HOW THEY’RE BITIN’: Southwest Georgia fishing — Sept. 30, 2017 weekend

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

LAKE SEMINOLE (***) — Bass are improving. As temperatures cool and water levels stabilize, good topwater bass have begun appearing along the grasslines. Floating worms are also working in the same areas. The best topwater bait paying off for some anglers is a white buzzbait. Good hybrid reports have come in. Try them late in the day up the Flint and fish Rat-L-Traps or similar baits. Crappies are deep along the channels with some good schools along the Flint River ledges. Catfish are good on live worms. Bream fishing is slow. (three-quarter fish)

LAKE WALTER F. GEORGE (**) — Bass are biting on the ledges at the 10 to 12-foot range. Carolina-rig worms and lizards are the preferred baits. There is some sporadic activity in the creeks and some fish have also been taken from stumpy flats and rocky structure near bridges and culverts, but the ledges will continue to be the most productive spots this week. Hybrids are fair. They can be found schooling over humps and sandbars late in the day. Crappies are holding deep in the creeks and along the river channels. Catfish are fair late in the day. Bream fishing is very slow. (half fish)

FLINT RIVER (*) — Fishing for largemouth bass is slow. A few largemouths can be caught from time to time near the banks on small, dark-colored Texas-rig worms. Shoal bass are still fairly active; use topwater baits and shallow crankbaits. The southern stretches of the river seem the most likely shoal bass haunts right now. Crappies are reported as good-sized, but the numbers are not impressive; use live minnows. The catfish have slowed, but a few channel cats can be caught near bridges and similar structure on worms. (one-quarter fish)

LAKE BLACKSHEAR (**) — Bass fishing can be good at times. Pressure is relatively light right now. Fish docks with Texas-rig worms and lizards. Dark-colored baits will probably work best. Also seek fish on ledges at 10 to 15 feet with Carolina-rigs and slow-rolled spinnerbaits. A lot of small fish are being caught, with the occasional larger bass showing up. Crappies are good some days and slow to bite on others. Fish bridge structure and moderately deep ledges with both minnows and jigs. A few catfish can be taken in the same areas. White bass and stripers are slow at present. (half fish)