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

Chattooga River Bartrams Bass

 One of my favorite fishing outings, and one I try to make at least a few times every year, is a hike-in wading trip on the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River to fish for Bartrams bass. I’ve only made two trips this year, and the season if quickly passing for the way I like to fish, so that might be it for 2022.

If you don’t know Bartrams bass, they are one of several species of black bass that are collectively called redeye bass. When I first started chasing these fish, nearly three decades ago, they were categorized as shoal bass, but there was no explanation as to why shoal bass in other areas grew substantially larger. Then they were recognized as redeyes, but lumped with Coosa redeye bass. More recently, biologists recognized redeyes in the Savannah River watershed as genetically distinct and named them Bartrams bass.

There’s no hot section of the Chattooga for these fish, from my observation. I’ve caught them well up into trout waters and at the far lower end of the river run and have found similar success throughout. Numerous trails and a couple of roads provide access in different areas, from Georgia and South Carolina. River levels, the amount you are willing to do and the character of stream you seek are better determinants for the best section for any given day. 

Some areas are pretty easy to access with a short walk and well suited for quick outings. Others can only be reached with a lot of walking, wading, rock hopping, climbing etc. Some areas have no practical fishing access.

I keep my fishing approach simple for these fish, wading wet and carrying a single light or ultralight spinning outfit and a small box of lures that I can put on a backpack or vest pocket. I like small, crawfish-imitating crankbaits, topwater lures and small soft plastic baits. If I could have only one bait for this fishing it would be a Rebel Deep Teeny Wee Crawfish. Top producers on this year’s outings were the new Bobby Garland Mayfly and a Bomber 6A.

It’s important to note that much of the Chattooga corridor is rugged and remote, and currents, vertical drops, slippery rocks and more can be dangerous. Water levels are also ever changing, totally changing the river’s character and accessibility. 

A fishing license is required, but a reciprocal licensing agreement makes either a valid Georgia or South Carolina license valid anywhere on the river.

Don't Overlook Chattooga River Bass

When folks think about fishing the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River, trout normally come to mind. That's reasonable. This river supports an excellent and diverse trout fishery, and trout are certainly the sport fish most associated with clear, cold mountain rivers. However, the lower portion of the Chattooga also offers fun fishing for Bartrams bass, a type of black bass that was only recently identified as a distinct species.

I've been wading the lower Chattooga for river bass from time to time for many years, and when I first started fishing for them, they were believed to be shoal bass that simply didn't grow as large as the ones in the Flint and Chattahoochee rivers. After that, they were separated from the shoal bass and re-classified as Coosa redeye bass. More recently, biologists have identified the redeyes in the upper Savannah watershed as Bartrams bass.

Whatever you want to call them, these are feisty river bass that are fairly plentiful from the lower end of the primary trout waters (around Highway 28) all the way to where the river backs into Lake Tugalo. There's no hotspot or even a prime section, from my experience. They are nicely distributed through the lower river, and different stretches will be good on different days. I pick my spot most days based on the section of river I want to see that day.

Because of Wild & Scenic River protection, most access to the Chattooga calls for a least a bit of walking. That's OK, though. The remoteness is a major part of the fun. Several hiking trails or boating access points on both the Georgia and South Carolina banks lead to places you can get in and wade. Because of rapids and remoteness, wading the lower Chattooga River calls for significant caution, and is best done with a fishing partner. Generally speaking, this fishing is best suited for fairly low flows.

I keep my river bass fishing very simple, wet wading in shorts and a tee-shirt and carrying a small backpack with a handful of lures, drinks, snacks and a few extra items, like pliers and sunscreen. Various lures will catch these bass, but my definite go-to is a Rebel Deep Teeny Wee-Crawfish, which matches common forage and can dig down in pools or grind along gravel bars.

Bartrams bass aren't big. A 12-incher is somewhat noteworthy. However, they are big in spirit and very fun to catch.

Favorite 2016 Fishing Accomplishment: Crawfish Bass Slam

Guadalupe bass, Guadalupe River, Texas, Teeny Wee-Crawfish

2016 provided many amazing fishing opportunities, including chances to fish in a few states where I had never fished before and a few new species catches. I'll have to think more about specific favorite destinations and specific catches, but my favorite fishing accomplishment of the year is easy, and the story began in February with the bass pictured above. It's a Guadalupe bass, a black bass species found only in select Texas waters, and I caught it from the Guadalupe River in a state park of the same name. I only caught one and it wasn't very large, but I was thrilled because it was a species I'd never before had the opportunity to catch.

Suwannee bass, Santa Fe River, Florida, Deep Wee-Crawfish

In March, I got the chance to fish for Suwannee bass in Florida's Santa Fe River and to catch a few on Deep Wee-Crawfish. Having then caught two black bass species I'd never caught before by March and having caught both on Rebel Crawfish, I wondered how far I could carry that in a year. To shorten the story, I ended up catching seven species, which at one time would have been considered  true black bass slam, all on the Rebel Crawfish. Biologists have fairly recently defined a couple of other bass that are very similar to spotted bass a distinctive species in select watersheds, but the seven I caught represent what traditionally has been seen as a slam.

Interestingly, the last one I caught, which came late in the summer, was a shoal bass, and it came from the section of the Chattahoochee River that is less than 1/2 hour from my house. See photos below for species three through seven, each with a caption telling the species, location and kind of Rebel Crawfish.

Largemouth bass, Ouachita River, Arkansas, Middle Wee-Crawfish

Smallmouth bass, Ouachita River, Arkansas, Middle Wee-Crawfish

Spotted bass, Ouachita River, Arkansas, Middle Wee-Crawfish

Coosa redeye bass, Chattooga River, South Carolina, Deep Teeny Wee-Crawfish

Shoal bass, Chattahoochee River, Georgia, Wee-Crawfish

Knee Deep For Redeyes

I don't know that I can quite state a certain favorite style of fishing, but it very well might be wading wet in a free-flowing mountain river and casting ultralight lures for either trout or stream bass. Last week, I spent a fun day with a friend from Colorado doing exactly that in the cool, clear waters of the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River.

We cast for Coosa redeye bass, which are native to the Chattooga and fairly plentiful in the lower river. We didn't catch crazy numbers (five or six, I think), and none were huge. However, we got just enough action to keep things interesting while wading a couple of beautiful sections of river. All the redeyes and one big chub came on Rebel Teeny-Wee Craws.

Both the redeyes and the chub were new catches for me for this year. The 2016 tally is now at 23 species. Of those, six are different black bass species (Guadalupe, Suwannee, largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and Coosa redeye bass) caught this spring on Rebel Crawfish. I still need a shoal bass, but fortunately some of those swim in waters that are close to home.

Species 19 & 20

Yesterday's swing to the Chattooga National Wild & Scenic River yielded Nos. 19 and 20 for my 2014 Species List. No. 19 was a redeye bass. Redeyes are regionally distinctive black bass that look and act like mini smallmouths. No. 20 was a chub. Spend enough days casting in mountain rivers, you'll eventually find your chub most years.

I've noted before that while I've caught lots of pond and stream fish in from Georgia this, none of my list fish, which are the first of any given species in a year, have come from my own state's waters. This year's list now includes fish from nine states, but none from Georgia! Yesterday was the closest. The chub actually might have even been in Georgia when it hit. I was wading on the SC side of the border-straddling river, though, and I don't even know if my  cast crossed the middle (or exactly where the line runs in that area) so I still had to record it as a South Carolina fish.

I don't know what species will make the list next, but part this weekend's fishing plan in Wisconsin is to go after salmon, and any salmon species would add to this year's list.