St. Marys River

The 126-mile-long St. Marys River emerges from the southeast corner of the Okefenokee Swamp and flows south, then east, then north, then east-southeast, finally emptying its waters into the Atlantic near St. Marys, Georgia and Fernandina Beach, Florida.

St. Marys River Articles

Bowfin Benchmark Record Set On St. Marys River

On Feb. 22, Colt James, of Waycross, managed to wrangle in a 6-lb., 7.68-oz. bowfin while fishing with his dad. The fish measured in at an impressive 26 inches long and was good enough to set the benchmark record for the St Marys River. If Colt’s name sounds familiar, it may be because the 12-year-old…

Colt James Strikes Again With Another St. Marys River Record

Colt James has struck again, raising the bar on another GON Lake and River Record. If the 11-year-old’s name sounds familiar, it should. Colt currently possesses four record fish on three different south Georgia rivers. His latest catch is a 12.16-oz. redbreast that bested his previous river record he set on the river earlier this…

St. Marys Record Redbreast Eats The Swamp Spider

For the second time this year, the St. Marys River redbreast record has been broken. Colt James, 11, of Waycross, was fishing with his dad, GON writer Craig James, on Oct. 9 when he caught what proved to be the new record fish. The catch now makes Colt a GON Lake and River Record holder…

Southeast Georgia Fishing Reports With Capt. Bert Deener – Feb. 28, 2025

The weather has been great for most of this week. The Okefenokee Swamp, saltwater and ponds have produced the best catches from the reports I received. St. Marys River:  Seth Carter fished the river on…

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St. Marys River Record Fish

Largemouth Bass11-lbs., 4-ozs.Don Durr04/13/19
Bluegill1-lb., 10.56-ozs.Shirley D. Purser05/12/20
Warmouth1-lb., 1.44-ozs.Brentz McGhin04/05/24
Spotted Sunfish7.44-ozs.Brentz McGhin04/20/24
Redbreast12.16-ozs.Colt James11/09/24
White Catfish1-lb., 8.32-ozs.Brentz McGhin04/05/24
Shellcracker10.56-ozs.Brentz McGhin05/11/24
Bowfin6-lbs., 7.68-ozs.Colt James02/22/25