Lake Blackshear, GA: Where to Fish

Lake Blackshear is an 8,500-acre reservoir located near Cordele, Georgia, just a few miles west of Interstate 75. It has a campground, a lodge, a golf course, restaurants, marinas, and lots of private homes on its shores. It's a favorite "fishin' hole" for lots of Georgians. In the dark waters lurk several species of fish, including largemouth bass, black and white crappie, striped bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, white bass, flathead catfish, hybrid bass, and warmouth perch.

You can fish from shore or from one of the docks, but chances are you'll catch a lot more fish with a boat. If you don't have one, you can rent several different types of vessels at the lake.

Below are some tips for the most likely spots to catch different fish species:

Largemouth bass: Largemouths seem to love the cypress trees. Pass under Smoak Bridge, and you'll find plenty of cypress trees. Another hot spot for largemouths is in the cypress trees at the northern end of the lake. In the spring, you can find bass near shore in sandy areas or near grass flats.

Bream: Just about every home on the lake has a dock, and just about every dock has a light. The lights attract bugs, and the bugs attract fish. Troll around the edges of the lake at night to catch bluegill and shellcracker. The docks are pretty good places to fish for bream during the daylight hours, too. Another spot I’ve found a lot of bream occasionally is in the Blue Hole. The water is a beautiful crystal blue here, and you can easily spot fish. To get there, go past the arm of the campground and turn into the creek. You’ll need a boat with a shallow draft to navigate.

Crappie: Blackshear has a healthy population of both black and white crappie. They can be found in virtually every part of the lake. Swift Creek holds a lot of crappie, but some of the biggest are caught in the upper section of the lake. Some weigh over 3 pounds. Crappie are also caught around the dock lights at night.

Striped bass: For stripers, fish the end of the lake, near the dam. Also, try Gum Creek and Swift Creek east of Highway 300. The area on both sides of Smoak Bridge is also frequented by stripers. Small stripers occasionally can be found around dock lights at night.

Hybrid bass: Hybrids like to hang out near the dam. They can also be caught in the main lake and in Swift Creek.

White bass: Whites seem to prefer Swift and Gum Creeks and the dam area.

Catfish: Channel and flathead catfish can be caught just about anywhere in the lake, especially at night. Some of the best places to find them are at the mouths of creeks. During the day, they are often found around the docks.

Warmouth perch: These little fighters love the cypress trees. I think every one I’ve ever caught in Lake Blackshear came from right next to a big cypress. Try the cypress thickets in the extreme northern section of the lake, beyond the Highway 280 bridge. Another thick stand of cypress is the one past Smoak Bridge.