|
PANFISHING GEORGIA'S RIVERS
If you are a native of the southeastern US,
chances are good that the first fish you ever caught was a panfish, or
"bream", which is the moniker many southerners commonly attach to
members of the sunfish family. Panfish are found in just about every river and
creek in the state (except a few in the mountains) and are usually very easy to
catch and great to eat! Despite all the publicity garnered by glamour species
like bass, trout, and stripers, More Georgia anglers pursue panfish than
anything else. Here are some tips on tackle, tactics, species, and destinations
that will help you load the cooler or simply get out and have some fun!
The most common panfish in Georgia's rivers
and streams are bluegill, redbreast, crappie, rock bass, shellcracker, warmouth,
and yellow perch. As a general rule, panfish species are very prolific, which
means there are lots of them. Most are normally very aggressive- especially at
certain times of the year, and panfish are almost always easy to locate. Bream
fishing requires no fancy equipment. While many people pursue them with a flyrod
or casting gear, a cane pole works as well or better most of the time. For all
these reasons, panfish are the best way to introduce kids to the sport of
fishing.
All of Georgia's panfish species offer
excellent table fare, and don't feel guilty about keeping a mess now and then,
because they reproduce like rabbits! Bream can often save the day when the bass
aren't biting, and it's always a good idea to bring some bream gear along just
in case. Many bream species (especially bluegill and redbreast) are great fun to
pursue with a flyrod, and can help keep you in practice between trout
excursions. Perhaps the best thing about panfishing is that everybody in Georgia
lives just a few minutes away from a river or creek that is loaded with something
that will stretch your line!
BLUEGILL
Bluegill can be found in every region of
Georgia and are the most widespread sunfish species in North America. Bluegill
can be recognized by the powder-blue coloration near the bottom of their gill
cover. Bluegills eat both aquatic and terrestrial insects as well as small
minnows and prefer slow current and weeds or woody cover. Most active in water
above 70 degrees, bluegills can be somewhat inactive and tough to catch during
late fall, winter, and early spring. Once the water warms to that magic 70
degree mark, bluegills build nests in a couple feet of water and will attack
most anything that comes near it. Nesting activity usually reaches it's peak
around the full moon in May and June in northern Georgia and April and May in
southern Georgia. Unlike redbreasts, which
generally seem to run about the same size everywhere, some rivers seem to
produce larger bluegills than others. While the fertile streams of middle and
southern Georgia produce greater numbers of bluegills, the average size seems to
be larger in the less fertile streams of northern Georgia. Wherever you choose
to chase these feisty battlers, there are any number of ways to catch them.
Crickets seem to be the most popular bait, with worms such as red wigglers,
night crawlers, or Louisiana pinks a close second. Most fishermen prefer to fish
these baits a few feet under a small bobber (use a #6 Aberdeen hook) , but bluegills will often bite right
on the bottom. Whether you choose a cane pole, spin-cast, or spinning outfit is
a matter of personal choice; just remember that that bluegills prefer areas of a
stream with as little current as possible that have cover nearby.
Those who prefer to fish artificial lures can have tremendous success with
bluegills also. Beetlespins of 1/16 ounces and smaller work well as do small
in-line spinners (such as Roostertails, Mepps, and Panther Martin) of 1/8 ounce
or less. If small fish become a nuisance, try fishing a slightly heavier bait
and getting it down deeper where the larger bluegills tend to live. Bluegills
also offer wonderful sport to fly fishermen, and will devour small popping bugs,
foam spiders, and small streamers. In South
Georgia, bluegills spend most of their time in backwater sloughs and oxbows of
the larger rivers and in the slowest sections of smaller rivers without
backwater areas. While good bluegill fishing can be had just about anywhere, a
few better-known bluegill fisheries are the Altamaha, lower Ocmulgee, lower
Oconee, lower Savannah, St. Mary's, Ogeechee, and Satilla Rivers. In northern
Georgia, the Alcovy, Apalachee, upper Etowah, Little (Putnam County), North
Oconee, Ocmulgee, Tallapoosa, upper Toccoa, Towaliga, Broad, and Yellow Rivers
all contain fine bluegill fishing. If we left out your local river, go catch
bluegills there anyway! This list is just a few of the places Georgia River
Fishing has either heard about or experienced first hand. REDBREAST 
Redbreast sunfish can be found along the entire eastern seaboard of the US, the
southeastern states, and in Texas. Like the bluegill, redbreasts can be found in
just about every freshwater river and stream in the state, from the meandering
blackwater rivers of South Georgia to the clear rippling streams of northern
Georgia. Redbreasts are best identified by their long black earflaps and bright
orange bellies. Many South Georgia rivers are legendary for their redbreast
fishing, yet these tasty scrappers can be caught just about anywhere there is
moving water. While redbreasts generally run a
bit smaller than bluegills, both species live in most Georgia rivers and share
many similarities. Like bluegills, redbreasts spawn when the water temperature
reaches about 70 degrees (normally early to late spring) and are easiest to catch while guarding their nests. Redbreasts will hollow out nests in a couple
feet of water and attack just about anything that comes near them. The biggest
difference between bluegills and redbreasts is where they choose to reside in a
river. While bluegills seek areas with little or no current, redbreasts prefer
to live near areas of moderate or even swift current- areas that can often be
waded.. Redbreasts will usually be found in small eddies or behind current
obstructions in this type of water. Like
bluegills, redbreasts are easiest to catch from spring through early fall. The
same methods that catch bluegills work equally well on redbreasts. Redbreasts
often show more willingness to rise to topwater poppers than other bream
species, making them a favorite for flyrod enthusiasts. During cold spells and
periods of high water, live worms fished directly on the bottom work well.
Redbreasts also love crickets, Beetlespins and small spinners.
South Georgia is famous for it's redbreast rivers, and just about every moving
body of water south of Macon has wonderful redbreast fishing most years. Low
water conditions during winter months seem to hurt redbreast populations and the
illegal introduction of flathead catfish seems to have impacted redbreast
populations somewhat. Some of the more famous redbreast rivers in South Georgia
include the Satilla, Altamaha, Ogeechee, Ochlocknee, St. Mary's, Savannah,
Canoochee, and Kinchafoonee and Brier Creeks.
Middle and northern Georgia have some fabulous redbreast holes as well, with
sizes running a tad smaller. The upper Flint and Ocmulgee Rivers are excellent
as is the entire Oconee River (North and Middle Oconee, Apalachee) system above
Lake Oconee. The upper Etowah, Coosawattee, Conasauga, and Broad River system
are excellent as is the Chattooga (the one in northwest Georgia). Again, this
list only scratches the surface of good redbreast rivers in Georgia, and no
matter where you live, there is quality redbreast fishing somewhere nearby! SHELLCRACKER
Shellcrackers (the official name is redear sunfish) get their name from their
culinary habits, which consist of grinding snail shells and small crustaceans
with a set of teeth located in the throat. Shellcrackers tend to grow larger
than bluegills and redbreast, and can be identified by a bright red strip around
the edge of the ear flap (hence the official name). Shellcrackers like warm,
slow-moving rivers, and thrive in middle and southern Georgia. It is not
uncommon to catch shellcrackers weighing a pound and every year a few over two
pounds are taken. Shellcrackers will often be found in deeper water than other
sunfish and feed mainly on the bottom. Unlike
bluegills and redbreast, shellcrackers do not usually respond well to artificial
lures. The most popular bait for shellcrackers are worms, but they will also
take crickets. The key is to fish on the bottom in thick cover with minimal
current. Whether using a cane pole or casting, anchor or tie up in likely holes
and get that bait on the bottom. Shellcrackers are usually willing biters, so if
you don't get any takers in a few minutes, move on to another likely spot.
In South Georgia, shellcrackers usually bed in mid-April, and this is the best
time to find concentrations of fish. While just about every river in middle and
South Georgia contains good shellcracker populations, the numerous sloughs of
the Altamaha River are the most famous spots to load the boat in early spring.
Shellcracker beds emit a distinctive scent that tells experienced fishermen that
they are near. In middle Georgia, the Ocmulgee River is gaining a reputation as
a great shellcracker fishery. CRAPPIE 
Most
people don't often use the words "river" and "crappie" in
the same sentence, but the crappie fishing in many Georgia rivers can be
exceptional, particularly in winter and early spring. In northern and middle
Georgia, crappie tend to move upstream during the first warm spell of late
February and early March. A great place to find crappie in early spring is
anywhere the river's flow is obstructed by a shoal or dam. Crappie tend to stack
up in such spots as their upstream progress is impeded. Remember that crappie
prefer the least possible current in a given area. Any river that feeds a major
reservoir should also be targeted, as many crappie will actually leave the lake
and head upstream, though they usually won't run as far or stay as long as white
bass, hybrids, and stripers. The Oconee and
Apalachee Rivers are excellent during the spring, as are the three main
tributaries of Lake Jackson (Alcovy, Yellow, South). The Coosa River is a
legendary crappie fishery between the lock and dam and Lake Weiss and a few
crappie are caught in the Chattahoochee River immediately above Lake Lanier. We
have heard some good reports from the Savannah River south of Augusta as well.
Just about all rivers and streams in northern and middle Georgia hold some
crappie, though most rivers in northern Georgia run a little too swiftly to accommodate
high numbers. In South Georgia, crappie
fishing is pretty good throughout the winter months as well as in the spring.
The Altamaha and Satilla Rivers are the best-known crappie rivers in the lower
half of the state but just about all of them contain healthy crappie
populations. Any slough with a bit of depth and cover is a good bet during the
early spring or warm winter days. During winter, a favorite tactic is to fish
just downstream of wide inside bends in the river channel where eddies can dig
out deep holes. These spots can be great, particularly during periods of high
water. During summer and fall, crappies tend
to be harder to catch in rivers, mainly because they are more dispersed and
deeper. During the spring, crappie are most often found at depths of three feet
or less, and they are rarely by themselves. The most popular technique is to
fish minnows below a cork, but some anglers prefer small tube or marabou jigs in
white or chartreuse. Light spinning tackle or cane poles are both effective gear
for river crappie. OTHER PANFISH
Warmouth perch exist throughout the southeast and all over Georgia, but the
rivers of northern Georgia and the Piedmont region are generally a little brisk
to support strong populations. Warmouths do better in South Georgia, where
currents tend to be more sluggish and backwater sloughs far more frequent.
Warmouths are normally found in water depths of three to six feet and feed
largely on crayfish. If crayfish are unavailable, try fishing worms on the
bottom. While warmouths prefer live bait, they will also hit small crawfish
crankbaits and other bream lures fished slowly near the bottom. The Okefenokee
Swamp is Georgia's most famous warmouth hole, but most rivers and streams in
South Georgia contain pretty good populations. 
Rock bass look almost exactly like warmouth, but prefer the rocky, swift streams
of northern Georgia. Rock bass have saved the day on many a fruitless bass
fishing trip, especially during summer and fall when they are most active. These
feisty (and tasty) battlers reside in the deeper holes of most North Georgia
streams and will hammer small plastic jigs and grubs hopped through these deeper
pools. Like their close relative the warmouth, rock bass feed primarily on
crawfish near the bottom, and the same live baits work well. While most northern
Georgia streams hold good populations, the upper Toccoa, upper Etowah, and all
of the Tennessee River tributaries in Georgia hold exceptional populations of
rock bass. Yellow perch are perhaps the most
popular panfish in parts of the northern US, but this cousin of the walleye is
rarely pursued in Georgia. While present in most river systems in the northern
half of Georgia, yellow perch are not abundant enough in most Georgia rivers to
be targeted by anglers very often. Often called raccoon perch, yellow perch can
be identified by their yellow bellies, green backs, and black stripes running
vertically down their sides. They also have teeth, so watch out. Yellow perch
feed primarily on small minnows but will also hit other common panfish baits and
are most active during the cooler months of the year. The best yellow perch hole
in the state is Bull Sluice Lake, which is basically a wide spot in the
Chattahoochee River directly above Morgan Falls Dam in Roswell. The
Chattahoochee contains decent numbers of yellow perch as does the Coosawattee
River. |
