HOW THEY’RE BITIN’: Southwest Georgia fishing – March 20, 2016 weekend

THE FISHING LINE: ( * ) – poor; ( * * ) – fair; ( * * * ) – good; ( * * * * ) – excellent.

LAKE SEMINOLE ( * * ): Bass are good. Fish remain on the beds and staging fish may be found on main-lake sandbars. In bedding areas, Texas-rig lizards with green in the pattern are recommended. On the sandbars, swimbaits in natural-baitfish color patterns are the baits of choice. Crappies have “turned on” according to some reports. Large, shallow concentrations may be targeted with live minnows. Catfish are good along river channels and adjacent flats on live shiners and bream. Bream fishing is improving. Bluegills and shellcrackers are active and there is some bedding activity. (half fish)

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE ( * * ): Bass are spawning in the shallows and there are abundant pre-spawn largemouths and a few post-spawners holding in adjacent areas. Spinnerbaits, paddle-tail worms, small swimbaits, and Texas-rig lizards are said to be productive right now. Crappies are good. Fish shallow up the creeks with minnows and troll jigs along drop-offs and creek channels. Catfish are fair to good late in the afternoon on flats adjacent to the river channel. Hybrids are slow overall, but some catches are reported in scattered locations. Bream activity is steadily increasing. (half fish)

FLINT RIVER ( * ): Some bass bedding activity is reported and a few early bedding shellcrackers have produced some good catches. Crappies have moved up the creeks in good numbers and are being taken primarily with minnows. Catfishing is steadily improving as the flatheads and channels are now on the move. Many are concentrating near the dams. It is said to be still a bit early for bluegills, but minimal activity has been reported. Muddy, “trashy” water has slowed the stripers somewhat. Shoal bass are showing increased activity, with a few larger individuals reported. (half fish)

LAKE BLACKSHEAR ( * ): Crappies are biting in the backs of creeks and both minnows and jigs are producing at a reasonably consistent rate. Good white bass activity is reported by night fishermen targeting the lights around the docks. The largemouths are in bedding mode and shallow. Bass fishing has been pretty good of late in the shallows, especially around the cypress trees. Bream are showing slow but steady improvement and there has even been some moderate early shellcracker bedding activity. Catfishing, especially for channel cats, is reported as good. (half fish)