Georgia River Fishing Information

Satilla River

The Satilla River is considered to be one of the most scenic and natural rivers in south Georgia.  Originating in Ben Hill County, the river takes a free flowing and winding course for 260 miles before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.

Guide to Fishing and Floating the Satilla River [1] in PDF (494 KB).  This document contains access and fishing tip information and a color map with river-mile designations.

Prospects and Fishing Tips

Best Bets

REDBREAST SUNFISH, BLUEGILL, CRAPPIE & BULLHEADS

Largemouth bass
Prospect	Though not known for its bass population, largemouth are present in sufficient numbers in the Satilla. Expect most catches in the 10 to 14-inch range, but the occasional lunker is lurking.
Technique	Typical bass lures work, but it's hard to beat a shallow-diving minnow plug during the spring.
Target	As the river begins to fall in the early spring, target woody cover near the mouths of oxbow lakes and feeder creeks.

Catfish
Prospect	Catfish fishing should remain good this year. The river supports healthy populations of snail, yellow and brown bullheads and channel catfish.
Technique	Use worms, chicken livers, cut bait or your own secret bait fished on the bottom.
Target	Fish the deeper holes, which are usually located on outside bends in the river.

Bream
Prospect	One of the premier redbreast sunfish rivers in the southeast, and an angler's best best for catching a redbreast greater than 1 pound. However, consistently low water levels have resulted in fewer and smaller sized fish this year. Anglers should catch fair number of redbreast in the 6 to 8-inch size range and and an occasional rooster (greater than 8 inches). Bluegill numbers have decreased due to the low water levels and anglers should expect to catch mainly 6 to 8-inch bluegill.
Technique	For redbreast: Crickets and worms fished under bobbers or on the bottom with split-shot weights works best. Try switching to artificial lures such as small beetle spins and rooster-tail spinners when water temperatures rise into the 70s (F). Also attempt fly-fishing as the water warms. Stick to crickets and worms for other bream species.
Target	For redbreast: Concentrate fishing efforts around woody cover in the mainstem of the river. For bluegill: Target oxbow lakes and beaver ponds off the main river channel; particularly oxbow lakes in the lower section of the river around the Burnt Fort area.

Crappie
Prospect	Crappie are present throughout the river. Try fishing for crappie when conditions are too cold for targeting bream and bass.
Technique	Live minnows and small artificial jigs are recommended.
Target	Try fishing woody cover in slack-water away from the main channel.

Additional Information

Refer to the USGS gauges located at Waycross, GA and Atkinson, GA when planning your fishing trips. Fishing conditions are best when the USGS gauge reads between 4-8 feet at Waycross and 3-7 feet at Atkinson. USGS gauge information can be found at: Waycross, GA: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?02226500 [2] Atkinson, GA: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?02228000 [3]

Best Fishing Times Key

Excellent:       Good:     Fair: