UTERStriped bass fishing in Georgia freshwater
In Georgia freshwater, striped bass peak October–May and are around year-round, spawning in March–April, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. January: Lanier and Allatoona: planer boards with live herring on the bird flocks.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Striped bass in Georgia freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryPeakLanier and Allatoona: planer boards with live herring on the bird flocks.
- FebruaryPeak
- MarchSpawning
- AprilSpawning
- MayPeakLanier's herring-spawn topwater mornings.
- JuneAround
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberPeak
- DecemberPeak
Where to fish striped bass near Lake Lanier, Lake Seminole, West Point Lake
Spotted-bass and striper highland reservoirs north of Atlanta, the Flint's shoal bass, Seminole's grass bass, blackwater rivers full of redbreast, and the trout of the Chattahoochee and the mountains.
What to use for striped bass
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–80°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch striped bass in Georgia freshwater?
Peak season is October–May, with fish spawning in March–April (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Striped bass are here year-round. January: Lanier and Allatoona: planer boards with live herring on the bird flocks.
Where do striped bass hold in Georgia freshwater?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, river, reservoir, lake — around Lake Lanier, Lake Seminole, West Point Lake, Lake Allatoona, Flint River, Altamaha River.
What is the best bait for striped bass in Georgia freshwater?
Live bait: live eels, menhaden (pogies), herring, bloodworms. Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for striped bass in Georgia freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (Georgia DNR) and change — read the current rule at https://georgiawildlife.com/regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes.
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