Georgia Largemouth Elusive

largemouth, but not from Georgia

It’s somewhat comical to me that with only one species remaining to achieve the Georgia Bass Slam in 2026, one of the species that would get me there is the most common of all — the largemouth bass. 

It takes qualifying fish of five different black bass species (out of 10 possible) to earn the slam, the way the program is set up. I’m confident I’ll get there with more than half a year remaining. Beyond largemouth, Chattahoochee bass live in my part of the state, and I sometimes spend time in waters where other species can be found. Last year I caught qualifying fish of seven species.

It’s just funny to me that I have four of five needed, but no largemouths. I have caught several largemouth bass this year. In fact, I caught some last week. They just haven’t been in Georgia. Last week’s bass came from Lake Guntersville in Alabama. I’ve actually caught bass in three states this year. Just not Georgia.

Qualifying bass I have caught in 2026 include Bartram’s bass, shoal bass, spotted bass and Coosa (redeye) bass. 

Georgia Bass Slam & 2026 Fish Species Tally

spotted bass

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 remain 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!

Coosa redeye bass

Species 10 & Georgia Bass Slam

 I added species 10 for 2026, but not much else about the catch was noteworthy. It was a spottail shiner and was only a bit larger than the lure. That said, it was hooked in the mouth so apparently it tried to eat my lure.

I had a video clip of the catch, which I would have liked for grabbing a photo and maybe for novel entertainment value, but I accidentally deleted the file.

More noteworthy on the same outing, I caught a couple of ahoal bass, one of which was a little more than16 inches, which makes it a qualifying fish for the Georgia Bass Slam.

That is slam species number two for me. The requirement for achieving the Georgia Bass Slam is to catch qualifying fish of at least five black bass species. 

I catch largemouth and spotted bass pretty much every year in Georgia, so those feel almost free. So that means I’ll really only need to actively pursue one other species. Considering that it’s only March, I feel pretty good about my chances of achieving the Georgia Bass Slam again in 2026!

A Few More Species Added to 2026 Catch List

My most recent post focused on others’ reports of fish biting because I hadn’t been out, and I ended it with me saying I hoped my next post would be a positive fishing report of my own. I’m glad to say that is indeed the case.

I can’t report a bunch of fish or a red hot bite. In fact, I only caught three fish in a couple of short afternoon outings. That said, all three were different species, and all were species I’d not yet caught this year. Bartrams bass, redbreast sunfish and shoal bass bring the 2026 species total to nine.

All were caught on Rebel Ultra-Finesse Jigs, which I was taking photos of as my primary objective both afternoons. They are brand new from Rebel. In fact, they were just released on Lurenet today! Because they are so new, I’m pretty confident I caught the first-ever Bartrams and Shoal bass on them. 

To check out the catches, hop on over to Fishing on Foot on YouTube.

As a bonus, the Bartrams bass gets me started on this year’s Georgia Bass Slam. 

Shoal bass are a qualifying species also, but the minimum size for keeping a shoal bass is 15 inches, so that’s also the minimum for a Slam qualifying fish, and mine was only 11 inches. Good chance I can find a bigger one eventually this year.

All three were fun to catch!

2025 Fishing Adventures

 

Angling adventures during 2025 generally kept me closer to home than normal, with no fishing trips outside the Southeast. Typically I find my way to some other region a time or two, at least, but this year, the farthest I traveled was to Arkansas for a fall bass trip on Lake Ouachita.

Pursuit of the Georgia Bass Slam gave me reason to explore a bunch of Georgia areas, including some spots not too far from home that I had never fished before. The slam was central to several outings this year and turned out to be a lot of fun. 

I achieved the Slam and ended up catching seven different black bass species from Georgia waters this year. Meeting an added challenge I’d set for myself, I caught them all “Fishing on Foot,” either bank fishing or wading.

The below video explains more about the Georgia Bass Slam and my pursuit of it this year.

As always, I also spent time in trout streams in North Georgia and Western North Carolina and did my share of pond hopping for bluegill, bass or whatever bit. 

I also made a few trips to Lake Guntersville to fish for bass and get photos for work with guide Jimmy Mason. Jimmy is a great friend, and we spend a few days fishing together every year.

One of my favorite fishing days this year was spent with Daniel Griffee of On Deck Fishing Charters, casting topwater lures for aggressive, hard-fighting bluefish over the shoals at Cape Lookout in Eastern North Carolina. Except a bit of casting from a pier near Charleston, SC during a mostly non-fishing trip early in the year, that was it for saltwater pursuits for me in 2025.

I don’t know what kind of fishing opportunities the new year will bring (although I certainly have some ideas), but I look forward every adventure!