Fishes Flint River, Ocmulgee River
River · Central and south Georgia, from Macon down through Hawkinsville and Abbeville toward the Altamaha · Georgia
Ocmulgee River Fishing Guides
A big, sandy coastal-plain river below Macon with heavy flathead catfish, strong redbreast sunfish and a spring shad run that reaches well upstream.
Gauge location. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Guides on the Ocmulgee River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
About the Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee forms at Lake Jackson southeast of Atlanta, runs through Macon, and then settles into its real character on the coastal plain: a wide, sand-bottomed river of long bends, clean white sandbars and heavy standing timber along the cut banks. Below Hawkinsville and Abbeville it is genuinely big water, and it joins the Oconee to form the Altamaha, the largest river system in Georgia. The sandbars are a defining feature and they are why this river is as popular for camping and paddling as it is for fishing.
The fishery leans hard toward catfish and panfish. Flathead catfish, introduced and now thoroughly established, reach very large sizes in the deep bends and around submerged wood, and they are the target of most serious guided trips. Blue and channel catfish fill in around them. Redbreast sunfish, called redbellies locally, are a genuine tradition on this river and are fished with small spinners and crickets along the banks. Largemouth and spotted bass hold on the wood, and in late winter and early spring American shad and striped bass run upriver from the Altamaha, sometimes as far as the Macon area.
Practically, this is boat water. Guided fishing runs from jon boats and small center consoles working up and down from public landings, and the sand shifts enough that local knowledge of the channel is worth paying for. Deadfall and sandbars move every high-water year. Levels swing with releases from upstream and with rainfall across a large basin, and the gauge at Hawkinsville, which reports both flow and water temperature, is the standard reference for planning a day here. The sandbars also make this one of the best rivers in Georgia for a multi-day trip, and several guided operations combine a catfish float with an overnight camp on the bars rather than running back to a ramp each evening.
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Access
Macon riverfront and Amerson River Park - upper access with a launch and city bank fishing.
Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - protected bottomland frontage below Macon.
Hawkinsville landing at the US 341 bridge - the gauge site and the most-used mid-river ramp.
Abbeville landing - lower-river public ramp with good access to the big catfish bends.
Horse Creek and Highway 280 access - mid-river launch used by paddlers and bank anglers.
Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area - public land river frontage south of Abbeville.
Lumber City at the Oconee confluence - the bottom of the river where the Altamaha begins.
Seasons
Spring: shad and striped bass run upriver, flows are high, and redbreast fishing begins in earnest.
Summer: low clear water and warm nights, the prime season for big flathead catfish.
Fall: falling water concentrates fish on the bends and bass move back onto the timber.
Winter: cold and often high, slow for panfish but dependable for blue catfish in the deep holes.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Ocmulgee River?
As of Sep 8, 12:45 am, the USGS gauge OCMULGEE RIVER AT US 341, AT HAWKINSVILLE, GA reads 841 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Ocmulgee River?
Anglers target American Shad, Blue Catfish, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Spotted Bass, Striped Bass on the Ocmulgee River in Georgia.
Are there fishing guides on the Ocmulgee River?
GuidedFloats lists 1 guide and outfitters on the Ocmulgee River. Claimed profiles accept booking requests; unclaimed profiles are built from public records and link to the business.
Where can you access the Ocmulgee River?
Macon riverfront and Amerson River Park - upper access with a launch and city bank fishing. Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - protected bottomland frontage below Macon. Hawkinsville landing at the US 341 bridge - the gauge site and the most-used mid-river ramp. Abbeville landing - lower-river public ramp with good access to the big catfish bends. Horse Creek and Highway 280 access - mid-river launch used by paddlers and bank anglers. Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area - public land river frontage south of Abbeville. Lumber City at the Oconee confluence - the bottom of the river where the Al...
When is the best time to fish the Ocmulgee River?
Spring: shad and striped bass run upriver, flows are high, and redbreast fishing begins in earnest. Summer: low clear water and warm nights, the prime season for big flathead catfish. Fall: falling water concentrates fish on the bends and bass move back onto the timber. Winter: cold and often high, slow for panfish but dependable for blue catfish in the deep holes.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Ocmulgee River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Georgia agency site: https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/regulations