Georgia Fishing Report: October 29, 2021

Happy Halloween Weekend everyone! Does fishing count enough as an activity to work off the amount of Halloween candy one might eat this weekend. Asking for a friend.

NEWS TO KNOW

• Fish Art Contest Open For Entries: Go Draw a Fish! Youth have the opportunity to win prizes and recognition while learning about fish species, behaviors, aquatic habitats and conservation. Using art and writing, the Georgia Fish Art Contest (part of the international Wildlife Forever Fish Art® Contest) can ignite children's imagination and inspire them to discover more about fish and fishing.

This week, check out these scarily good fishing reports from North, Southwest, Southeast and Central Georgia. Add a few pieces of candy to your tackle box, ya know - just in case you need the fuel, and Go Fish Georgia!

NORTH GEORGIA

(Fishing report courtesy of Anthony Rabern, region supervisor and fisheries biologist with Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, with help from Region Staff and Local Experts)

We are only five weeks into fall and so far, this has been a great fall season - the Braves are in the World Series, the Georgia Bulldogs are ranked #1, the mornings are cool, and the leaves are finally changing into their brilliant fall colors. Some might add fall festivals and pumpkin spice to the list of great fall experiences, but I'm personally not a big fan of those things. I would, however, add fall hunting and fishing to the list of great autumnal activities. Outside of topwater fishing in the spring, fall fishing is the next best thing because most fish are eager to snatch a bait while trying to put on the "feed bag" before the cold of winter sets in.

From my seat in the boat this week, I've noticed more surface feeding activity when the morning fog lifts above the water, which is a true sign that fall has settled in. The cooling surface temps are bringing more stripers and spotted bass to the surface during the morning hours. Crappie are hanging out in the deeper brush piles and docks. In the mountain lakes, walleye often occupy the same brush pile as crappie, which provides a bonus to the fry pan. Bass are transitioning through the day across long, rocky points on the main channel and then prowling the shallows for small bream, perch, and even crayfish when the sun hangs low on the horizon. For the DNR Fisheries staff, it's fall sampling time, and this week's catch included a ton of spotted bass in a wide range of sizes, but we also had good success with walleye, crappie, yellow perch, and an unusually high abundance of catfish.

Check out the following fishing reports for the latest info on your favorite fishing spot. Also, check out Ken Sturdivant's weekly fishing reportfor more helpful tips.

Mountain Lakes:(from fisheries biologist, Anthony Rabern) -The scenery around the mountain lakes is always spectacular in late-October and the fishing is not too bad either. Our crew did a little bit of sampling this week and found spotted bass and walleye in good numbers. Based on their fat bellies, most fish are feeding actively on blueback herring and perch. Our depth finder located a school of bass with some walleye mixed in the bunch that were feeding on a large school of blueback herring that was sandwiched against a long point near the dam on Lake Rabun at a depth ranging from 30 to 40-feet. We also found walleye near structure from 40 to 50-feet deep along the deeper banks on the outer bends of the main river channel. Working crappie minnows in and around deep-water structure is a great way to catch walleye and crappie during the fall months.

Rocky Public Fishing Area: With the fall nights cooling down the water temperatures, the channel catfish are starting their fall feeding frenzy at Rocky PFA. There are numerous areas around the lake that you can fish from the shore, or you can drift-fish from your boat for the chance at catching a lake record channel catfish! If you get a channel cat over 12 pounds, please let the PFA staff know and we will bring scales to get an official weight and get the fish registered if it qualifies for the record.

West Point Lake (provided by Ken Sturdivant) - Bass fishing is continuing to pick up as nighttime low temperatures continue to fall. There are multiple patterns to unfold right now. Look for fish to pull out of the channel on main lake points relating to shad. Along many of these points will be scattered brush. On windy days begin fishing points with a Strike King double willow leaf spinnerbait with silver blades and white skirt. On days with less wind a Zoom albino super fluke with a 3/0 EWG Gamakatsu hook will work in the same areas. Fish that are inactive will be relating to brush within in the same locations. For these fish pitch 3/8 ounce black/blue All Terrain jigs with a Z-Man black blue Chunkz.

Lake NottelyLinesides:(Guide Jeremy Seabolt reports) - "We have been catching a lot fish from Point 6 to the dam. Fish are holding out over a 50- to 80-foot bottom. The first few hours of morning, we have been dropping herring. By mid-morning, we switch over to Captain Mack's u-rigs, pulling them about 130 to 150 feet back at 2.5 to 3 mph. We have also been catching a lot fish on topwater. They are killing a fluke when working it really slow on top. The stripers will be on a feeding frenzy trying to fatten up for the winter and will start spreading out some. The topwater bite will be on, and it also means it's time to drag out the planer boards. Don't forget the Bait Shack on Nottely has herring."

LAKE LANIER

Bass: (Provided by guide, Phil Johnson ([email protected] (770) 366-8845) - Bass are following the shad into the creeks, but there are still a lot of fish schooling at the surface across the lake throughout the day. Seibel's, Spooks, Chug bugs, and Flukes are good choices for these fish. The key is to hit right on them while they are up feeding. The Spot Choker underspin with a white Fluke junior has also been very effective on these surface-feeding fish this week. I'm throwing the 3/8 oz size with either a white pearl head or a lavender head to these fish. There are still plenty of fish around the brush in the 15 to 30-ft range but also on the humps and long points. As the bait moves, so do these fish. The Dropshot has been a steady producer around the brush with the Prism Shad and Blue Lily being the most consistent colors for the week. The shallow bite is picking up on secondary points and docks in pockets. A 3/16 oz Spotsticker with a Green Pumpkin Speed Vibe worm or a watermelon trick worm is drawing the majority of the strikes.

Striped Bass: (Provided by guide, Buck Cannon at Buck Tails Guide Service (404) 510-1778) - Lake Lanier stripers are moving north on the river channel. Using your electronics, locate the bait and any structural change in the bottom and drop down lines 30 to 40 feet deep using blue back herring. A weighted flat line trolled at 0.5 mph and down lines are good choices. Keep your favorite top water handy because when they come up you might get a couple of casts at the most, so be ready.

Crappie: (Provided by guide, Josh Thornton (770) 530-6493) - Minnows are the first choice of the crappie followed by jigs. The jigs I had success with this week were dark blue over silver or dark purple with a chartreuse tail. I am setting the minnows 8-10 feet over shallow brush. Look for covered docks that have brush under or near by a good depth range would be 20 to 30 feet of water and near a main channel. Use your electronics locate structure or bush piles. Crappie love the shade so cast into the shadows. When dock shooting, the biggest fish are usually the first to bite. Let your jig sink and give it time to get down to the fish and retrieve your jig slowly. I'm using ATX Lure Company's plastics. I use 5-pound test high visibility yellow K9 braid for my line (unless I am using a bobber) and a Piscifun reel on a Acc Crappie Stix.

LAKE ALLATOONA

Bass:(Tournament angler Matt Driver provided this report) - Getting a reaction strike by using a quick and erratic retrieve is by far the best way to catch bass on Lake Allatoona. During early morning and late afternoon, the buzzbait bite is phenomenal. Fishing around cover in the Etowah River and any bluff walls are the best areas to target for this technique. This is also a great time of year to break out a large swimbait. A 6-inch jointed hard swimbait is a good way to find a trophy largemouth or spot in Lake Allatoona. My favorite fall areas are around the Delta in the Etowah, also in Little River and bluff walls in the Bartow Carver area.

Linesides: (Robert Eidson, ofFirst Bite Guide Service, reports) - "The topwater bite has been the overall best producer, with trolling umbrella rigs and down-lining live bait running a close second. Mid-lake to south has been producing best for the bigger hybrids, but if you're after numbers, the white bass bite is hard to beat on the north end of the lake. This is the time of year that you need to be universal and not one dimensional on techniques. Any of these methods will catch you fish on any given day."

LAKE WEISS

Bass: (Guide and tournament pro Mike Carterreports) - "Weiss has finally started showing some more consistent action with the cooler temps that have finally arrived. The more productive patterns during this time are covering a lot of seawalls and rip-rap areas the first few hours of the morning with Choo Choo buzzbaits and Echo squarebill crankbaits. As the day progresses, going out to main-lake humps and points with Echo squarebills can also keep the action going consistently."

(Guide Mark Collinsreports) - "Most bass are on offshore structure and the river and creek channel ledges. Spinnerbaits, Carolina rigs and medium- to deep-running crankbaits are working well. Spotted bass are doing well on main-lake points and the creek channel ledges. Carolina rigs and crankbaits are working well." Bass are showing up on secondary points, humps and sand bars. Rat L Traps and flat sided crank baits and spinner baits are catching fish.

Crappie: (Guide Mark Collins reports) - "The bite is starting to get better. Crappie are on deeper cover in the main lake and bays and on the main Coosa River channel ledges at 12-20-ft from Cedar Bluff to Leesburg. Spider rigging over brush with live minnows and jigs is catching fish. A few crappie are still being caught shooting docks with jigs."

Catfish: Catfish are biting in the bays and creeks in 8 to 15 feet of water, cut bait is working best.

LAKE HARTWELL(provided by Ken Sturdivant) -

Bass: The fish are starting shallow first thing in the morning. Try top water baits or a fluke for the first couple of hours at the shallowest part of the points or back in the pockets and the back of the creek arms. Look to fish the flats back in the creek arms with a lipless crank bait there threadfin back in these pockets watch for them getting chased and throw to those areas. Once the sun gets up pay attention to what depth the bait is hanging out in. Once you figure that out fish that depth on any points, humps, or channel swings near the bait. Key baits here are a jig or a shaky head. The other key is finding the cover in these areas especially any brush that seems to be key. The upper river arms have started the turnover process so if you are fishing in these areas be patient the bite is a little tougher in these areas right now. Remember if you don't get bit within the first few casts, keep moving until you find the fish. Be safe out there and hope to see you on the water. Tournament angler Kerry Partain reports, "I love this time of year because you can catch them on Zoom Super Flukes, topwater, jerkbaits, crankbaits and a host of other moving baits. The bass and the bait should be active, and the fishing should be fast and furious."

Linesides: (Guide Preston Harden reports) - "Hybrid and striper fishing has been slow with bait but good with power reeling and trolling. Power reeling and trolling get the reaction strike that you cannot mimic with live bait. Cooling water temps will have a positive effect on the fishing. I will have a Lucky Craft Sammy in ghost minnow ready for the topwater bite that gets going."

LAKE BLUE RIDGE

Bass:(Guide Eric Welch reports) - "Start your mornings out throwing topwater. My go-to baits have been a Pop-R, Zara Puppy, Strike King Sexy Dawg Jr., and a Whopper Plopper. I like to start out around rocky points and flats. Then I'm going to throw the Ned rig with a Z-Man TRD worm or a 3.5-inch tube, while watching my graph. If I see any fish schooled up, I will toss a drop shot down on top of them. After spending my mornings on the main lake, normally by noon I will run up and start fishing the deep, rocky banks up the river with the same type baits."

(Capt.Eric Crowley reports) - "Spots are everywhere, literally every point is holding fish from the dam to Point 8. Use your sonar to locate them as some are suspended and some are on the bottom. I like fishing deep cranks and jerkbaits this month. Use the same color choices for the spots throughout the day as I mention for walleye."

Walleye & Perch:(Capt.Eric Crowleyreports) - "Walleye are moving toward the shallower structure to feed both early and late in the day. Trolling, jigging spoons and casting deep, slow, retrieve baits is the go-to this month as the fish start to transition. As far as baits go, I like bright colors early, then clear, drab colors midday and chrome and gold in the evening. The perch bite has been good for the last few weeks, and we are seeing some really nice fish in the 14- to 15-inch class. Live minnows, small jigs and small spoons have been productive early in the day."

LAKE CHATUGE

Bass:(Guide Eric Welch reports) - "I'm starting my mornings out looking for breaking fish, which is normally around flats or in pockets. The topwater baits I'm using are a Berkley Cane Walker, an Ima Skimmer and a Strike King Sexy Dawg. I just mix them up until I find the magic bait. I have been following up in areas where the fish have been breaking with a 1/8-oz. swimbait head and a 3.25-inch Rage Swimmer. After the morning bite dies down, I will start targeting humps, deep points and rocky banks around these areas. I'm throwing a drop shot with a 6.5-inch Roboworm, a 3/16-oz. shaky head with a 6.5-inch Strike King green-pumpkin finesse worm and a Ned rig with a green-pumpkin TRD worm. If you know where there is brush deep or around docks, throw a 3/8-oz. pb/j jig. As the month goes on, the fishing is just going to going to get better."

Hybrids:(DNR Fisheries Biologist, Hunter Roop reports) - "In partnership with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, the Fisheries Section of DNR's Wildlife Resources Division annually stocks fingerling hybrid striped bass on Lake Chatuge to diversify anglers' fishing opportunities on this beautiful TVA reservoir. Chatuge's hybrid fishery (the same one that produced a world record hybrid at 25.5 lbs in 1995) is reportedly fishing great this year. Target bait-chasing schools of hybrids anywhere from 20 - 40 foot depths, and as the cool fall weather really sets in, be prepared early and late to catch shallow hybrids on topwater or just below the surface. For more information on Chatuge's hybrid striped bass fishery, fishing techniques, and other available sportfish, check out Chatuge's Fishing Forecast."

LAKE BURTON

Bass & Perch:(Guide Wes Carlton reports) - "The spotted bass are still biting the drop-shot rig really well. We have been working the backs of the creeks in the 13- to 20-foot depths close to grass. The topwater bite has just begun, as well. Keep a Heddon Torpedo or a topwater plug ready for these fish that are on the move and surfacing regularly. The blueback herring schools are everywhere in the backs of the creeks, and the bass are always close to them. This bite should continue for the next few weeks as we transition into a cooler November bite. The perch bite has been good. We have caught most of our fish on a drop-shot rig on clay points in the 20-foot depth range. Roboworms have been working the best. Try locating the fish on the electronics and working an area several casts before moving. Just remember when you find one yellow perch, there are several others. Small Little Cleo spoons have also been working well."

Trout Reports: Around this time each year, brook trout and brown trout fan out their redds on gravelly bottoms to deposit their eggs. Trout in spawning mode can be super-shy but also super-aggressive, so stealth is critical when casting to bedding fish. Let's hope the heavy rainfalls stay away for the next few weeks to give those eggs time to incubate and hatch. By the following year, these youngsters will have grown to support an abundance of catchable wild fish.

Stocked Trout & Delayed Harvest: (from DNR's Trout Stocking Coordinator, John Lee Thomson) - Are you hunting or just leaf looking in the mountains this weekend? If you answered yes, you are likely a short drive from some excellent trout fishing opportunities. With cooler weather trout will be active and you should look for holdover and wild trout in higher elevation streams. To expand the fun-factor for your weekend mountain getaway, we stocked Vogel State Park and the tailwaters below Lake Blue Ridge with trout. Also, mark your calendar for the opening day of the Delayed Harvest (DH) season, which starts on Monday, November 1st. Delayed Harvest provides a unique, catch-and-release fishing opportunities in a handful of stocked trout streams including, Amicalola Creek, Chattooga River, Smith Creek, and the Toccoa River. We will be loading up the DH streams with trout for your fishing enjoyment. Please thank our partners at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for this fall opportunity to catch some rainbow beauties. Scroll down on the DNR Trout Fishing webpage to the Special Regulation Section to find suggested techniques for catching trout in Delayed Harvest streams. Remember to purchase your fishing license, trout stamp and Go Fish Georgia!

Fly Fishing for Trout: (from Dredger at Unicoi Outfitters) - Check out Dredger's latest fishing report on the Angler Management page of the Unicoi Outfitter website. Dredger also advises trouters to match your bugs to the stream conditions. If the water is big/high/stained from a rain, use bigger and brighter bugs to get their attention. Great trout treats are globugs (egg flies), rubberleg stones, squirmy worms, and big (#10 or 12) sexy walts or mops. When trout water is low/slow/crystal clear, the fish can study your bugs and casually decide whether or not to eat, so you oughta scale down. Use smaller versions of the above bugs as your first fly. The second, dropper fly should be even smaller and natural, like #16 or 18 hares ears, pheasant tails, lightning bugs, frenchies, and sexy walts. I'm partial to silver tungsten beads if there's a decent current. I think the beads catch the trout's attention while leaves and twigs clutter the water column.

SOUTHWEST GEORGIA

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

LAKE BLACKSHEAR

With temperatures dropping this time of year focusing your effort near creek mouths and outlets is a good idea. Fish school in those areas and any lure that resembles shad is likely to get you a few bites. They hybrid and white bass bite is picking up. In the evenings try shallow sandy areas as some of the younger fish use that habitat. The GA DNR team has been surveying lake Blackshear this week and our findings indicate that next year is going to be a great white bass season so get ready for some good fights!

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE

Lake George is full right now and the bass fishing is fair. Try focusing your efforts on shallow ledges and points. Drops that bottom out around 6 feet should get some nice sized fish. Use a crank bait and if that isn't working try a Carolina rig. Crappie fishing has also been good in Lake Eufaula. Some anglers have been having a lot of success with eye hole jigs. Focus on spots with standing timber and lots of submerged brush because this is their preferred habitat. Also trying near docks that create structure for this fish could land you a nice slab for the dinner plate!

SILVER LAKE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (More Info HERE)

Panic Pond is open and the season is in full swing. Big bass are hanging out near standing timber towards the back of the pond. Try using lures shaped like shad because that is their primary prey fish right now. A swim bait shaped and colored like shad will make things easy with all the button bush and logs in there. Frog ponds still has some nice catfish that are fun to fish for. Try any bait that lets off a good smell. Chicken liver, hotdogs and worms are crowd favorites.

SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

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

The best reports this week were from ponds and lakes, but saltwater has been good also. The St Marys River is fishable now, but the others will take a little more time to get right. You can catch catfish in any of the rivers at current levels.

River gages on October 28th were:

• Abbeville on the Ocmulgee - 4.3 feet and steady
• Doctortown on the Altamaha - 8.5 feet and falling.
• Waycross on the Satilla - 9.3 feet and rising
• Atkinson on the Satilla - 9.5 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the St Marys - 3.8 feet and rising

New Moon is November 4th. To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website HERE. For the latest marine forecast, click HERE.

OKEFENOKEE SWAMP

The water is still high, and the fish are spread out in the prairies. The swamp is absolutely gorgeous in the fall with all the wildflowers blooming. Plan your trip for the scenery, not necessarily the catching….. The latest water level (Folkston side) was 121.26 feet (before all the rain on Thursday….).

LOCAL PONDS

The crappie bite was tops in Waycross area ponds this week. I had a report of an angler spider-rigging Specktacular Jigs tipped with minnows and catching a limit of specks pretty quickly. Sterling Brumbaugh and his dad fished an area lake on Saturday and live-scoped crappie and dropped minnows on them to catch 25 and a big mudfish. They watched (on their Live Scope) about 15 of their fish come up to and eat the minnow. The late-week cold front will knock the crappie in the head, but they should be biting again by the weekend. Chad Lee fished some Alma area ponds this week and flung Senkos. He landed 6 bass up to 2 1/2 pounds. An angler fishing a Brunswick area pond had a good day early in the week flinging copperfield-colored vibrating jigs to offshore cover and blowdown trees. Most of his fish were in the 2 to 4 pound range. A dad and his daughters fished from their dock over the weekend and caught a couple dozen catfish each trip. Their biggest was 5 pounds.

PARADISE PUBLIC FISHING AREA (near Tifton, more info HERE)

The hybrid bass bite has picked up this week in the lakes where they are stocked. The best lake was Bobben, where an angler fishing Friday caught a half-dozen up to about 2 pounds by fishing chicken livers on the bottom. Other lakes stocked with hybrids include Russell and Beaver.

SALTWATER (GA COAST)

Capt. Greg Hildreth has been catching the bull reds (many were 38 to 40 inches) again this week by fishing mullet and pogies on the bottom along the bars and channels in the sounds around Brunswick. I talked with an angler fishing the Brunswick area this week, and he and his partner have found a bunch of trout by fishing live bait deep and casting artificials in the same areas. Trout are mostly in the intracoastal waterway and lower parts of Crooked River right now. They will be working their way upstream as the water cools. With this colder weather, the trout should start schooling well. In the next couple weeks, when you find them you have probably found a whole school of trout, but you probably won't catch them everywhere you stop like we have been doing for the last couple of months. Water temps will probably clip the 60's by the end of the weekend. An angler fishing a pier in the Brunswick area caught a few small sheepshead this week by dropping fiddler crabs around the pilings. Look for the sheepshead bite to tick up with the cooler weather, as well. For guide trip information, call Capt. Greg Hildreth at (912) 617-1980 or check out his website. Check with the Jekyll Island Fishing Center (912-635-3556) for the latest on the Jekyll Island Pier or St. Simons Bait & Tackle (912-634-1888) for the latest on the St. Simons Pier.

CENTRAL GEORGIA

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

Reservoir Fishing Reports Courtesy of Southern Fishing with Ken Sturdivant.

LAKE RUSSELL IS FULL, 70'S

Bass fishing is fair. Small spotted bass first thing in the morning are on top water baits along with spinner baits; crank baits are catching quick limits along the rocky points. Carolina rigs are accounting for most of the remaining bass caught. Good baits to carry along this week include blue and chrome Chug Bugs, 3/8-ounce Strike King Spinner baits, Rapala DT7 Flat Baits and Rapala Glass Shad Raps. The wind should be your best friend. Spinner baits, jerk baits and crank baits are just now starting to turn on. Don't stow away those jigs just yet. Bass can be caught on jigs and tubes all during the fall months. Try the Rapala DT's and the new Rapala OG8 as well as a spinner bait. Start off by working these baits a little more aggressively and safe light starts about 7:00 a.m.

CLARKS HILL IS .59 FEET OVER FULL, 70'S

Bass fishing is fair. There is a good top water bite in the backs of the creeks. Main lake rock piles are good with spinner baits and the jigs. Top water baits will work around the schooling fish but use small baits. Spoons will work for the smaller fish as the water cools down. It's best to stick with the jigs and the small finesse worms for now. The fish are sluggish so do not expect a surge of action any time of the day. Use a white Super Fluke also. There are small schools of fish in the backs of most of the major creeks. These fish are eating very tiny baits that have just hatched so match the hatch. Use the smaller under spin lures with a small Zoom Fluke trailer. Bass are after small threadfin so small is the key.

LAKE OCONEE IS FULL, 70'S

(This Lake Oconee fishing report is by Captain Mark Smith, Reel Time service. [email protected] phone: 404-803-0741) -

Bass: Bass fishing is fair. The main lake is heavy stained above I-20, stained from I-20 to below the Hwy. 44 bridge. Light stain from Hwy. 44 bridge to Long shoals. Richland creek is mostly clear. A lot of fish have started to follow the bait into the back of the coves and pockets all over the lake. Match your bait color to the water conditions. Spinner baits fished around docks and wood structure in these locations will catch you some fish. Small crank baits fished in the same areas will also produce. Start at the mouth of the cove and work your way in, as the fish are following the bait in and out of the coves. Main lake points fished with a Carolina rig has also produced over the past week.

Striped Bass: Striper fishing is fair to good. The striper bite has been up and down this past week. Live bait (shad and bass minnows) will produce on good days. The river bend (Horse Show bend) has been a good area to look on your Lowrance for the fish. Plainer boards as well as down lines have been producing.

Crappie: Crappie fishing is good. The crappie are starting to move out of the tree tops, their summer hang outs. You can still find catchable numbers in the trees. Also look in the mouths of the coves and creeks for large schools and you can catch these long lining.

LAKE SINCLAIR IS DOWN 1.2 FEET, 70'S

Bass fishing is fair. Look In the coves and creeks and follow the shad and the bass are close by. Buzz baits and other top water lures are producing well for all size fish, including large bass. This bite may last for only an hour or two each morning, but can last much longer, especially on cloudy days. A top water bite can occur most anywhere, although most should be in coves and creeks that have lots of bait nearby. Pop R's, Chug Bug's, Torpedo's, and other similar baits should be tried along with buzz baits. A few fish are also hitting spinner baits, especially around wood cover. Docks and boat houses are holding bass that are hitting soft plastics and jigs mostly. Try a 6" Zoom Dead Ringer in June bug with a 3/16-ounce weight fished on 12 to 16-pound mono. A 3/8-ounce jig and chunk in black, blue, or green pumpkin is another good choice. The bass will follow the shad to the very backs of coves. Get them with a ¼ ounce Rat L Trap or Mann's Baby One Minus as well as top water baits. Bass may be holding on the side of secondary points or even along the center of coves. Depths can vary from 8 to 15 feet deep or more. Large crank baits, Carolina rigs, jigs, tail spinners, and jig head and worm combos are the bait styles to try.

LAKE JACKSON IS .2 FEET OVER FULL, 70'S

Bass fishing is fair. Mimi Me spinnerbaits are taking most of the quality fish but use a slow presentation around rocky areas. Some fish are back in the pockets, but many are up on flats and points. There will be a strengthening pattern back in the pockets as largemouth roam shallow areas. Depend on spinner baits to cover the water. Start with a slow retrieve then graduate to a slightly faster retrieve. Work the shallow wood cover and invest a little extra time to probe wood with plastic or jigs. Keep a Zoom Speed Craw handy along with a jig and craw trailer. A McStick jerk bait will take quality fish back in the pockets also. Cast it close to cover and let the bait sit while the water settles. Twitch and pause the bait and Sufix Siege 12-pound test on a bait caster will work well.

FLAT CREEK PUBLIC FISHING AREA (MORE INFO HERE)

• Surface Temperature: 71.7˚ F (22.1˚ C)
• Water Level: 1' Below Full Pool
• Water Visibility: 26"
• Flat Creek PFA Fishing Guide

The fall, as the temperatures start to drop, is an often-overlooked great time of the year to get out and go fishing. This brings the water temperatures down and already the anglers at Flat Creek are really starting to see the difference. The bass, bream, and catfish have all reported to be biting better, crappie are reported to be picking up a bit, catfish, bream and bass are biting well right now on worms, and catfish and bass are also hitting minnows.

Bass: Live Minnows, Worms (June Bug, Watermelon) Zoom Trick Worms, and Zoom Centipede worms, fished deep, dark colored lipless crank baits; flukes fished when the bass are feeding on shad near the diffusers.

Bream: Worms or crickets.

Channel Catfish: Worms fished on a Carolina Rig or tight line on the bottom, raw shrimp, or chicken livers fished deep.

Crappie: Minnows or light live action jigs fished around structure and fish attractors, also fishing around the dock lights at night from the fishing pier.

MARBEN PUBLIC FISHING AREA (More Info HERE)

• Water Level: All open ponds are full.
• Water Clarity: 28+"
• Surface Temperature: 58-70 degrees
• Marben PFA Fishing Guide

Bass: A few bass are being caught off points. Shad are still schooling late afternoon at Fox, Bennett, and Margery lakes. The bass are beginning to move shallow and feed before cooler weather pushes them deeper. Plastic worms, crank baits, and jerk baits should produce a bite.

Crappie: Crappie fishing has been slow to start with the warm weather. However, as the temperatures cool the crappie bite will improve. Jig and jigs tipped with minnows are the go-to for a crappie bite. The trick is finding where the crappie are and presenting your bait just above them. Persistence will pay off when you find a school.

Bream: Bream fishing will slow as the temperatures cool. Try fishing near the bottom with live pink worms. We have noticed nice bluegill and shellcracker in the ponds we have sampled.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.