Georgia Bass Slam & 2026 Fish Species Tally

Spotted bass/Alabama bass almost feel like freebies for Georgia Bass Slam. These highly similar species, which are treated as one for the Slam, are ultra plentiful in waterways through much of the state, including many places where they aren’t supposed to be and mess up a lot of stuff with native black bass species.

Nevertheless, I had not caught a spot from Georgia waters yet in 2026, so I was delighted to land a pretty 14-inch fish on Monday and to get it properly measured and photographed to meet Georgia Bass Slam requirements.

Today, while filming a different North Georgia stream, I was delighted to see the tail of a Coosa redeye bass cross the 8-inch line in my measuring board. The spot and Coosa were species three and four toward this year’s Slam for me. The minimum for earning the Slam is five of ten possible qualifying black bass species caught during a calendar year. 

Something nice for me is that largemouth bass renain on the list of species that could get me to five. If can’t catch am 8-inch-plus largemouth bass from Georgia waters before the end of the year, I should just give up my fishing license. I also haven’t yet tallied a Chattahoochee bass, and those live in waters close to me. I hadn’t targeted these bass prior to last year, but I feel like I should be able to accomplish that one if I’m intentional about it.

Unrelated to the Georgia Bass Slam, I am keeping a running tally of fish species I catch this year and I was able to grow that year’s list this week. 

Coosa bass, which I actually caught a few of from a couple of streams this week, were additions. I was also able to add redear sunfish and rock bass. I need to go back and look at a few things and do some documenting, but I think that brings this tally to 20 species caught.

I might have written this blog prematurely. I’m fishing again today and could add another species to the Slam and/or my 2025 species list!