Altamaha River Fishing Report – June 2023

Altamaha River: Bass: Dan Stone reporting from the Charlottesville area on the river, said, “The river level is 4.54 and rising very slowly just below the confluence of the three rivers (Ocmulgee, Oconee, Altamaha). The rivers are down in the banks, and the fish are biting. Water temp has risen into the 70s, and with a full moon and several days of 90s, the bass are in a transition and almost postspawn. Anglers should concentrate behind sandbars, according to Myles Zachary and Stacey Adams of Adams Marine. Both Myles and Stacey tournament fish the Charlottesville section of the river. They recommended using Trick Worms, frogs, buzzbaits, crawfish and any creature-looking plastics that are short and flat and skip easily under the willow trees. The mayflies hatched out a few weeks ago and attracted the bream, which in turn attracted the bass. Postspawn bass sit behind trickling slough mouths and overhanging willows behind the sandbars. The bass are feeding on crawfish, small bream, frogs, large insects, etc., so baits that emulate natural food sources will attract strikes. June will be a great month for bass fishing the Altamaha. Bass in the lakes will hit about anything you throw at them, according to what time you get in there. There are so many of these lakes along the three-river system that it’s impossible to name and give precise locations for readers. I recommend readers to ask around area bait shops.”

Catfish: Dan Stone reports, “Channel catfishing has started to really pick up. I have been anchoring behind sandbars and in the middle of the river fishing in relatively shallow water. I target 1/4- to 1/2-lb. size fish for the table. I like to catch 15 to 20 for a nice fish fry. My neighbors had their annual men’s weekend, and several were able to catch more than 30 in each boat using pink worms fishing the shallow sandbars.”

Bream: Dan Stone reports, “Bream fishing has been good and is expected to continue to be good. Crickets are the No. 1 bait of choice. Bumping the bottom in swirling water 8 to 12 feet deep is the method used by many. My favorite is finding a treetop that has fallen over in the river and fishing for the shellcrackers. Take a Louisiana Pink and hook it one time, leaving it dangling off the hook. Do not use a cork, just a little lead to add some weight. Slowly lower the dangling pink down into the treetop. If the shellcrackers are bedding or feeding around the top, they will hit it when it gets about 3 feet under the surface of the water. Some locals are hitting their favorite lakes and sloughs using mini jigs, crickets and any type worms around cypress trees and structure catching nice bream of all species. Also, lots of crappie are being caught in the lakes casting small pumpkinseed chartreuse and flesh/tan color jigs in 3 to 5 feet of water just away from the willows. Good luck this summer. Be safe.”