Allatoona: Level: 1.5 feet above full pool. Temp: 67-71 degrees. Clarity: Clear to stained in the river.

Bass: Very good. Matt Driver reports, “Fishing is great. The spawn ran a little longer this year due to cooler weather patterns in April. Fish will be finishing the spawn in the first couple of weeks of May. Female bass will be recuperating, and a few days after the spawn they will begin to feed. May is the best topwater month by far on Lake Allatoona. It’s time to...

Blackshear: Level: Full pool. Temp: High 60s to low 70s. Clarity: Stained.

Crappie: Good. Guide Rusty Parker reports, “I have been shooting docks for the past three weeks and have had excellent luck. I was able to limit out three times on just two shallow-water docks using the chartreuse/pink/chartreuse R.A.G. Fly jig. In my opinion, most of the crappie here have spawned out, and they should all be just about spawned out in about a week. Pecan Slough, Cedar Creek and Swift...

Blue Ridge: Level: 1.7 feet above full pool. Temp: 64-66 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch reports, “Some of the fish are starting to spawn. We’re catching spots and smallmouth on spawning flats and off rocky points fishing with tubes, jerkbaits and a Strike King 3X crawfish-pattern crankbaits. Largemouth have moved back in the shallow pockets. You can still catch some fish on deep banks on drop shots. As the spawn ends this month, the fish will move back...

Burton: Level: 0.7 feet above full pool. Temp: 62 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Capt. Wes Carlton reports, “With the water-temperature fluctuations, the bass have gone from deep to shallow rapidly. Most of the big largemouth are on the beds right now if they have not finished spawning. I look for post and prespawn fish most of the time. Trying to catch a bedding largemouth is like watching paint dry. I usually let these fish do their thing this time of year and work on...

Carters: Level: 5.4 feet above full pool. Temp: Upper 60s. Clarity: Stained, less than 4 to 5 feet of visibility over most of the lake.

Bass: Excellent. Guide Louie Bartenfield reports, “Fishing is outstanding for spotted bass. April has lived up to its reputation and has been a great month for overall numbers. Multiple patterns are working on the lake. With our cool nights and mild weather, look for May to be more of the same. There’s been a major alewife herring...

Chatuge: Level: 0.4 feet below full pool. Temp: 65 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch reports, “The fish are spawning. We’ve been catching fish on deep banks and points on drop shots and shaky heads. The largemouth have moved back in the shallow pockets and are now spawning. The spots are starting to move out on deep points and gravel flats. Toward the end of the month the spawn should be almost over, and the fish will go back to their normal patterns....

Clarks Hill: Level: 5.1 feet below full pool. Temp: Low 70s. Clarity: Light stain.

Linesides: Guide William Sasser reports, “May on Clarks Hill this year we are seeing the water temperature is cooler than most years, which should extend the spring-fishing pattern for all species. The blueback herring spawn is happening right now with stripers chasing them up on to shallow points, and it should continue throughout the month. Largemouth will be mixed in with them. Fish...

Eufaula: Level: 0.6 feet above full pool. Temp: 72 degrees. Clarity: Slight stain.

Bass: Good. “The fishing has stabilized a little more,” said tournament pro Randy Duncan. “There will be some spawners still on beds, but look for postspawn fish moving out of spawning coves. In the last couple of weeks, tournaments have been won on the lower end on shallow ledges and brushpiles. The majority of winning anglers have been throwing soft plastics,” Randy said....

Hartwell: Level: 1.9 feet below full pool. Temp: 65-70 degrees. Clarity: Main lake is clear; creeks and rivers are stained.

Bass: Good and getting better, according to FLW tournament pro Kerry Partain. “Thankfully the weather is somewhat back to normal, and the fish are on the move. There are a lot of bass shallow right now that can be caught on a variety of baits,” Kerry said. “The flooded grass in the pockets is holding some big bass, and the Zoom Trick Worm is...

Jackson: Level: 0.9 feet above full pool. Temp: 70 degrees. Clarity: Stained in the rivers, mostly clear in the main lake.

Bass: Good. Tournament angler Eric Perkins reports, “Fishing has been good, but it’s still a little behind with the cooler weather. I think you’re going to see fish still trying to bed in early May. I like to catch them on topwater early in the morning on a Bang-O-Lure, but once the sun gets high I will just slow down and work the fish with a...

Lanier: Level: 1.0 foot above full pool. Temp: Mid to upper 60s. Clarity: Clear.

Spotted Bass: Good. Guide Ryan Coleman reports, “There are spots on bed all over the south end of Lanier right now. This process should remain through May this year with the late spawn. Fishing has been excellent. There are tons of fish up shallow all over the lake. The best shallow-water structure right now is the flooded grass in the backs of the pockets. Almost every pocket has some of the...

Oconee: Level: Full pool. Temp: 65-72 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Good, according to tournament pro and guide Aaron Batson. “Most bass are in postspawn. Good news is they are fattening back up on the early morning shad spawn. Look around main-lake seawalls and rip-rap for the activity at daylight. Good topwater baits are Pop-Rs and Sammys. Once the topwater bite slows down, back off and slow-roll an all-white 1/4-oz. Ol Nelle spinnerbait. Then work any available cover...

Russell: Level: 0.5 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 60s to low 70s. Clarity: Stained up the lake in the river arms; main lake is lightly stained to mostly clear depending on area and depth.

Bass: Guide Bill Speer reports, “May is a fun time to fish. The weather is warm, and the fishing can be hot. Most of the lake will be in a postspawn mode with maybe a few fish still spawning at the lower end near the dam in the early part of the month. Where are the fish? Right where...

Saltwater: Inshore: Capt. Judy Helmey reports, “Although the spotted seatrout bite been a little unpredictable during the months of March and April, May is the month that changes everything. By the time May rolls around, the spotted seatrout bite is joined up with the flounder bite, meaning two types of fish for one type of bait. As always, live shrimp under an adjustable float or popping cork works like a charm. However, if you want to get your bait closer to the bottom, but not right on...

Seminole: Level: 0.4 feet below full pool. Temp: 74 degrees. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Good. Guide and tournament pro Matt Baty reports, “The bass are nearing the end of the spawn, and most fish caught right now are postspawn fish that are feeding on shad. A good pattern to search for right now is the shad spawn. The shad are spawning right now all over the lake; you just need to be on the water early to get in on the action. Any topped-out vegetation such as hydrilla or...

Sinclair: Level: 1.1 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 60s to low 70s. Clarity: Stained to heavily stained.

Bass: Good. Aaron Batson reports, “Bass are off the beds and guarding fry. Good baits are buzzbaits and Ol Nelle spinnerbaits around any available cover in spawning pockets. Some bass have already pulled out deeper and are holding in man-made brushpiles in 8 to 10 feet of water. These fish can be caught on 3/8-o.z Net Boy Bait flipping jigs in black with a Wackem Crazy...

Weiss: Level: 0.2 feet below full. Temp: Mid 60s. Clarity: Stained.

Bass: Very good. Guide and tournament pro Warren Barnes reports, “Largemouth and spotted bass are in the postspawn stage. Flipping a Reins Ax Claw and a Witless soft stickbait around wood structure and docks has been the pattern of choice for bass right now. A Tackle Doctor shaky head paired with a Reins Swamp Mover worm on points is also working well right now. The grass pattern is starting to pick up as...

West Point: Level: 0.4 feet above full pool. Temp: Upper 60s. Clarity: Most of the creeks are stained; main lake is mostly clear.

Bass: Guide Keith Hudson reports, “Most any creek will produce largemouth, but there are several patterns that seem to be working. We have fish in prespawn, spawning and postspawn patterns. I enjoy throwing topwaters like a Pop-R or Zara Spook to cover water, but fish are being caught off the bed on Senkos, as well. Some bass have already spawned...