The fish have been biting well even with the hot summer weather.
River gauges as of Thursday, August 27:
• Doctortown on the Altamaha – 3.8 feet and falling
• Lumber City on the Ocmulgee – 1.3 feet and steady
• Clyo on the Savannah – 2.9 feet and rising
• Statenville on the Alapaha – 3.7 feet and steady
• Alapaha on the Alapaha – 2.3 feet and falling
• Waycross on the Satilla – 6.9 feet and steady
• Atkinson on the Satilla – 5.0 feet and rising
• Quitman on the Withlacoochee – 2.7 feet and rising
• Macclenny on the Saint Marys – 4.2 feet and falling
• Fargo on the Suwannee – 2.1 feet and steady Altamaha River – Two local anglers caught around 15 bass. They had a few nice ones.
Justin Harrison caught a 5 lb., 3 oz. and a 4 lb., 2 oz. bass on a recent trip to the middle river.
Bill Stewart and Captain Bert Deener fished the upper river. They caught and released 39 fish (bass, bowfin, crappie, bluegill, and Florida gar).
They used worms, Dura-Spins, Wobble Blades, and a Bladed Fly. Their biggest bass weighed 3 lbs., 1oz.
I heard of some good bass reports from the lower river.
Withlacoochee River – Jim O’Conner had two great afternoon trips on the river. He caught 11 largemouth bass during his first trip.
He landed 13 nice largemouth on the second. Two weighed around five pounds each. Black/blue colored soft plastics were the lure of choice.
Dodge Public Fishing Area – Ken Burke fished managed to catch seven bass during a four-hour excursion. The fish were caught in shallow and deep water. He caught the deeper fish while they were chasing shad on the surface.
Lakes/Ponds – Two anglers fished reported that they caught around six bass (biggest weighed about four lbs.).
Jimmy Zinker fished at a Turner County area pond and caught 13 nice bass. The biggest one of the trip weighed around four pounds.
An angler fished a Valdosta area lake and landed two big bass (around six pounds).
Justin Harrison fished at a private lake and caught two giant bass (7 lbs., 1 oz. and 8 lbs. 7 oz.). The biggest was his personal best bass.
Okefenokee Swamp – I haven’t received any reports. I’ve heard that bowfin have been biting well this past few weeks.
Captain Deener offers guided fishing trips in the Okefenokee. To book a trip with him, visit his website bertsjigsandthings. com. Latest Swamp level on the east side was 120.30 feet.
Saltwater – My dad (Shane Barber) and I fished the Brunswick area and caught around 15 trout and a redfish. All the fish were caught on plastic grubs and swimbaits.
Kim Arnsdorf fished with Captain Tim Cutting and caught 21 flounder. Kim caught one that pulled the scales down to six pounds.
Rolando Sanchez and Captain Tim fished the Saint Simons area and managed to land 16 redfish (some were overslots), two flounder and 10 trout. The fish ate plastic grubs and Fourseven Provoker 3.5-inch paddle tail swimbaits.
I heard that two anglers fished the Brunswick area and caught around a dozen sheepshead.
To monitor all the Georgia river levels, visit the USGS website (waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/rt). For the latest marine forecast, check out www. weather.gov/jax/.
If you have any fishing reports or fish pictures that you would like to be included in this report, email them to me [email protected] or send them through Messenger on Southern Waters Fishing Report’s Facebook Page.
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