2006 Georgia Reservoir Fishing Prospects
A publication of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Wild life Resources Division
Fisheries Management Section

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sport Fish Restoration and
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1. Allatoona 2. Andrews 3. Bartlett's Feny 4. Blackshear 5. Blue Ridge 6. Burton 7. Carters 8. Chatuge 9. Chehaw 10. Clarks Hill

Reservoir Listing
11. Goat Rock 12. Hamburg 13. Hartwell 14. High Falls 15. Jackson 16. Juliette 17. Lanier 18. Nottely 19. Oconee 20. Oliver 2 1. Rabun

22. Randy Poynter 23. Richard B. Russell 24. Seminole 25. Sinclair 26. Tobesofkee 27. Tugalo 28. Varner 29. Walter F. George 30. Weiss 3 1. West Point

G e o r g i a offers some of the best, and most diverse, fishing opportunities in the Southeast with more than 500,000 acres of reservoirs available to anglers. The following is a description of the prospects for fishing on Georgia's reservoirs in 2006. The outlook for each reservoir was compiled by fisheries biologists and is based on sampling efforts by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources
Division (WRD), Fisheries Management Section, knowledge of past fishing trends, WRD staffs own fishing experiences and discussions with anglers and marina owners. We hope this information is valuable to you when planning your fishing trips. The collection and compilation of this information was made possible by hnding through Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration.
DNR routinely tests the tissue of fish collected from rivers and reservoirs across the state. Based on the best scientific information and procedures available, "Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia Waters" are developed to help Georgia anglers and their families evaluate the health risks of eating fish from wild populations. To learn more about these guidelines consult the current Sport Fishing Regulations or visit the
WRD web site www.gofishgeorgia.com For a complete publication, visit the EPD web site at www.gaepd.org/Documents/fish~guide.htm.lTo
obtain lake conditions online: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: www.sam.usace.army.miI/op/rec; Georgia Power:
www.southerncompany.com/gapowedlakesand TVA: www.tva.com .
Visit the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources web site at www.go$shgeorgia.com for$shing regulations, topurchase ajshing license, to register a boat, tofind aplace topsh,for week[y$shing conditions in reservoirs, and more!

Albany .........229-430-4256 Burton ..........706-947-31 12 Calhoun........706-629-1259
Calhoun ........770-387-4821

Fisheries Management Section Offices:
Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center ............770-784-3059 Dawson ...............................................229-995-4486 Fort Valley ..........................................478-825-6151 Gainesville ..........................................770-535-5498

West Point ............706-845-4290
Social Circle .........770-918-6418 Summerville .........706-857-3394
Thomson ...............706-595-1619

Reservoir

Page

Best Bets in 2006

Office

Allatoona ........................2 .............crappie, hybrid bass, spotted bass, carp ......................................................................Calhoun Andrews..........................3 .............hybrid bass, channel catfish, bream, largemouth bass .................................................. Albany Bartlett's Ferry................3 .............spotted bass, hybrid & striped bass, crappie, catfish .....................................................West Point Blackshear ......................4 .............largemouth bass, crappie, hybrid & striped bass, bream, catfish .................................A..lbany Blue Ridge ......................4 .............white & smallmouth bass, walleye, catfish................................................................ Calhoun Burton .............................5 .............brown trout, spotted bass ...............................................................................................Burton Carters.............................5 .............walleye, hybrid bass, spotted bass, white bass, crappie .................................................Calhoun Chatuge...........................6 .............spotted bass, bluegill .....................................................................................................Gainesville Chehaw ...........................7 .............catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass ............................................................................Albany Clarks Hill .....................7 .............crappie, striped & hybrid bass, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, white perch...............Thomson Goat Rock .......................8 .............largemouth & spotted bass, bream, catfish, crappie ......................................................West Point Hamburg .........................9 .............crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, chain pickerel ..............................................Thomson Hartwell ..........................9 .............hybrid bass, largemouth bass, crappie, striped bass.......................................................Burton High Falls .....................10.............crappie, bream, largemouth bass, catfish, hybrid bass, white bass ................................CEWC Jackson .........................10.............bream, crappie, largemouth & spotted bass, catfish ...................................................... CEWC Juliette...........................1 1 .............striped bass, redear sunfish, crappie ...........................................................................CEWC Lanier............................1 1 .............spotted bass, crappie, striped bass, channel catfish .......................................................Gainesville Nottely ..........................12.............crappie, hybrid bass .......................................................................................................Gainesville Oconee..........................13 .............crappie, white bass, hybrid bass, largemouth bass, catfish ............................................Social Circle Oliver............................13 .............bream, crappie, largemouth & spotted bass .............................................................West Point Rabun............................ 14.............largemouth & spotted bass.............................................................................................Burton Randy Poynter ..............14 .............largemouth bass, bream, crappie, channel catfish.......................................................... Social Circle Richard B. Russell ........15 .............largemouth bass, crappie, spotted bass, striped bass......................................................Thomson Seminole .......................15 .............bream, channel catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, hybrid bass.....................................A. lbany Sinclair..........................16 .............catfish, crappie, largemouth bass ...................................................................................Fort Valley Tobesofkee ...................17 .............hybrid bass, largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, chain pickerel ......................................Fort Valley Tugalo...........................18 .............catfish, largemouth bass, walleye .................................................................................. Burton Varner ...........................18 .............largemouth bass, crappie, bream, hybrid bass ...............................................................Social Circle Walter F. George .......... 19 ............. largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, hybrid bass...............................................................Albany Weiss ............................19.............crappie, striped bass, largemouth bass, catfish, drum ....................................................Calhoun West Point ....................20 .............largemouth & spotted bass, hybrid bass, crappie, channel catfish .................................Fort Valley

Abbreviations : DNR - Georgia Department of Natural Resources; WRD - Georgia Wildlife Resources Division C O E - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; TVA - Tennessee Valley Authority; USFS - U.S. Forest Service

Allatoona This 11,860-acre COE impoundment of the Etowah River is 30 miles north of Atlanta on 1-75.Numerous COE facilities and a Georgia State Park located around the lake provide anglers convenient boat ramp access and parking, as well as camping opportunities. The lake receives heavy use by boaters, skiers, and anglers due to its close proximity to Atlanta. Fishing early and late daylight hours, and at night, are effective ways to avoid the crowds and catch wary fish.
Anglers fishing Allatoona from July - September should concentrate
their efforts in water no deeper than 30 feet, as dissolved oxygen is rarely satisfactory for fish at greater depths that time of year.
When it comes to black bass, angler catch rates in Allatoona are better than most Georgia reservoirs, yet average fish size tends to be smaller. One reason is that spotted bass, which attain smaller adult size than largemouth bass, dominate the black bass fishery, representing approximately 80-90 percent of the black bass population. A strong 2002 year-class of spotted bass is moving through the ranks. These fish will be in the 13-15 inch range in 2006, while older fish will measure out in the high teens and low twenty-inch range. The less abundant largemouth bass will typically weigh in at around 1 % Ibs. and few largemouth bass over 5 lbs. will be caught in 2006. During the warmer months largemouth will spend the days in deeper water on points and ledges, but will move shallow at night and early morning to feed. Target largemouth at this time in the Little River and Etowah arms of the reservoir, as this is where the best largemouth habitat exists. Spotted bass tend to hold deeper than largemouth and can be finicky in their willingness to bite. Drop shot and spooning are both good ways to target these deeper fish. Anglers should try both techniques around the 36+ locations the WRD and COE has placed PVC fish attractors. These locations are typically in 25-30 feet of water at full pool and best fished from fall through spring. Updated fish attractor location maps can be downloaded and printed from the WRD website at: http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/display content,asp?txtDo cument=ll7&txtPage=3.
Beginning in AprilMay 2006, WRD will conduct a spotted bass tagging study to gather information on spotted bass abundance, survival, and angler harvest rates. More than 1,000 spotted bass will be tagged with individually numbered plastic tags. Anglers catching a tagged fish should snip the tag off close to where it enters the fish and call the number on the tag. Callers will simply be asked for their 1) name, address and phone number; 2) date of catch and general location, and 3) whether the tagged fish was released or taken home. Please mail or bring tag and information to the WRD Summerville (706-857-3394) or Calhoun (706-624-1 161) Fisheries Management Offices.
Anglers can expect crappie fishing to be consistent with years past. The average crappie should be a little better than 8 inches and weigh about !4 lb., though larger crappie tipping the scales over 1 Ib. will be caught. Most crappie anglers focus their efforts during the spring spawn, when the fish move up the creeks and rivers becoming concentrated in shallow water. Early spring is an excellent time to catch a trophy "slab" as the females will be laden with eggs and in excellent condition prior to the spawn. Besides jigging or live bait fishing over structure, anglers should try slow trolling small artificials in these same areas. Trolling is a good way to cover a lot of water and locate schools of feeding fish. Popular areas to catch spring spawn crappie include the Kellogg, Illinois and Stamp Creek areas of the lake. During the summer months, crappie will concentrate in deeper waters, where anglers can catch them by targeting brush piles and other fish attractors located on humps and channel ledges. Night

fishing with the use of lights and light tackle around docks and bridges will likely be an angler's best chance at consistently boating finicky summer crappie.
WRD continues to stock striped bass in Allatoona at a rate of 2.5 fishlsurface acre. Older, larger stripers are not as abundant as in previous years due to reduced stocking rates of young stripers in 1998 and 1999. Striper fishing is best from October-June and trolling live shad is an angler's best approach to consistent catches. Stripers will be found in the main body of the lake in winter, but migrate to upper reaches of the lake on their spring spawning run. As summer heats up smaller stripers ( 4 0 Ibs.) will be found in the main lake, but most larger linesides migrate far up the Etowah River seeking coolwater in which to beat the summer heat. Enticing a summer bite from these large fish can be extremely difficult as they slow their feeding rates. However, with the onset of fall and cooling lake waters, these large stripers migrate back into the main lake body and feed voraciously as they pack on pounds lost during the hot summer months.
Increased stocking rates of hybrid striped bass by WRD in recent
years continues to bear fruit.. . and lots of it! Based on sample data,
hybrid abundance in Allatoona is at an all time high, rivaling some of Georgia's best-known hybrid lakes. The average hybrid will be in the 1-2 lbs. range but plenty of 5-8 Ibs. fish will be caught. Hybrids can be caught year-round, but summer is best for boating large numbers. Regardless of season, anglers seeking these hard fighters must locate
their primary food source... shad. Locate schools of shad using depth
finders, while keeping a sharp eye open for schooling hybrids "boiling" the water's surface as they feed on shad in the morning and early evening. White spinners, bucktails, and crankbaits will produce summer fish, but serious hybrid fisherman will slow troll with 3-5 inch live shad on free-line or down-line rigs. In the winter months live shad will continue to be an effective bait, but anglers wishing to use acificials can try umbrella rig trolling for some hybrid action.
Spawning runs of white bass will be up somewhat from recent years, as the population begins recovering from several years of drought believed to have weakened the population. Target these spawn-run fish from March-April in the riverine areas of the lake. The rest of the year "whites" can be caught on small baits in amongst the numerous striper and hybrid schools.
Bluegill, redbreast sunfish, and redear sunfish are all present in Allatoona. Bluegill are the dominant sunfish species, however, they typically average 5 inches in length and few individuals over 7 inches are present.
Channel and flathead catfish are also available. While channel catfish are more abundant, flatheads tend to grow to a much larger size. Pursue channels and flatheads on the rocky bedrock banks in the Etowah River arm using chicken livers and live bait fished on the bottom. The numerous rip-rapped shoreline banks are also good areas to locate big Allatoona catfish.
Carp are numerous, widely distributed, and grow to moderately large sizes. Most carp fishing is concentrated in the Acworth Dam area. Carp are strong fighters and will give a worthwhile battle to those who pursue them. Gar also are numerous in Allatoona. Though not generally considered good eating, these toothy fish are strong fighters and can be great fun to catch. Gar can be caught using a number of techniques ranging from live shad or minnows fished below a bobber to sight fishing with minnow type lures made from frayed rope. Such lures rely on the gar's numerous teeth to become entangled in the frayed strands of rope during the strike.

Andrews The COE operates this 1,540-acre mainstream reservoir located on the Chattahoochee River in southwest Georgia. Lake Andrews begins at the Walter F. George Lock and Dam near Fort Gaines, and stretches for 29 miles downstream to the George W. Andrews Lock and Dam near Blakely. This reservoir acts more like a large river than a lake. As a result, the fish populations and fishery are riverine in nature. Typically, excellent fishing can be found in the tailrace areas immediately below each dam. Hybrids, white bass and stripers are attracted to these areas, especially during late winter and early spring (mid-February to late March). Hybrid bass fishing below Andrews Lock and Dam should be good during 2006, with the average hybrid weighing around 3 Ibs. Although hybrids can be taken on a variety of baits, live shad consistently produce the best catches. Striped bass numbers below Andrews Lock and Dam are low, and as a result, anglers can expect to land few of these hard fighting fish. Currently, the majority of stripers in the population are smaller, 2-3 lbs. However, in previous years, several stripers over 20 Ibs. were landed. Many more of these hard pulling fish are hooked by hybrid anglers each year, but are never landed. Using heavy tackle (20 Ibs. line) will increase your chances of landing one of these trophies. At Andrews Lock and Dam, bank anglers can get access to the tailrace on the Alabama side and boats can be launched at the COE boat ramp located on the Georgia side of the river. Fishing in areas downstream from the dams is your best bet ifyou are interested in catching bream and largemouth bass. Although not noted for producing large numbers of bass, Lake Andrews does provide a good chance at catching 4-6 Ibs. fish. Largemouth bass and bream fishing should be best in the spring, during the pre-spawn and spawning seasons, but bass anglers often do well for bass during the summer months. Crappie fishing is typically only fair. However, anglers who are patient, and are willing to learn the lake, can be rewarded with some good fishing. Fishing at night in the summer can provide an excellent opportunity to catch large, 4-6 Ibs. channel catfish. Smaller catfish, and an occasional larger fish, can be caught year-round in the tailrace areas below both dams. Channel catfish can be caught using a variety of baits, such as large worms, chicken liver, and shad or mullet guts. Blue catfish over 40 Ibs. have been caught in the area below the Walter F. George dam, and large flathead catfish can be found below both dams.
Bartlett's Ferry Constructed in 1926,the Georgia Power Company (GPC) operates this 5,850-acre reservoir (a.k.a. Lake Harding) on the Chattahoochee River just above Goat Rock Lake. The lake has many boat docks and piers that provide good structure for concentrating fish. There are two boat ramps on the Georgia side. The Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) facility at Idle Hour Park has four lanes, paved parking, a restroom facility, and is open year-round. GPC's Blanton Creek Park also provides boating access, but is open only from about March 3 1 until Labor Day. For additional information on Blanton Park and public use-areas around the lake contact the GPC Land Department (706-322-0228). Mr. George Chambley (334-749-54 17) owns and operates a marina, boat ramp, and store on the Halawakee Creek Arm (Alabama side) and is a good source for current fishing conditions. Information on generating schedules and lake levels is available (7063 17-6000). Largemouth bass abundance has been fairly steady while spotted bass have been increasing in abundance. About one-half of the largemouth bass population are greater than 12 inches, and over 25 percent are greater than 15 inches. The largemouth anglers' catch

should weigh 1-1% Ibs. Boat docks and fishing piers are favorite areas for bass anglers, but do not overlook rocky points and underwater humps. Early March through May, when water temperatures are in the mid-to-high 60's, is probably the peak fishing time for largemouth bass. In the fall, try fishing further up the lake above GPC's Blanton Creek Park.
The increase in spotted bass is good news, as more black bass are available for anglers. The spotted bass fishery is under utilized and anglers are encouraged to take spotted bass home for a meal because of the lack of a minimum size restriction on Bartlett's Ferry. Look for the average-sized spot to be about 7 inches and weigh about % Ib. Spots tend to bite during the same time as largemouth. However, spots are more commonly found on rocky points and in deeper water.
Bartlett's Ferry is not known for bream fishing. Most bluegill catches will be 6% inches and under and weigh 2-3 oz. However, redear sunfish grow larger and provide anglers with catches averaging better than 113 Ib. Both bluegill and shellcrackers are caught around docks and piers, most during the summer.
Fishing for hybrid bass has been good for several years. Hybrids are still found in Bartlett's Ferry in good numbers even though they have not been stocked since 1995. Most hybrids probably traveled downstream from West Point Lake where they are stocked. A few trophy-sized hybrids up to 14 Ibs. have been caught. Catches will average 1-2% Ibs., but a few larger 7-10 Ibs. fish are available. Hybrids hang out below Riverview dam and should provide good action during normal flows. The few white bass should average 1 lb. or better in most years.
Striped bass have been stocked annually since 1992 to support the Gulf-race recovery in the Apalachicola River System.
Our observations indicate that most striped bass are exceeding lengths measured for hybrids and are more abundant. Experienced anglers are currently taking a few striped bass weighing up to 25 Ibs. or heavier. Look for the abundance of trophy-sized fish to increase in a few years as striped bass grow. The best bet for "hooking up" with striped bass is near the dam during winter and upstream to Riverview Dam in early spring during spring spawning runs. During summer and fall, hybrids and stripers can be taken lakewide as they school after young-of-the-year shad near the surface. Favorite baits are spoons and popping corks with trailing jigs. Fishing for stripers and hybrids is also good immediately below Riverview and Crow Hop Dams during periods of power generation at West Point. Bucktail jigs are particularly effective lures for these footballs.
Crappie enthusiasts are not usually disappointed at Bartlett's Ferry. Crappies are abundant and at least 50 percent or more are 10-14 inches. In most years, the average-sized crappie will vary from %-% Ib. However, slabs are abundant. The best chance for a heavy stringer of crappie is usually early February through April. Also, try your luck at the six WRD fish attractors that provide good fishing. Maps showing their locations are available at WRD offices. In addition, WRD and GPC personnel recently planted hundreds of cypress and Tupelo (Black Gum) trees around the lower end of the lake. Look for these trees to grow in the next few years and provide fish habitat as well as marking shallow water areas for boaters.
Typically, fishing for catfish is good to excellent. Channel catfish are the favorite catfish species, but white catfish are also abundant in Bartlett's Ferry. Channel catfish up to 8-12 Ibs. are possible, but individuals averaging 1-3 Ibs. are most common. White catfish should average %-I Ib. This lake is a good bet for catfish at anytime of the year.