid to low 80s, the majority of the bass are in the 15-to-25-foot range. During the day main lake points and channel swings are the ticket for good schools of fish. Use the deep crankbaits like the Spro Little John DD and the Strike King 6XC and 8XD in blue gizzard. Use 10-pound test Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon line and this line allows the bait get to the desired depth easier. Bass are still holding on brush piles and rock. Use the Big Bite Baits 4-inch Cane Thumper and a Picasso double weed guard tungsten swimbait head while searching for active fish. Before leaving an area use the drop shot to catch those suspended fish that are a little more finicky. Use the 6-pound test Sunline Sniper fluorocarbon and a #4 Gamakatsu drop shot hook. The 3/8-ounce Picasso tungsten teardrop weight works well with this combination. The fish are sometimes scattered on points and must be located with sonar. The key is not to spend time on fish that show up on sonar but don't bite. Fish the area and move to find active fish.

Crappie(courtesy of Red Rooster Custom Baits):

• Air Temp: High: 91 - Low: 66
• Wind: Up to 10 Mph
• Lake Level: 840′(Click Here For Current Water Level)
• Water Temp: 86-88
• Water Clarity: Clear to light stain
• Area Fished: Blockhouse, Victoria, S-Turns & Little River
• Jigs Used: UV Shad Dagger, Watermelon Ghost Dagger, and Motor Oil Red
• Technique: Casting Soft Plastic Jigs & Spider Rigging

Allatoona Weekly Crappie Fishing Report: The pattern this time of year continues to be the same week in and week out for Lake Allatoona crappie, but we are still catching slabs in the mid-August heat. It's hot this time of year and while the crappie can be caught, they are not highly active or aggressive due to the water temperature and amount of oxygen. They are hanging tight to cover and only move around at certain times of the day or late evening. For the time being, at least for the next month, spider rigging minnows is the way to catching a mess of crappie on Allatoona. It is a slow but proven method for summertime crappie. We got on the lake a couple of days in the early morning hours and managed to catch 30 to 40 each day with several nice summer slabs. The crappie are still suspended around 14′ to 18′ on brush and structure. If you plan to fish minnows, make sure you have an insulated minnow bucket with an aerator and some frozen bottles of water to keep your minnows active. 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!

LAKE HARTWELL

Bass(courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing): Bass fishing has been better than expected. With the lake level around full pool, an abundance of shallow cover in both rivers has made the shallow bite good. Frogging and flipping bushes and grass is a good bet. Look for bream beds around the full moon to increase productivity. The deep bite is also starting to ramp up. Cane piles in 15 to 30 feet of water are holding bass, and the fish can be called up with a variety of top water baits and swimbaits. Drop shot any brush pile can produce numbers when the bite gets tough. Look for fishing to remain consistent this month.

Catfish(courtesy of Captain Chip Hamilton (864-304-9011); report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends): in August fish will stay in pretty similar patterns over deep water in the main river channels. Sometimes they will suspend over trees, sometimes they will suspend over clean spots, and sometimes catchable fish will be on the bottom in clean areas. By late July most of the fish had moved out of the Seneca and Tugaloo, and in August even more fish will be in the main Savannah River channel, and most will be caught within sight of the dam. It will still be a down-rod bite and hopefully it will be well into August before the fishing slows down.

Crappie(courtesy of Guide Rodney Donald (864-356-0143); report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends) - August fishing should look a lot like July, and fish will be over deeper brush in the creek runs or around main lake timber. Jigs and minnows will both catch fish but, in the heat, expect fish to be more lethargic than earlier in the summer.

Linesides(courtesy of Captain Bill Plumley; report via SCDNR Freshwater Fishing Trends) - During August channel catfish should bite in 20 plus feet of water on a variety of baits including cut herring, dip baits, and nightcrawlers. Blues are unfishable in the deep timber, but this is a good month for flatheads on live bait.

LAKE LANIER

Bass Fishing Tips: Looking for some tips to catching summer bass on Lake Lanier? Check out FCP Fishing's video for his best baits to use this time of year. Find him at FCP Fishing on You Tube.

Bass(courtesy of Phil Johnson ([email protected] or 770-366-8845); report via Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing on Lake Lanier is fair. The lake is currently one-half foot below full pool, and the water temperature is running in the upper eighties. Overall, the lake is clear. August has a history of being a difficult month to fish on most lakes and Lanier is one of them. The water temperature is running high and there has been no rain which makes for a tough combination. There are still bass to be caught but you may have to work a little harder in the heat to get them. The top water bite is still happening throughout the day but finding the right areas is key. Look for the deeper brush or the ends of long points in the wind that have shad balls around them. The Gunfish, Vixen, Riser TKO and Slick Stick in chrome have all produced bass this week. Always have one of these on the deck because you never know when they will school, even the stripers are getting in on the action. If you can't find the top water action look to the drop shot in and around brush on humps and ledges in the thirty-five foot range I am using fifteen pound braid backing with six pound fluorocarbon leader now as the six pound line seems to produce more strikes. If the bass don't follow the bait to the bottom or if they scatter when it drops on them, I don't spend much time on the spot. The bite usually happens pretty quickly after the bait gets to them. The main colors for the drop shot worms this week have been Sweet Rosy and Epic Flash. Just a note, sometimes shortening the worm will also help get strikes. There has been some activity around the shady sides of the deeper docks with a three sixteenths shakey head and a green pumpkin Senko. It may be hot and a little tougher, but they are still biting so Go Catch 'Em!

Crappie(courtesy of Captain Josh Thornton (770-530-6493); report via Southern Fishing) - Lake Lanier stripers are getting hammered this weekend because of the weather is not too hot and can't find anyone with a jacket on, except for the life jackets. Down lines are still producing nice fish using blue backs in the deep waters 60 to 90 feet deep. Finding the schools is the hard part so be aware of your electronics. Pulling lead core will allow you to cover lots of areas and when you locate a couple of fish hit your waypoint and pull your lead core in and drop your live bait. We have located fish over the main river channel, zigzag from side to side. Remember to wear your life jackets.

Linesides(courtesy of Buck Cannon, Buck Tales Guide Service (404-510-1778); report via Southern Fishing) - Crappie fishing is good. You can find crappie suspended 10 to 15 foot deep over a 20-to-40-foot bottom. This week's catch was again 90% crappie minnows. The jig color combination we had luck with this week was black and grey with a slow retrieval. The gear I recommend for crappie fishing is a Acc crappie stix 1 piece rod and reel with a 4- or 6-pound test K9 line, along with Garmin Live Scope and Power Pole.

WEISS LAKE

Bass(courtesy of Mark Collins, Mark Collins Guide Service (www.markcollinsguideservice.com or 256-996-9035; report via Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. Early mornings and late evenings may seem to be the best times to be on the water fishing, but midday can offer some good fishing, as well. Early morning top water is the best presentation to catch fish. Running and gunning shady areas will draw strikes until the sun gets high. Once the sun is up a Carolina rigged lizard or Zoom Trick worm on long points near deep water is what to throw. Electronics are a big key to locating bass offshore on humps, ledges and drop offs. These will be the key areas to check out for bass for the next two months. Early mornings will be your best bet to catch a good bag of bass.

WEST POINT LAKE

Bass(courtesy of Ken Sturdivant, Southern Fishing) - Bass fishing is fair. Top water baits such as Spro frogs, Chug Bugs, Whopper Plopper's and Senko's are working. Fish around bream beds or shallow cover in the mornings. Some largemouth are biting so try the shallows targeting bass that are around these beds feeding on the bream. Some of the grass beds above 219 Bridge in the Chattahoochee are also holding fish. Pitching jigs into mid depth blowdowns and wood cover also is a good pattern to try. Most bass are on deeper brush piles and roadbeds. Try deep running crankbaits like the Fat Free Shad or a Texas rigged Zoom Ol Monster worms. Some spotted bass are still being caught by casting top water early around shoal markers. Later in the day use the Bitsey Bug head loaded with Zoom Shakey Tail. Top waters lures and a Carolina rigged Zoom finesse worms or Zoom mini-Lizard around sloping gravel banks.

RIVER REPORT

Mixed Bag(courtesy of Jeff Durniak, Angler Management; report via Unicoi Outfitters) - Recent, cooler nights have slightly knocked down trout stream temperatures. North slope streams will fish well for wild trout, while stockers should finally have better appetites at high elevation streams under 70 degrees. We're seeing mostly browns in recent releases.

Lake bass are deep and tough, but river bassin' has been excellent, IF the water's clear. Watch those river gauges or call our Helen shop for local conditions. While stream turbidity is bad for bass, it can turn on trout and our vacationing stripers.

• Wes' Hot Fly List: Dries: micro chubby Chernobyl, olive stimulator, parachute black ant, tan elk hair caddis.
• Nymphs & Wets: Hard body ant, gold ribbed hares ear, Quasimodo pheasant tail, zebra midge, lightning bug.
• Streamers: Squirrely bugger, and mini shimmer buggers for stockers.
• (Bass) jerk changer, Con man, wiggle minnow, boogle bug popper, Kent's stealth bomber.
• (Panfish) amnesia bug, small chubby Chernobyl, bluegill spider, dry and wet ants
• (Carp) headstand, squirmy hybrid.

Trout Stocking: (Report courtesy of Trout Stocking Coordinator John Lee Thomson) - Trout stocking continues, and recent cooler nights will have trout feeling better and looking for an easy meal. Many north Georgia streams have recently received brown trout stockings. Browns are more easily spooked so move slowly on the creek banks and try using more natural baits such as crickets or half a night crawler. Click here to check out the latest trout stocking report at GeorgiaWildlife.com/Fishing/Trout and remember to refresh your browser if a past report is being displayed. Good luck and go trout fish Georgia!

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)

This week's Central Georgia fishing report is courtesy of Ken Sturdivant's Southern Fishing report and other contributions by WRD Fisheries staff, guides, and local anglers.

RESERVOIR REPORT

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 80'S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The heat and high humidity has kept a lot of anglers either off of the water or has at least shortened their trips. Keep beat the shallow water early and late. Once the sun is up get out to fish the deeper water. There are numerous baits to fish twenty feet or deeper and still catch good quality fish. The Carolina rig is excellent and downsize the line to no more than ten-pound test. A 1/2-ounce sinker is more than plenty to use. Try to go even smaller if possible, with a Zoom finesse worm. The Rapala DT10 will hit the 10 to foot mark while using 10-pound test line. There are plenty of stumps out there all over this lake and three pounders are holding deep in these areas. A slow presentation along with patience is also needed. Don't forget about the bridges. Plenty of good keepers are being caught under or around the bridge pylons from about 10:00 a.m. until around 4:00 p.m. The Rapala DT10 crank baits in hot mustard and shad are great choices.

Bass stockings: Over 6,000 largemouth bass were stocked in Lake Russell this week in partnership with US Army Corps staff. These fish were stocked by boat in coves that have been enhanced with native aquatic plant restorations to ensure optimal chances of survival. With time, these stockings should translate to an increase in the abundance of largemouth bass in Lake Russell for anglers to enjoy.

Striped bass(courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Wendell Wilson(706-283-3336) reports that in August they expect to continue to find a good bite for striped bass on the lower end of the lake with down-lines. Another group of fish will be found in shallower water below the Hartwell dam where cool conditions on the upper end of the lake can draw striper to that area.

Crappie(courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Wendell Wilson reports that fish will stay on deeper brush in the creeks in August, but they can head for cooler water if the creeks get too warm. They will be caught on jigs and minnows.

Catfish(courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Guide Jerry Kotal reports that catfish will be caught this month in 10-35 feet of water on cut herring and more.

Habitat Management: In partnership with US Army Corps staff, crews from the Walton greenhouse and hatchery and Marben PFA teamed up to plant over 1,000 waterwillow on Lake Russell. Restoring native aquatic vegetation such as waterwillow provides multiple benefits including reduced rates of shoreline erosion, improved water quality, and enhanced habitat for fish and other wildlife. "Weeds" are also a great target for anglers to punch a worm or jig through, or to fish a topwater presentation like a frog.

CLARKS HILL IS FULL, 80'S

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The bite remained steady last week but the lake saw some rain last week and during the middle of this week. Hopefully this will jump start some sort of action as rain and a low-pressure system moves through this weekend. Bass are still catching some off the grass point and pockets with buzz baits frogs and Rapala OG8 crank baits. The first three hours of the day seem to be the best and anglers are still finding ways to catch good limits of bass. The Carolina rigged lizard and worm are still working in the deeper water and some Bass are still chasing schooling thread fin Shad. Keep a top water bait handy and the Chug Bugs and Skitter Pops are working really well.

Striper and hybrids: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Little River Guide Service reports that in August catchable fish should be concentrated in a small area in the lower lake where they will be caught on down-lined herring in deep water. Earlier in the day they can be shallower, and as the day goes on they will move deeper. A lot of fish will be in the vicinity of the oxygen lines.

Crappie: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Little River Guide Service reports that there is traditionally very little fishing activity for crappie in the heat of August, but fish are usually around deep brush where they can be caught on minnows. At the end of July the bite was better than expected in the backs of creeks and it could stay the same for a while this month.

Catfish: (courtesy of anglersheadquarters.com): Captain Chris Simpson reports that in August fish will continue to move shallower early and late and deeper during the heat of the day. Fan-casting baits at a variety of depths is the best pattern.

Habitat Management: The Thomson Fisheries duo of biologist Aaron Gray and Technician Greg Abercrombie covered half of Clarks Hill's 70,000 acres this week to conduct annual aquatic vegetation surveys. This survey targets the presence or absence of non-native hydrilla at hundreds of sampling sites throughout the reservoir. Efforts to reduce hydrilla densities on Clarks Hill began over a decade ago when researchers discovered that a bacteria harbored by hydrilla were linked to a fatal disease (AVM) in bald eagles on this reservoir.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 80'

Bass: 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: Guide Doug Nelms correctly predicted that the striper and hybrid bite would improve as August's full (Sturgeon) moon illuminated the night sky. Target a 30′ - 40′ bottom adjacent to points or ledges and drift or downline live bait. You can also troll umbrella rigs to cover more water when the live bait isn't producing.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.5 FEET, 80'S

Bass: 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.

DNR Fisheries Biologist Brandon Baker attended the first annual Lake Country Fishing Expo this past weekend at the Rock Eagle Conference Center. We hope you had a chance to come by the WRD booth to talk shop with Brandon, and we look forward to returning next year!

LAKE JACKSON IS DOWN 1.5, 80'S

Bass: Bass fishing is barely fair during the day down lake. Early top water actions has been fair up the rivers. At daylight the bass head to the shallows and are feeding on small thread fin shad. This shallow action will last until the sun makes its way onto the water. Start the day with an all-white buzz baits cast all white spinner baits and small ¼ ounce chrome Rat L Traps. The chrome and black back Crazy Shad silver top water lures right on the banks as well as white Lunker Lure buzz baits are drawing strikes from bass. The fish are shallow at and before daylight and it's best to be on the water as early each morning this week as possible. These bass are after recently hatched small shad and small sunfish right on banks both up and down lake. After the morning action head to the up-lake creeks. Cast Zoom u tail worms in June bug and gourd green on a Texas rig on the bank cover. Keep baits in the structure as long as possible. The bone and parrot Deep Wee R cranks baits in the rivers and creeks are good choices and again cast these lures right on the bank. All lures should be worked in a stop and go technique and move around often. A green Zoom trick worm with a # 2/0 Mustad wide gap hook on a spinning reel will get the fish out from under docks. Skip this bait as far into cover and into docks.

PUBLIC FISHING AREA REPORT

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

• McDuffie PFA Information
• Surface Temperature: 85°F
• Water Visibility: clear-to-stained
• Water Level: All lakes are full
• McDuffie PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Schooling shad can be seen on the surface in the early mornings and evenings. Bass are following just underneath these schools of forage, waiting for an ideal moment to ambush. Slow-sinking soft plastics cast just ahead of these schools mimic dying shad-easy pickings for a largemouth in pursuit. Alternatively, casting and quickly retrieving small crankbaits among these schooling shad will imitate wayward or injured prey that can also draw a strike. Jigging a worm around submerged structure or deeper fish attractors will produce quality-sized fish during the dog days of summer.

Bream: Late-summer bream fishing at McDuffie requires versatility. As we approach the next full moon (August 19th), bluegill and readear will be attempting at a late-summer spawn. Seek out nest aggregations in 2-4 feet of water and use crickets or red wigglers fished just below the surface over these beds. Otherwise, fish around brushpiles and blowdowns. A beetlespin or in-line spinner fished just offshore of these features will draw them out.

Channel Catfish: Stocked in all McDuffie ponds, channel catfish are summer staple, and an ideal option for those seeking to set up a lawn chair and take it easy. Chicken livers, hearts, nightcrawlers, and hotdogs weighted to the bottom will put fish on the end of the line. Try a variety of depths to figure out where they are foraging.

Striped Bass: Few recent reports of stripers being caught. Warm water temperatures will push striper to deeper water and peak feeding activity will occur at night and dawn.

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 Level: 60" below full pool
• Water Clarity: 18.5"
• Flat Creek PFA Fishing Guide

Largemouth Bass: The largemouth bite is steady with the occasional bass being reported. Expect largemouth to average 1-3 pounds with the occasional 6+ pounder. Best bet is jigs and worms fished extremely slow on the bottom around submerged, deeper, structures.

Bream: The bream bite has slowed a bit. Most fish caught will be 5-7" but some but expect some larger 8"+ fish to snatch your bait. The key to a good catch is patience as the fish are moving slower due to the heat. Your best bet right now will be live worms or crickets fished on or very close to the bottom of deeper shelves or shallow, shaded pockets.

Catfish: The catfish bite this week has been great with some larger fish being caught. Fish 1 to 3 pounds are common and the occasional 8+ pounder has been reported. Your best bet to target these bottom feeders is live or cut bait fished on the bottom in deeper water or around lay-downs, submerged trees, and brush piles. If live/cut bait is not obtainable, other bait sources like small chunks of chicken liver, chicken gizzards, or even chicken thighs have been producing good fish as well. Anglers may see a large uptick in catches of smaller-sized catfish this week thanks to a recent stocking of over 15,000 intermediate catfish that were hauled in from McDuffie Hatchery. These precious upstarts have a decent chance to reach harvestable size by next fall, if they don't fall victim to a hungry largemouth in the meanwhile!

Crappie: Crappie have been hard to catch this week, but are definitely still available, late evening and night fishing is the key. Try fishing jigs around structures and schools of bait extremely slow and wait for that little thump!

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: 16" to 36". Smaller bodies of water are more turbid due to heavy afternoon thunderstorms. Fox Lake visibility is 4` or greater.
• Surface Temp: Mid 80s - low 90s.
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: Early morning and late afternoon have been the most productive for bass. Try topwater in early morning then transition to deeper water as day progresses. Try to find schools of shad at Bennett, Fox, and Shepherd. Cast crankbaits and swimbaits. Find brushpiles/structure and use a soft-plastic presentation slowly. Target shaded overhangs and undercut banks as well.

Crappie: Few are being caught this time of year, however, there are a handful of successful anglers who target crappie suspended over deep structure. Minnows are great or jigs tipped with minnows.

Bream: Full moon will be a little after the middle of the month. Expect bream to feed heavily prior to spawning. When fish are spawning (~2-4'), try to position your bait in the bed or as close as possible. Waxworms, crickets and pink worms continue to be good bait.

Hybrid Bass: Nice hybrids are being caught at Bennett early morning and late afternoon around schools of shad. Try baits such as crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits that imitate shad.

Channel catfish: The catfish bite is excellent in the summer. Most lakes have catfish populations and can be fished most effectively with cut bait, livers, and nightcrawlers. Fox and Bennett Lake were stocked with several thousand small channel catfish this week. Although these fish are small now, anglers should see a nice boost in catfish numbers come by next summer.

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