Ocmulgee PFA Re-opens To Anglers

The sound of casts whizzing through the air and anglers setting the hook can once again be heard at Ocmulgee PFA near Cochran. The area re-opened to the public on Oct. 27, after repairs were made to the lake bottom and the lake refilled. To celebrate, local and state officials, media and anglers gathered at the education building to commemorate the occasion.

Great moments from the Oct. 27 opening at Ocmulgee PFA near Cochran.

Georgia Wildlife Resources Division Director Rusty Garrison welcomed the crowd. Along with State Representative Bubber Epps, they announced the naming of the kid’s fishing event pond in honor of Wayne Sapp, president of the Bleckley County Sportsmen’s Club. Sapp is a longtime champion of the PFA and outdoor recreation in the Cochran area.

There was a steady stream of bank anglers chasing bluegill and bass, and boat anglers primarily fishing for crappie and bass throughout the day. Fishing was good, with the best report of 19 bass coming from Gary and Shane Knight, a father-son pair from Cadwell. Their biggest was a 19-incher caught during the morning. Plastics seemed to produce the most hooksets during the cool morning, but a few folks found some bass willing to chase a swimbait or spinnerbait.

“Most of the bass are below 4 pounds right now, but their growth rates are very good,” said WRD Senior Fisheries Biologist Tim Bonvechio.

Largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill and redear sunfish (shellcracker) are the primary species to target. Bass must be immediately released, but you can keep up to 30 crappie per person and 15 combined bluegill/redear sunfish per person. Louis Jordan, of Warner Robins, had her bluegill limit in about an hour of fishing on opening morning.

Ocmulgee PFA offers a 106-acre lake that is intensively managed to provide the optimum environment for anglers. Ocmulgee PFA, like other PFAs in the state, is open seven days a week, sunrise to sunset. Anglers fishing the area need a fishing license. Licenses may be purchased online at GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, at a license vendor, or by calling (800) 366-2661. To find out more information about Georgia PFAs, visit http://georgiawildlife.com/allpfas.