Guide To Popular Panfish Fishing Options In Georgia

All about fishing for panfish in GA lakes and ponds.

Throughout the state of Georgia you can find waters with populations of sunfish, including bluegill, flier sunfish, green sunfish, redbreast sunfish, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, warmouth, white bass and yellow perch.

Georgia lakes are virtual fish factories. Panfish like most species flourish in the warm waters with long growing seasons. All major lakes including Banks Lake, Blue Ridge Lake, Carters Lake, Chatuge Lake, Clarks Hill Lake, Lake Allatoona, Lake Burton, Lake Blackshear, Lake Chehaw, Lake Eufaula, Lake Harding, Lake Hartwell, Lake Jackson, Lake Lanier, Lake Nottely, Lake Oconee, Lake Oliver, Lake Russell, Lake Seminole, Lake Sinclair, Lake Tobesofkee, Lake Tugalo, Shamrock Lake and West Point Lake have a population of panfish.

Top Producing Panfish Lures & Bait

Check out the top producing lures and bait for bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass and warmouth, as well as other smaller sunfish. Click here for the best lures for white bass, yellow bass, white perch and yellow perch.

In-state panfish, sunfish and perch

Click the images and links above for species details.

Georgia State Record Sunfish

The state record bluegill was caught from Shamrock Lake.

The state record flier sunfish came from a private pond.

The state record green sunfish came from a private pond.

The state record redbreast sunfish came out of a private pond.

The state record redear sunfish came out of a private pond.

The state record spotted sunfish was caught in a private pond.

The state record warmouth came out of a private pond.

The state record white bass came from Lake Lanier.

The state record yellow perch was caught from the Savannah River.

One or more species of sunfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Georgia, and around the world for that matter. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, insects, crustaceans and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves, for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.

Panfish are prolific spawners and repopulate the waters as fast as they are harvested. A common problem with panfish fishing is that the waters are under-fished causing panfish to overpopulate. As a result they tend to stay small in size due to lack of food source.

The term "panfish" comprises many species, each called by a variety of names. The bluegill tops the list and is the most common.

Bluegill Fishing Basics Video

The core principles shown in this video will work for most sunfish, perch and other panfish.

Sunfish information in other states.