Bass Fishing In Georgia

Georgia waters produced the world record largemouth bass. No other state can make that claim. Beyond the world record, Georgia is one of the most diverse states for bass fishing. From shallow swamps and oxbows in the south that contain huge largemouth to lakes in the mountains that have populations of smallmouth, we have it all. You can fish ponds, lakes, streams, rivers and even brackish tidal waters for bass.

In Georgia you can fish for largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, shoal, Swanee and redeye bass, six of the seven recognized kinds of black bass. No other state has that many different kinds of black bass. And there is a new bass here, found on the Broad River at Clark’s Hill and called the Bartram’s bass, that may be recognized as a new distinct subspecies.

Bass fishing in Georgia is amazingly consistent over the years. Each Georgia Bass Chapter Federation club in the state sends in a “Creel Census Report” (CCR)to Dr. Carl Quertermus at the University of West Georgia after each tournament, and he keeps records on a variety of information. These records go back 27 years and show the catch rate during tournaments has changed very little over all that time.

Over the past few years more effort has been made to tailor creel and size limits to specific bodies of water. Some have worked well, like the 14 inch minimum size limit on all bass at Lanier. The population of spotted bass in that lake has responded by growing fast and fat on the blueback herring there.

At Oconee, the slot limit has not really paid off because anglers don’t follow it. On that lake anglers are encouraged to keep bass from six to 11 inches long to reduce the numbers of small bass. Very few keep small bass, so a regulation that would help the lake is not effective because it is not used.

At Rocky Mount PFA a slot size limit on Heath Lake requiring fishermen to release all bass from 14 to 21 inches long combined with keeping the lake closed except the first ten days of each month has created a trophy fish lake. Heath is probably one of your best bets for catching a trophy bass on any PFA.

Bass anglers have become more savvy over the years about their resources. For a long time fishermen would put out brush piles to concentrate fish, making them easier to catch. Recently bass fishermen, especially club fishermen, have worked with the Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologists to improve habitat on lakes, a long term effort that does not pay immediate results in bigger catches, but will help the bass population.

Rather then putting out brush only to concentrate fish, efforts are being made on many of our bigger lakes to improve shoreline cover for bass fry, increasing the numbers that survive. Deeper cover is also added, but it is put out to give the bass more ambush points and places to hide rather than just adding a good place to fish, although it does do that, too.

Most bass fishermen think stocking bass in big lakes would help, but generally it makes no difference. One pair of bass can produce more little bass each year than would be stocked in an area, so stocking usually just wastes time and money.

In some specific cases stocking bass does make a difference. In the Flint River below the Blackshear dam, water level changes during the spawn means shoal bass don’t have very successful reproduction. For about 20 years the DNR has been stocking fingerling shoal bass in that area. For the past five years stocked bass have been marked with a dye that puts an indicator on their bones so biologists can track them. Since those marked bass have reached cacheable size, they make up 30 to 50 percent of the catch on that part of the Flint River. An average of 40 percent of the cacheable bass in that area are stocked fish.

Water level fluctuation as well as colder temperatures on the Chattahoochee River below the Lanier dam decimated the population of shoal bass on it. A stocking effort is currently underway to restore shoal bass to that river and may offer another fish for Atlanta area fishermen to catch.

At Lake Nottely in north Georgia, the introduction of blueback herring as created a problem with largemouth bass. Not only do the herring eat the same food bass fry need in the spring, keeping them from surviving and growing, there is some indication the herring actually eat young bass. To counter this the DNR is stocking largemouth in the lake.

“Midnight Stocking” by fishermen of non native species is a problem in many Georgia lakes and rivers. Blueback herring may offer a temporary boost to the bass population, but long term they may create severe problems. Putting spotted bass in a lake may offer more bass to catch, but it usually causes the population of largemouth to decrease. Fishermen putting non native species in lakes can lead to may future problems.

There are many good places to bass fish in Georgia. Below are several that should produce good results for you this year.

Lake Allatoona

In the past Allatoona has been called “The Dead Sea” when it comes to bass fishing, but that perception is changing. Last year the Creel Census Report showed Allatoona tied with Lake Russell for the highest bass per man hour catch rate of any lake fished by clubs. The lake if full of spotted bass but most are relatively small.

Allatoona is one of the lakes where the DNR is working with local groups and fishermen to add cover to the lake. One reason Allatoona is so hard to fish is the lack of cover, and bass needed more cover to improve numbers. Man made fish attractors are providing the cover and offering places for anglers to fish.

In the early spring spotted bass can be found on most main lake rocky points and steep banks. You can catch them on small jig and pigs, jig head worms and crankbaits. Green pumpkin is an excellent choice for worms and jigs. Fish the steep rocky areas slowly, keeping contact with the bottom.

For largemouth head up the Etowah River to the Little River area and fish any cover you see. Also watch your depthfinder for brushpiles in coves and on points. Fish them with crankbaits and a jig and pig, or a Texas rigged worm. This pattern also works well in the fall.

During the summer, try fishing the man made PVC “brush” piles with Texas rigged worms. Most of this cover was placed in 25 to 30 feet of water and you can get a map from the DNR showing their locations. Fishing at night is also good.

Lake Hartwell

Hartwell is one of our bigger lakes and produces largemouth, spotted, and redeye bass. The average size of bass is good, with the CCR showing it having the third highest average winning weight in club tournaments. It also had the sixth highest bass per angler hour of any reported tournament sites.

In the spring bass move into creeks and pockets on the main lake getting ready to spawn. Try spinnerbaits and crankbaits around shoreline cover from half way back to the very back ends of protected areas. As the water warms throw a Trick worm in those same areas.

During the summer a fantastic topwater pattern develops on Hartwell. Go to any main lake shoal – shallow water near deep water often marked with a danger marker – and throw Sammys, Spooks, Flukes and other top water baits. Largemouth, spotted and redeye bass all move to these areas and feed on herring, and you will often see a half dozen bass following one you hook. This pattern holds from mid spring through the summer.

In the fall bass will again move into the creeks and crankbaits are excellent. Fish Shadraps and other crankbaits along steep creek banks and throw a jig and pig to any wood cover you find.

Jigging a spoon on main lake humps and points is good in the winter. You can catch all three kinds of bass by dropping a spoon to fish schooled up in 30 feet of water. Locate schools of baitfish and fish under them, or find the schools of bass on your depthfinder.

Savannah River

The Savannah River from Augusta to the coast offers many miles of good bass fishing. In the CCR it showed the third highest catch of bass per man hour, after Allatoona and Russell, so it is as good as our best lakes for numbers of bass. And the bass are a good size with the river having the third highest weigh per angler hour, following only Russell and Seminole.

Bass tend to hold around the mouths of creeks and oxbow lakes, taking advantage of any breaks in the current early in the spring. Cast a crankbait or jig and pig around trees in the water on the main river right at the mouths of creeks and also fish back into the creek a short distance, hitting the deeper banks.

As the water warms the bass move into the creeks and sloughs to spawn. Most old oxbows and creeks will have a deeper bank with stumps and wood cover on it and a shallow bank with overhanging willow trees. Fish the deeper bank with a jig and pig and spinnerbaits up until the fish spawn.

After the spawn throw a Trick worm under overhanging willows for some good bass fishing. This pattern holds up through the summer but the best catches are in May and June. During the summer many bass move back out onto the main river where you can catch them on crankbaits and Texas rigged worms in wood cover.

In the fall look for bass on the main river and around creek mouths. They will be more active as the water cools and will hit faster moving baits like crankbaits and spinnerbaits. In the coldest months, slowly work a jig and pig through cover that breaks the current for sluggish bass holding there.

Lake Oconee

Lake Oconee is one of the most popular bass fishing spots in Georgia, with the third highest number of tournaments held there. Right in the middle of the state, it produces good numbers of bass that are a respectable size. The catch rate per hour and weigh per hour is right in the middle of the range of all bass tournaments in the CCR.

Oconee is the site of an effort by the DNR and local clubs like the Lake Oconee Bassmasters to improve shoreline habitat. The shore is lined with seawalls and docks in many areas. Seawalls tend to eliminate natural cover and reduce places for young bass to hide. The effort here is to plant native water grasses in the shallows and place wood cover for the young bass to hide in.

In the early spring look for bass feeding around riprap banks and seawalls. A spinnerbait or crankbait will attract these fish. As the water warms they move into pockets to spawn and you can sight fish for bass on the beds here.

All spring and into early summer throw a spinnerbait around any grass cover you find back in the pockets. On sunny days in the late spring and during the summer, pitch a jig and pig or Texas rigged Mag II worm under boat docks. Docks on deeper water are usually better during the summer, and main lake docks with current moving under them are best.

In the fall docks continue to produce but bass are more active and crankbaits and spinnerbaits on riprap and seawalls again pays off. During the winter small crankbaits in the same areas will work, but fish them more slowly. Also try bridge pilings and riprap this time of year.

Flint River

The Flint River from the Lake Blackshear dam to south of Albany has some of the best shoal bass fishing you can find. No tournaments were reported on this river although some shoal bass are weighed in by people running way up the Flint from Lake Seminole.

Access is limited and the best way to fish the river is to drift sections of it. Team up with other fishermen and use two vehicles. Leave one at the take out spot and drive upriver to put in. You need a shallow draft boat with a strong trolling motor to fish the shoals on the river.

Shoal bass like shoals. You may find a few in deeper sections of the river or holding on wood cover, but look for swift water running over rocks for the best fishing. In the spring you have to watch for high water that makes the river very dangerous.

Fish the shoals with small Texas rigged worms, small jig and pigs and little crankbaits. Work any eddies and riffles for bass holding waiting on food. Fish with the current to make your bait look natural.

In the late spring through the summer when the water stabilizes topwater action can be fantastic. Use a Pop-R or buzzbait around shoals and you should catch some good sized bass. Five pound shoal bass are usually caught in this area on most trips, along with many more in the three to four pound range. Early morning and late afternoons are best for topwater action.

Lake Walter F. George

Lake Eufaula as it is commonly called is a well known bass fishery and produces excellent catches of bass year round. The 14 inch size limit means lower numbers of bass are actually weighed in during tournaments since many 12 and 13 inch bass that would be brought to the scales on other lakes have to be released. The heaviest winning weight in tournaments reported is the highest in the state.

In early spring look for big largemouth moving into shallow water to look for spawning beds. Bass will often be surprisingly shallow and a long way from the channel. Try spinnerbaits and a jig and pig around the grass edges for them.

After the bass spawn they move out the flats to the edges of the creek and river channels. The ledge fishing at Eufaula is legendary, and big crankbaits and worms work well. The Ledgebuster Spinnerbait, a heavy spinnerbait designed to fish deep ledges, was developed here. Look for stumps and brush on river bends on the main lake.

The bass stay on the ledges from last spring until the next spawning season, so follow them from shallow ledges to deeper ones then back shallow in the fall. Topwater around shallow grass, especially the hydrilla beds that are increasing fast, can be good year round, too.

You can’t really go wrong no matter what water you pick to fish in Georgia. And fishing is good all year long. Head to the lake, river or pond closest to your house and enjoy the great Georgia fishing.