HOW THEY’RE BITIN’: Southwest Georgia fishing report — March 24, 2018 weekend

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

LAKE SEMINOLE ( ** ) — Bass are good. Look for fish in shallow water in clear, protected backwater areas. Fish worms and lizards and supplement these with the occasional jerkbait and Rat-L-Trap. Crappies have moved shallow again. The fish are holding at the 10-foot range right now and will take minnows. Catfish are holding deep in the river channels and biting stinkbaits and worms. Hybrids and bream are slow.

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE ( ** ) — Bass are good. Slow-roll spinnerbaits on points and work the same lures a bit faster in thick bank cover. Fish deep docks and points with a Texas-rig lizard in the afternoon. Trick Worms and jig-and-craw combos work in these areas late in the day. Hybrids will take live shad or shiners on the river ledges. The closer you are to a creek mouth, the better. Crappies are good. Work standing timber in the creeks with live minnows and jigs. Bream are slow and catfish are fair.

FLINT RIVER ( ** ) — Largemouth bass have improved, and shoal bass are cooperating with some anglers. Some pretty good shoalies might show up near the dams, and the downstream fishing is steadily improving as the weather warms. Crappie sizes continue to be good, although stringers are not showing many fish. Bream are still reported as slow overall with few large concentrations located. White bass and hybrids continue to improve as schools increase near the dams. Catfish are fair.

LAKE BLACKSHEAR ( ** ) — Bream are slow, but catfish have picked up and are fair to good in places. Crappies are very good in quality and fair in quantity. Seek out the shallower creek ledges and use minnows or jigs. Stripers are improving, and schooling action is on the increase. Bass fishermen should keep a rigged spoon or Rat-L-Trap handy for surfacing fish. Largemouths seem a little more concentrated lately, and a few larger fish have shown up for some anglers.