Few states offer such a variety of saltwater and freshwater fish as Georgia's waters harbor. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources lists state records -- some as old as 1932, some as recent as 2005 -- for 40 species of freshwater fish. Add to that 53 record saltwater fish, and you begin to form a notion of the diversity characterizing Peach State angling.

This state makes lots of water available for you to fish. Every Georgian lives within a short drive of a worthy freshwater venue -- everything from tiny North Georgia streams swum by native brook trout to reservoirs and rivers haunted by trophy catfish, and whatever else you can imagine in between. And if saltwater action's your passion, you can choose small creeks in the marshes, or go offshore to troll for huge billfish.

Here's a look at some of the best of all of these angling options.

JANUARY
Crappie
Lake Sinclair
What To Expect: Crappie school up this month and move into Beaverdam Creek, following the shad into warmer water. You can catch big numbers of fish as well as some slabs. In the middle of the state, Sinclair is readily accessible to many Peach State fishermen.

How To: Troll small jigs and live minnows at different depths until you find where the fish are holding, and then concentrate all your baits at that depth. Put out several rods to cover as much area as possible. If you have a depthfinder, watch for baitfish and bigger fish suspended under them, and carefully work the area they're in.

Contact: For more info, call Little River Marina at (478) 452-1605.

Options: Lake Seminole is far enough south that in warm winters, some largemouths bed in January. But most fish are still in pre-spawn mode, so throw Rat-L-Traps around hydrilla on lower-lake flats. Fish fast and cover a lot of area to find the fish.

Yellow perch run up the Savannah River in the winter, concentrating below the Clarks Hill Dam. Fish small jigs and live minnows from a boat or the fishing piers to fill your freezer with these tasty fish.

FEBRUARY
Walleyes
Carters Lake
What To Expect: Favored as table fare in northern states, walleyes are found in cold, deep water here in the South. Carters Lake has the necessary depth and is so one of the few Georgia lakes harboring substantial numbers of them.

How To: Walleyes school up on deep rocky points and hit live earthworms, leeches and jigs. The best fishing's at night. Drop your bait down to the bottom in 20 to 35 feet of water on main lake points and fish it slowly. Walleyes bite gently, so set the hook on meeting any resistance.

Contact: Bart's Bait and Tackle, (706) 253-2248, can provide more information.

Options: Red drum are in coastal waters year 'round and can be caught during the winter. Get after them with live shrimp or jigs at the black mudflats near shell beds in coastal rivers and marshes.

Hybrid bass feed all winter long, and do so avidly at Clarks Hill Lake. Use live blueback herring or spoons on main-lake points.

MARCH
Spotted Bass
Lake Lanier
What To Expect: Getting ready to spawn this month, the magnum-sized spots here move shallow. They're active and chasing bait, and it's early enough in the year that boat traffic's not quite as bad as it'll get later. Some say that the next state-record spotted bass swims Lanier; right now would be a good time to catch it.

How To: Throw white spinnerbaits or chrome jerkbaits on rocky main-lake points or humps at the mouths of spawning creeks. Fish a lot of different places to find the bigger specimens. Wind blowing onto the points and humps makes them much better.

Contact: Guide Ryan Coleman can put you on some spotted bass in March. Call him at (770) 356-4136.

Options: Warming water in Lake Walter George sets channel cats to feeding as they ready to spawn. Fish at night along river and channel edges with live or cut bait.

The buttonbushes at Clarks Hill are full of plus-sized crappie in late March. Dabble live minnows or jigs amid the plants to catch a limit.