Southeast Georgia Fishing Reports With Capt. Bert Deener – Nov. 22, 2024

Michael Deen, of Waycross, caught more than 36 pounds of bass this weekend in the TBF Semi-Final bass tournament on the St. Johns river this weekend and won the tournament. He qualified to represent Georgia in the upcoming TBF National Championship.

There were some really good bites this week, but the strong cold front is going to change things. Some species will be helped with the cooler temperatures and some will be hurt. Factor in the changing river levels, and tides, and it will be a guessing game for this weekend. Congratulations to Michael Deen, of Waycross, for making the TBF National Championship bass tournament and representing Georgia!

Okefenokee Swamp: Matt Rouse fished the east side on Friday morning in the cool weather. The first half-hour in the drizzle nothing bit, but as the sun came out and it warmed up, the bowfin started chewing his Dura-Spins. Black/chartreuse was the best color that day. He fished an hour and had two bowfin in the 3- to 4-lb. range and three small pickerel. They made bowfin po-boys for lunch and enjoyed them.

Lucy and Chadwick fished with me on Saturday on the east side to celebrate her recent birthday. We had a great afternoon catching 32 fish total. Most ate Dura-Spins trolled in the canal, but we fooled a few with cutbait fished on the bottom with a 1/16-oz. Shrimp Hook (3/0 Gamakatsu hook). Lucy caught the biggest of the day—a 7-lb., 10-oz. monster. We had four bowfin over 5 pounds and also had a pickerel while trolling. The fish ate several colors, but the best were lemon-lime, crawfish-orange blade and white-white blade.

I fished by myself on Tuesday on the east side and caught 20 fish (19 bowfin and a flier). With cypress needles all over the surface in the windy conditions, fishing cutbait on the bottom was most productive. A 1/16-oz. Shrimp Hook with a 3/0 hook worked best, and the biggest was 6-lbs., 4-ozs. The most recent water level (Folkston side) was 121.13 feet.

Chadwick fished with Lucy this week on the east side of Okefenokee Swamp. This 5-lb., 15-oz. bowfin was one of the four that they caught that weighed more than 5 pounds.

Ocmulgee PFA (near Hawkinsville): An angler fishing with shiners landed a 5-lb. bass and hooked several others that got off on Wednesday. As the water cools, expect the big bass in the lake to start feeding more aggressively. Remember, bass fishing is catch-and-release at the lake.

Paradise PFA (near Tifton): Area staff reported that the crappie bite has been steady this week, even before the cold front. It should pick up with the cooler temperatures this week.

Local Ponds: Joshua Barber fished a Manor area pond on Tuesday evening and caught a dozen fish. About half were crappie and the other half bass and bluegill. He didn’t catch anything big but had a blast. He fooled them with minnows and shiners.

Jimmy Zinker caught a bunch of bass up to 4 pounds in Worth County ponds but could not find the big ones. He fooled them with spinnerbaits, Bang-O-Lures and Shad Rap crankbaits.

St. John’s River (Astor, Florida)/Crescent Lake: Michael Deen, of Waycross, had a blast on the big river and won the TBF GA/FL Semi-Final Bass Tournament over the weekend. It was held out of Palatka, and he will be representing Georgia in the TBF National Championship this spring. He was fortunate to find some big fish schooling and caught all of them on swimbaits. On Day 1, he had just under 22 pounds, and he followed it up with just under 15 pounds on Day 2. Way to go, Michael! For the latest fishing information or to reserve a room or cabin in Astor, you can call Kerry at South Moon Fish Camp 386.749.2383.

Saltwater (GA Coast): This week was marsh hen tides for most of the week, but there were some fish caught. Tommy Sweeney tried it Sunday afternoon in the Brunswick area but didn’t do anything in the muddy water. He fished Monday for an hour before dark and pulled up on the right point. He caught six nice trout in the 15- to 16-inch range by fishing a live shrimp under a float.

A friend of mine in the Savannah area had a great trip Thursday morning. He only fished a couple hours until the wind got up but caught several oversized and slot redfish and three trout over 20 inches (released those bigger trout). He was flinging both Keitech Swimbaits on Zombi Eye Jigheads and live bait. The bait stealers were working on his offerings.

Sean Tarpley did well from a Brunswick area dock this week catching eight flounder in four short trips. He fooled them with a Gulp Shrimp on a jig head and also a live shrimp rigged on a Capt. Bert’s Shrimp Hook. He had a pair of 17-inchers and a 19-inch flatfish. He also caught several trout during a short window when they came past the dock. A white Slayer paddle tail on a jig head is what fooled the specks.

A local captain fished Thursday after the big tides and caught some reds and trout. Most of the reds were slot reds, and he even had a tagged redfish. They had a couple nice keeper black drum and a dozen trout to go with the reds, and all of their fish ate live shrimp under a Harper Super Striker Float.

I had reports of an angler catching some nice trout behind the cold front on Thursday morning from a Brunswick area dock.

Don’t forget about the fish carcass freezer at the Waycross Fisheries Office at 108 Darling Avenue. The Coastal Resources Division collects most inshore saltwater species so that they can determine age and growth for each species. All the supplies and information cards are in the freezer. Filet your fish then drop off the carcasses in the freezer.

Wat-a-melon Bait and Tackle in Brunswick is now open every day. On Monday to Thursday their hours are 6:30 a.m. to 10 and 2 p.m. to 5 and Friday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. They have plenty of lively shrimp and also have live worms and crickets for freshwater. They’re on Highway 303 just north of Highway 82. For the latest information, contact them at 912.223.1379.

Saltwater (Florida Coast): Blake Edwards fished the Florida coast near St. Augustine this week. He had one of his best days ever trout fishing, catching a couple dozen trout and reds, including three trout over 20 inches. Color did not matter, as he caught them on every color Keitech swimbait he threw. The most effective presentation was under a float. He rigged his Keitechs on Zombi Eye Jigheads (3/16 and 1/4-oz.). The sickle-shaped Gamakatsu kept the trout hooked.

Last quarter moon is Nov. 22.

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/.

River gages on Nov. 21 were:
Clyo on the Savannah River – 6.5 feet and falling
Abbeville on the Ocmulgee – 2.6 feet and rising
Doctortown on the Altamaha – 8.9 feet and falling
Waycross on the Satilla – 13.0 feet and falling
Atkinson on the Satilla – 9.3 feet and rising
Statenville on the Alapaha – 10.3 feet and falling
Macclenny on the St Marys – 2.8 feet and falling
Fargo on the Suwannee – 4.5 feet and rising

Capt. Bert Deener guides fishing trips in the Okefenokee Swamp and other southeast Georgia systems and makes a variety of both fresh and saltwater fishing lures. Check his lures out at Bert’s Jigs and Things on Facebook. For a copy of his latest catalog, you can download it from his website at bertsjigsandthings.com or email him ([email protected]).