Specialty Fishing Trips

With each season change, weather change, moon phase, and who knows what else....the bite changes. It is constantly shifting from one location to another, favoring this type of lure or that, and often I swtich between species in order to ensure that each one of my trips is a successful one. You simply can't expect the same results with a "part time" guide.

If you go fishing with me only once a year, you're missing out on all the great fishing opportunities that north Georgia has to offer in a 12 month cycle. Quite literallly, as we adapt to changing conditions, I can provide a COMPLETELY different fishing experience every couple of days.

Always call be first to see what bite is best, but there are some seasonal bites that you simply don't want to miss. People always ask me about when to go for what, so I've put together this page to help:

December Float n' Fly

There is probably no better time of year to boat a trophy spot than in late November, December, and sometimes into January. This is a very "odd" way to fish too---with a long, whispy fly rod and tiny little fly. This is not typically what you think of as "bass fishing".

When this bite comes on, you can almost expect at least one monster each day.

It is awesome.

The nastier the weather, the better the bite. If its snowing, wind blowing, and most people are cuddled up by the fire, you'll find us out on the lake giggling like little kids. --grab a coat and book it now.

 Skill level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced

Spring Night Trophy Fishing

There are a lot of opportunities for great fishing in the spring, but my favorite is the topwater bite at night. When shad start to come shallow for the spring spawn (which lasts over a month), it brings all kinds of predator fish up shallow with them.

We catch spots, largemouth, striper, hybrids, and walleye during this time. Most of them are on both livebait and artifical lures. The strikes are absolutely explosive, and recently I had a fish completely empty a spool, ripping drag the whole way.

You'd have to go to South America to get action like this anywhere else.

You really should try this at least once --it is wild!

 Skill Level: intermediate or advanced

Spring Slabs

There is no shortage of great crappie fishing in the spring. If you like crappie fishing, you know how addictive it can be. I know several people that only go fishing a few times a year, only for crappie, and only in the spring. It is great fun.

I'm usually very busy in the spring, so if you want to go, shoot a booking request to me as early as you can and I'll get you in.

Skill Level: beginner or intermediate

Post Spawn Ledge Fishing

I used to be one of only a few out there fishing deep ledges after the spawn, but now it seems like everyone is doing it. Nevertheless, for both numbers and size, this is a bass fishing trip you don't want to miss.

Typically this bite comes on in May, after the spawn, and when the weather starts getting hot.

Skill Level: intermediate or advanced

Late Summer Night Fishing for Bass

I do daytime trips in the summer, but I encourage people to try the night bite as well ---you simply catch more fish.  In late summer, it is blisteringly hot, the bite is slow, recreational boating traffic is heavy....come out at night when the weather is cool, the traffic is gone, and monsters are chomping.

You can sleep later.

 Skill Level: advanced

Panfish in Summer

If you like a good fish fry and want to fill a cooler, come panfishing with me in the summer months. This is a great trip for families and kids as well---we can literally catch 200 fish a day when conditions are right.

They might not be big, but man, they are FUN!

 Skill Level: beginner

Spring Spinnerbaits

There are typically a lot of fishing options in spring, but catching MAGNUM spots on moving baits in late March and April is simply awesome. This is a time of year when big spots earn their reputation --the ferosity and power of those big spots in spring can really shock you.

Experience this once and you'll see why I'd rather have a 5lb spot than 10lb largemouth any day!

...yes, I'm serious.

 Skill Level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced

Wintertime Smallmouth

People don't think of the south as smallmouth territory. People don't think of smallmouth in the south as a place where you can get truly giant smallmouth. But, when very specific conditions line up, it is a bite you can just about bank on. And boy do we get some monsters.

This is TRUE specialty trip, so if you want to do it, put your name in early and be flexible on dates. There are only a few opportunities a year, but I gurantee the memories will last a lifetime.

Skill Level: advanced

Summertime Cats

If you like a fish fillet that can feed a small village, you'd like summertime catfishing. The action is good, and you have a good chance of getting into a battle with a beast. I do trips both day and night, and you don't have to be an expert to go catfishing. This is a "put-the-lines-out-and-wait" kind of fishing, great for groups, and less-experienced fishermen.

 Skill Level: beginner

Carp on Jerkbaits

I'm hesistant to even put this up here, but it happens every spring and fishermen really get a kick out of it. Each spring, when shad come shallow to spawn, there are a lot of post-spawn fish that die off and are eaten by carp. The shad eggs themselves are also popular forage for carp, and you often see them sucking on the rocks in the shallows.

I suppose they get keyed into eating dying shad, but these things will absolutely choke a jerkbait in the spring. There isn't much pattern to it---just go bass fishing and you catch them.

Sometimes, they are huge. It can be a lot of fun.

Skill Level: intermediate or advanced