Georgia Bass Slam Log

[BigBass123]

Mentioned in my last post I was considering doing the GA Bass Slam, went ahead and decided to do so. Figured it would be fun to keep a running thread on it as I go.

First species I targeted was the Tallapoosa Bass. They are only about an hour from the house and I’ve never gone after them so it made sense to me to start there.

The Tallapoosa ended up being trickier than I had thought they would be. There doesn’t seem to be much in terms of public access along the Tallapoosa, so my options wading were limited to fishing around canoe launches.

First attempt last weekend I took the fly rod with me. I was welcomed with muddy 6” visibility water. Did a lot of casting but not much catching.

Went again yesterday with conventional tackle. Water was still muddy, I’m assuming that’s just standard for the river since we haven’t had much rain. Tried a rooster tail, popper, worm, and crank bait with no luck. Switched to a 1/32 oz crappie grub (white & chartreuse) and finally hooked up! Landed one that was clearly under the required 8” length minimum, as well as one pumpkinseed.

Did some brainstorming after getting home yesterday and decided with the dirty water, trying a small spinner bait might work. Picked up a white Booyah Pond Magic Spinnerbait last night, and returned to the Tallapoosa this morning. 3rd cast I caught the guy below! 9.5”, so met the minimum for the slam.

Bit in slack water just in the middle of the river, not sure if there was possibly a hole or if he was just cruising by and saw an opportunistic meal.

About 3 cast later I hooked up with a tank of an Alabama Spot, would have blown my personal best out of the water. He hit so hard compared to the Tallapoosa bass I actually thought I was snagged and didn’t set the hook. 3 runs later that lack of hook set got me and it came lose.

Lost the spinner bait on the next cast and didn’t get another bite throwing worms and tubes for the rest of the day.

 

[Batjack]

Water was still muddy, I’m assuming that’s just standard for the river since we haven’t had much rain.

I'm on the Cobb / Paulding line and got just over 12 inches last month, west of me got more. The Tallapoosa is by rule one of the cleanest and clearest in the area. But, it takes days to clear up if the mountains get a lot of rain.
Congrats on your catch, hope you have time to finish your mission before the year runs out.

 

[BigBass123]

I'm on the Cobb / Paulding line and got just over 12 inches last month, west of me got more. The Tallapoosa is by rule one of the cleanest and clearest in the area. But, it takes days to clear up if the mountains get a lot of rain.
Congrats on your catch, hope you have time to finish your mission before the year runs out.

Good to know, I may try it again one day then when the water is lower.

I was thinking since it’s a relatively small river it would clear up with a week of no rain.

 

[Batjack]

Good to know, I may try it again one day then when the water is lower.

I was thinking since it’s a relatively small river it would clear up with a week of no rain.

It's small, but has a huge basin... if you look at the terrain instead of flat square miles. Everything north of it is up and down and catches a lot of water.

 

[cj580guitar]

Sounds about like our trip to the tallapoosa. Water was slightly stained when we went too. My son hooked up first on a nice tallapoosa bass. It took me a lil while before I got mine. It was our 3rd bass of the slam. Keep us updated on how your slam is going. CJ

 

[BigBass123]

Went for my second species this weekend, the Altamaha Bass. This is a new species for me, I’ve never caught one.

Was on call at work this morning, so I didn’t make it out until about 2:30 PM.

Started at the first spot with some bushwhacking through a WMA to get to water that looked promising on the satellite imagery. Water looked like chocolate milk and was pretty stagnant so decided to move upstream past a couple of tributaries.

Got to the second spot and clarity looked much better, with 3 sets of shoals pretty close to each other.

Started with a 3/16 oz white spinnerbait and worked the first set of shoals with that. No bites, and continued to the next set. Spinnerbait still didn’t produce so I switched to a small buzz bait.

I got 4 consecutive hits that didn’t connect on the buzz bait. I think I was going over bream beds and they were just coming up to swipe at it.

Switched to a 4” watermelon worm, still no luck.

Moved up to the third set and tried all three lures again with no luck.

I think the spot would have produced, I just think fishing it from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM was the issue. Regardless, I had no fish yet and decided to switch to a different river.

Next river had a large shoal complex then the previous spot, and better water clarity.

Took two or three cast with no bites, but on the fourth I had a good hit! Fish didn’t connect but it was a promising sign.

Off to the right was a nice pool with a couple of converging runs entering it, and the current seam pushing up against a shady tree. First cast with the spinner bait landed the fish below!

Moved up just above the pool to a smaller but similar one with multiple runs entering and a downed tree. Second one landed on the spinner bait!

Continued fishing the shoals, as well as the slack water above it with no more luck. Decided to call it a day with two Altamaha’s.

 

[cj580guitar]

Nice job Big B. We haven’t tried for an Altamaha yet. Only 1 more species for us and we will be finished. Hope to get back out in the next couple of weeks. CJ

 

[BigBass123]

Nice job Big B. We haven’t tried for an Altamaha yet. Only 1 more species for us and we will be finished. Hope to get back out in the next couple of weeks. CJ

Thank you! I think I preferred the Altamaha over the Tallapoosa, decent public access so I was able to do more exploring for them and the colors on the fish were better.

Outside of the Bartram’s & Tallapoosa, which other two have yall caught?

 

[cj580guitar]

Lukas has a tallapoosa, Bartrams , shoal and largemouth. I have tallapoosa Bartrams shoal and spotted bass. I think we are gonna go after coosa redeye next.

 

[BigBass123]

Went down to the Flint river today for shoal bass, first time in years I’ve been down there and didn’t catch one. Guess they knew I was trying for the slam.

Still a good day, beautiful area as always.

Took a nice accidental swim which was a bit chilly this morning.

 

[Damidgede]

Nice, I fished all afternoon one Friday in North Ga for a Redeye and struck out. Fished one day for Chattahoochee bass and caught a couple of really small ones, still need one 8 inches. Going back up this weekend hopefully. If you get stuck let me know, I cant put you on Spot, LM and Shoalie in one afternoon, lol. Those are the 3 I have so far and are very easy to come by in midwest part of Georgia.

 

[cj580guitar]

We are headed up this weekend to try to catch a coosa bass. Only got one day but hopefully we can get it done. Chattahoochee bass are on my bucket list list but haven’t been able to work it out to go after them. CJ

Nice, I fished all afternoon one Friday in North Ga for a Redeye and struck out. Fished one day for Chattahoochee bass and caught a couple of really small ones, still need one 8 inches. Going back up this weekend hopefully. If you get stuck let me know, I cant put you on Spot, LM and Shoalie in one afternoon, lol. Those are the 3 I have so far and are very easy to come by in midwest part of Georgia.

 

[Damidgede]

I am fishing for them Thursday and then possibly again Saturday or Sunday if Thursday doesn't pan out. Fingers crossed, I know where they are, just have to get the bite

 

[cj580guitar]

I am fishing for them Thursday and then possibly again Saturday or Sunday if Thursday doesn't pan out. Fingers crossed, I know where they are, just have to get the bite

Good luck I hope it works out for ya. We have 4 of 5 for the slam. This will be are last one. But I’m still hoping for a chatt at some time. Also I see you are close to me. CJ

 

[BigBass123]

Wasn’t planning to fish today, but had a free afternoon today and figured I should. Etowah seemed muddy with the rain we got yesterday, and I didn’t feel like pond fishing, so I chose to go after Redeye since they are the closest I haven’t caught yet.

Went about an hour north to go after them in a spot my buddy caught them last year. We also got spots and stocked rainbows that trip last June, wouldn’t see either of those today.

Started out hiking about 1.5 miles down to the river from the parking lot and hopped in at the first spot that was open to the water.

Stretch where I first got in was about 2’ deep riffles for the first 150’ yards or so. Fished it with the same spinner bait that got my Tallapoosa & Altahama bass with no luck.

At the end of the riffles was a little slower moving water with a pool up against an overhanging tree. Casted my spinner bait up there and got hit immediately! But it got off, then hit again, and again, and again, all the way back to me. It was a small bass, but thought he might make 8”.

It literally sat about 5’ from me while I retied on a 4” watermelon worm and 1/16 oz weight. I pitched to it and caught the bass.

Measured 7.5” inches so missed the cut by 1/2”.

Let him go, then made a cast to an eddy on what looked like a deeper run. Hooked up immediately! Got the bigger 10” bass on that cast. He fought good for his size, and it put me on the board for redeye bass.

Caught another about 8” on the worm out of the same eddy.

Decided to play with a buzz bait after catching those fish just to see what would happen. Got well over 10 hits, they just couldn’t get the hook in their mouths. I think the smallest size whopper plopper with trebles would probably work wonders on them.

Puts me at 3/5 for the slam. Think I’ll probably target spots in the morning, then largemouth in the evening tomorrow.

 

[cj580guitar]

Wasn’t planning to fish today, but had a free afternoon today and figured I should. Etowah seemed muddy with the rain we got yesterday, and I didn’t feel like pond fishing, so I chose to go after Redeye since they are the closest I haven’t caught yet.

Went about an hour north to go after them in a spot my buddy caught them last year. We also got spots and stocked rainbows that trip last June, wouldn’t see either of those today.

Started out hiking about 1.5 miles down to the river from the parking lot and hopped in at the first spot that was open to the water.

Stretch where I first got in was about 2’ deep riffles for the first 150’ yards or so. Fished it with the same spinner bait that got my Tallapoosa & Altahama bass with no luck.

At the end of the riffles was a little slower moving water with a pool up against an overhanging tree. Casted my spinner bait up there and got hit immediately! But it got off, then hit again, and again, and again, all the way back to me. It was a small bass, but thought he might make 8”.

It literally sat about 5’ from me while I retied on a 4” watermelon worm and 1/16 oz weight. I pitched to it and caught the bass.

Measured 7.5” inches so missed the cut by 1/2”.

Let him go, then made a cast to an eddy on what looked like a deeper run. Hooked up immediately! Got the bigger 10” bass on that cast. He fought good for his size, and it put me on the board for redeye bass.

Caught another about 8” on the worm out of the same eddy.

Decided to play with a buzz bait after catching those fish just to see what would happen. Got well over 10 hits, they just couldn’t get the hook in their mouths. I think the smallest size whopper plopper with trebles would probably work wonders on them.

Puts me at 3/5 for the slam. Think I’ll probably target spots in the morning, then largemouth in the evening tomorrow.

Nice.
We went after red eye coosa bass today as well. Didn’t get on the fish like you did. But we will try again in a few weeks CJ

 

[BigBass123]

Nice.
We went after red eye coosa bass today as well. Didn’t get on the fish like you did. But we will try again in a few weeks CJ

You’ll get them next time, just an excuse to go fishing again.

Is there a difference between the redeye in the TN drainage vs Coosa drainage? These came out of the Coosa drainage, although much closer to the headwaters than the confluence of the Coosa in Rome. It doesn’t look like DNR differentiates.

 

[cj580guitar]

You’ll get them next time, just an excuse to go fishing again.

Is there a difference between the redeye in the TN drainage vs Coosa drainage? These came out of the Coosa drainage, although much closer to the headwaters than the confluence of the Coosa in Rome. It doesn’t look like DNR differentiates.

That I would not know. Guess you could ask ShoalBandit he would know.

 

[BigBass123]

Called an audible this morning. Woke up around 5 so I took that as a sign to go fish further from the house and target Bartram’s bass.

Caught one around 7” on a 4” worm on the second or third cast. Good to see they were here, but too small.

Went downstream aways and started fishing my way back up. Nothing on the worm so switched to the little pond magic spinner bait. It was getting plenty of hits but nothing connected.

Tried changing to a Mepps but didn’t get any hits after doing that.

Put the worm back on and kept fishing upstream.

Still with no luck I put on a tube. First cast was a hit! Missed the fish and pitched back into the run. Hooked up on a 10 incher as the run wrapped around a boulder.

Got 2 good jumps and I’m very glad I was using a MH rod instead of the UL I had also packed. I can’t believe how hard it pulled, sure it wasn’t a 3 pound spot, but for 10” it was a fighter. I think pound for pound it was probably the strongest of the species I’ve caught.

Headed back to the truck after that fish, puts me at 4/5 for the slam, and 10/11 species in Georgia caught at some point.

Grabbing lunch then I’ll be fishing for Chattahoochee bass for the rest of the day. Hopefully get one to put me at all 11 species caught at some point, and number 5 for the slam.

 

[BigBass123]

Well the weather had other plans. Been raining for about an hour here and it got pretty cold for wet wading.

No bass, but did get this stocker rainbow as a nice consolation prize.