Altamaha River Bass

Weston Middleton, a senior on the Brantley County High School Fishing Team, fishes the Altamaha River regularly. He has several impressive finishes in tournaments on the Altamaha and fishes it several times a week during the summer months.

When it comes to bass fishing, May on the Altamaha River is as good as it gets anywhere in the country. Now I know that’s a bold claim to make, but with the spawn well behind us and the mercury in your thermometer climbing higher by the day, where else can you drop in a boat, burn just a few gallons of gas, and catch a pile of fish in the process? Not to mention you won’t have to stare at a LiveScope screen until your neck hurts and spend long, tedious hours begging finicky fish to bite.

It had been a while since I made a trip down to the Altamaha for a GON story, so needless to say when I climbed into Weston Middleton’s boat at the Altamaha Regional Park on a sunny afternoon just a few days before going to press with this issue, I was pretty excited to be back on the river.

Weston, who is a senior on the Brantley County High School Fishing Team, is no stranger to the river. He has several impressive finishes in tournaments on the Altamaha and fishes it several times a week during the summer months.

Despite water levels being high and conditions far less than optimal, Weston agreed to share with readers his strategy for picking apart the river in May.

With the water well out into the woods the day of our trip, fishing was tough, but according to Weston, May is typically a month when the river level will begin to set up right for some phenomenal fishing. We spent a few hours riding the river, and Weston showed me his game plan for the Altamaha in May. To simplify the information, I’ve broken this story down into the areas of the river he likes to fish and the lures he uses to catch bass.

Altamaha River Locations

Tidal Section: The tidal section of the river is a good bet this month, and much like when fishing for saltwater fish, the period of two hours before low tide and two hours after low tide tend to be the best for tidal bass fishing.

“My favorite place to fish in the tide is the Rattlesnake. If you fish from there and work your way back toward the Altamaha Regional Park, the fishing can be really good this month,” said Weston.

Though you won’t see “Rattlesnake” on Altamaha maps, Weston is referring to what locals call the area where the Butler River meets with the Darien River. Weston likes to fish this stretch on both sides of the tide but says the first two hours of the incoming tide tends to be the best.

Also in the tidal section, Weston likes to fish the Champney River. He says when conditions are right and the fish are on, you can put a bunch of fish in the boat in a hurry.

“There are a pile of little slough ditches that dump in the Champney, and the mouths will hold fish,” said Weston.

Duck Wallow Lake is another area in the tidal section of the river that anglers shouldn’t overlook this month, and Weston says the key to fishing it is to work all the way to the back of this area.

“That thing wraps around way back in there, and if you work along the edges and key in on timber and laydowns, you should run into some fish,” Weston said.

Weston says that fishing deep into the backs of lakes is a good strategy this month on the Altamaha River.

Lakes: Several of the lakes near the Altamaha Regional Park are good places to look this month for a quick limit of bass.

“Harper and Barrington are right by each other upriver, and Swans is a few bends downriver from the park, but I like them all, and I fish them using the same overall strategy,” said Weston.

Weston likes to pick apart the lakes and tries to fish the thickest, nastiest cover he can find.

“When you’re fishing lakes in the Altamaha, you’ve got to be willing to work your way into the very back portions into the trees. A bunch of times fish will be holding in that thick timber in a foot or two of water,” said Weston.

Another target Weston likes to fish is lily pads found in the lakes, but he was quick to point out that all pads aren’t created equal.

“I don’t fish the big, open sections of pads much. I like to find those tiny isolated patches that are close to trees. Fish like to hold in those under the shade and wait for something easy to eat. You’ll do way better targeting those small clumps instead of the huge areas of pads,” said Weston.

Main River: The only portion of the main river that Weston likes to fish in May is the stretches where it opens up to a lake. He focuses on the 100 yards or so on each side of the lake and says these stretches of bank will often hold some quality fish, especially if the water temp is warming up quickly.

“Key on the bluff walls outside of lakes, and fish the deeper water slowly. Fish any laydowns and the down-current side of other structure that gives a place for a bass to hang out and wait for an easy meal,” said Weston.

Flooded Conditions

Though Weston doesn’t recommend fishing the river if it’s running higher than 9 feet or so at the Doctortown Gauge, he does have a strategy for fishing flooded conditions.

“Eight feet is my favorite height for fishing the river, and every inch it gets higher than that, the conditions get tougher. When the river rises into the woods, you’ve got to rise with it,” Weston said.

I can attest to the effectiveness of this strategy personally, as the only fish Weston managed on our trip came from a section of the river that was flooded nearly 75 yards into the woods.

“You just have to slowly work your way out and pick apart everything you come to. It’s a tough bite, but you can still catch fish,” Weston said.

When fishing the Altamaha River in May, Weston will have a Zoom Speed Craw, a spinnerbait and a buzzbait ready to throw.

Tackle & Lures

Weston uses the same rod setup for all of the lures he likes to fish on the river. His go-to is a 6-10 medium action made by Empire Fishing Rods, and he likes to pair it with a Shimano SLX DC 150 spooled with 50-lb. braided line.

“This combo fishes anything I like to throw on the river. The rod is super light, sensitive and strong. I’m almost always using braid because of its sensitivity and power for ripping fish away from heavy cover.”

Weston relies on a handful of lures to catch Altamaha River bass in May, and they are likely some you already have in your tackle box. His tried and true favorite is a Zoom Speed Craw. His favorite color is junebug, but he likes black and blue and green pumpkin, as well. He threads the craw on a heavy-wire 5/0 hook and Texas rigs the bait with a 3/8-oz. tungsten sinker.

“I like the three-eighths because it will fall fast in the current and get down to the fish. When I’m pitching it next to structure, I let it hit the bottom and give it a shake or two. If nothing eats, I’m getting it out of there quick and pitching to something else.”

Weston says another bait to have tied on this month is a Bomber Model A crankbait in either firetiger or any other colors with chartreuse in them. Interestingly, he puts a twist on fishing the lure.

“I throw it and let it sit for five seconds or so like it’s a topwater plug. You’ll be surprised by doing that just how many fish will come up and smoke it,” said Weston.

After the brief pause on top, Weston works the crankbait back with a slow and steady retrieve, banging it off any cover he can find.

“The banks on both sides of lake mouths are prime areas to throw a crankbait, as well as the sloughs down in the tide. Anywhere a fish can post up out of the current and ambush bait is prime for fishing the Bomber A,” said Weston.

A spinnerbait is a favorite for anglers fishing the Altamaha, and Weston is no exception to the rule. He likes both Booyah and War Eagle spinnerbaits in the 3/8-oz. size and says you can’t go wrong with either a white or white-and-chartreuse skirt.

“Even when you’re slow-rolling one in a lake off the river, you can cover a bunch of water fast. The only disadvantage is I do feel like I lose more fish on it. Still, it’s worth having one tied on,” Weston said.

For a chance at a really big bite this month, a buzzbait is a good option. Weston likes gold-bladed buzzbaits in the 3/8-oz. size and says that some of his favorite skirt colors are gold, black and white.

“Be sure when you fish a buzzbait on the river, don’t go too fast. Try to keep it in that money spot as long as you can and reel it just fast enough to keep it on top of the water. You’ll get bit a lot more and catch better quality fish by working it slow,” said Weston.

As the water temp climbs in late May and June, wacky-rigged worms get the nod from Weston. He skips the worm as far back and under shady cover as he can, where fish like to take refuge from the beating of the midday sun.

When he throws a wacky-rigged worm, he opts for green pumpkin with red flake, as opposed to the louder-colored Trick Worms that he throws in bubblegum and white. Despite the worms being a little different, he uses the same technique to fish them.

“Send them as far back into the shaded areas as you can, and give it a twitch and a pause. Most of your bites are going to come as it suspends and then slowly starts to fall. Fishing weightless worms are a great way to get out on the river and catch a pile of fish,” said Weston.

A rubber frog is a final staple in Weston’s tackle box for Altamaha bass fishing in May. A frog can be dynamite for working around isolated lily pads this month.

“Those little patches of pads next to trees are definitely worth a cast or two with a frog. Throw past the tree and then work that frog back slowly right between the tree and the lily pads. That’s where you’ll get hit the majority of the time,” said Weston.

With some of the best fishing you’ll find this month in Georgia happening right now on the Altamaha River, it’s time to make a trip down to the Altamaha Regional Park near Brunswick. You’re bound to get bit, and you won’t have to stare at a screen to do it! God bless, and good luck.

Editors Note: Weston says for those who want to connect with him with questions about the river this month, he’s on both Instagram and Facebook and will be glad to help.

This is the third year in a row that Weston has qualified for the GHSA State Championship, and it’s slated to go down May 4 on Clarks Hill Lake.