Freshwater Fishing in Georgia

Georgia

The state of Georgia became famous for its freshwater fishing in 1922, when George Perry hauled in a 22 pound, 4-ounce largemouth bass from a Telfair County pond. That event put the peach state on the “angling” map, so to speak. There are still plenty of lunkers plying the Southern waters, but largemouth bass fishing is just a small part of Georgia’s sport fishing.

The state has large reservoirs scatted from north to south. These include Carter’s Lake, Lake Hartwell, Lake Rabun, Allatoona Lake, Lake Nottely, and Lake Lanier in the north. In middle Georgia, you’ll find Lake Sinclair, Lake Oconee, Jackson Lake, West Point Lake, and Lake Juliette. The southern part of the state holds Lake Blackshear, Lake Seminole, and Walter F. George Reservoir. Also located in South Georgia is Okefenokee Swamp, the nation’s largest, with great fishing opportunities. All these bodies of water hold channel catfish, crappie, striped bass, and a variety of bream, along with the ever-popular largemouth.

Georgia Fishing

If you interested in trout fishing, check out the rivers and streams of North Georgia. Some of the most popular trout fishing venues include the Tallulah River, the Coosawatee River, the upper sections of the Chattahoochee, Duke’s Creek, the Etowah River, Smith Creek, and Cedar Creek. Expect to find brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout in these cold, clear waters – over 4,000 miles of trout streams in all. In the central part of the state, smallmouth bass and shoal bass are usually the target for stream and river angling. Such waters include Big Laser Creek, the Oconee River, Yellow River, Apalachee River, and South River.

Rivers and streams in South Georgia lure anglers for the abundant numbers of largemouth bass, crappie, warmouth perch, and huge catfish. Try the Altamaha River, the Satilla River, the Alapaha River, the Flint River, Buck Creek, Spring Creek, and the Ogeechee River. Because of Georgia’s mild climate, fishing can be done year round. In the winter, crappie fishing is king. Late spring and summer offer bass, bluegill, and shellcracker, while fall fishing for trout will produce some hefty fish.