When I first started dipping my toe into the fishing scene down in Georgia, one thing was pretty apparent. This state loves their bass fishing. Having fly fished for bass all my life in a variety of environments (river float trips, large lakes, small ponds, drainages below reservoirs), I was somewhat expecting the results and tactics to be similar down here. With this said, I quickly learned that Georgia has one of the most diverse environments to fly fish for bass in the country, and I was fortunate enough this year to experience throwing fly line at these fish in a multitude of ways.

To begin with, Georgia is blessed to have a handful of very different bass species swimming throughout it’s waters: largemouth bass, spotted bass, redeye bass, and striped bass all call this place home. Although I have not yet fully committed myself to the striped bass here yet (having a bigger boat would be nice for this), I have been lucky enough to pull on largemouth, spots, and redeye throughout the state. What is interesting about these three species of bass is how different they all are, and how each one gives you an individual experience while on the water. The best part of it is that you are able to pick your preference on which one to target no matter the time of year.

Let’s start with the classic largemouth bass. The good ol’ US of A freshwater fish that mostly everyone knows. I have been able to find numerous water bodies in the greater Atlanta area that hold these fish, some being of immense size and eager to take large flies. To be quite honest, I need to appreciate these fish more in that they are the most easily accessible of the bass species here. Not only that, but they are willing to hit top water flies when fished at the right time. Although I wouldn’t say that Georgia matches Florida in terms of the largemouth fishery, I have been impressed with the fish that I have found down here.

For our next Georgia bass, let’s talk about the spotted bass. Prevalent throughout the state (especially in large bodies of water and river systems), I personally believe that the spotted bass gets a bad rap. Many people do not prefer these guys over the largemouth in that they are technically not native to the state. With this said, I believe that they have drastically improved numerous fisheries throughout the state, and also pull harder than the majority of their largemouth friends. Based on my experience, they also are a little bit friendlier to colder water in that they remain active throughout fall and winter. They somewhat remind me of brown trout out in Colorado: lots of people prefer the rainbows and cutthroats, but the browns are really what can pull a line and save a fishing day at times.

Spotted bass are also interesting in that I fish for them significantly different than I do largemouth. Although they will crush a topwater fly, many of the largest spots I have caught have been in deeper water on some of the largest lakes in the state (Lanier, Allatoona). These fish spawn at different times of the year, and also will spawn deeper in the water column. Because of this, intermediate fly lines can really help with success. 2020 provided me with some great spotted bass, and I’m already looking forward to it warming up enough to get back out on the Bote for the spring.

As for the last species in this post, I have saved the most unique. The redeye bass. Many of you may not even know that these existed, in that they are native to the Southeastern US and are not the typical bass species that people will go after. They have several subspecies, and extremely specific ranges in which they inhabit. So far I have focused on the Coosa and Bartram’s strain, but there are a handful of other strains that I look forward to going after.

What makes these fish so special is where you find them. Unlike their largemouth and spotted friends, these fish really rely on colder, moving water in rivers and creeks. You will not find them in ponds, lakes, or even low oxygen parts of a moving system. They are somewhat crazy in the sense that when you are fishing for them, you almost feel like you are fishing for trout. These fish require clean and clear water, and my best method of catching them so far consists of a well stripped wooly bugger in a fast current. They literally act like a trout version of a bass, and that to me was a first when I came across them this year.

Another thing to consider about the redeye bass is that these are not big fish. A 10-inch redeye bass is considered to be a nice one, but as you will see in these pictures, they are beyond a pretty fish and make up for their size in terms of the fight, aggressiveness, and scenery that they provide you with. Although I have found some great areas to target these fish, I am still looking forward to exploring new waters during peak season (warmer months) and throwing topwater flies for them.

2020 was a great year for all of the Georgia bass species that I’m lucky enough to have in driving range. Looking forward to getting on some more this year!

Joe