Heading to the opposite corner of the state, northwest Georgia offers good catfishing opportunities. The Coosa River is prime catfish water because of the variety it offers. Blue catfish, flathead catfish, and channel cats are all native to the Coosa River. The Coosa is one of only a handful of places in Georgia that offers this variety, and although blue cats make up most of the catch, it would not be surprising to catch all three species in one day of fishing.

The Coosa flows from downtown Rome to Weiss Lake in Alabama. The section of the river from Mayo's Bar Lock and Dam downstream to the state line is the most popular with anglers. It won't take a long look at the river before you spot a good catfish possibility. Deep holes are the places to look for. Likely areas include creek mouths, outside bends, and bluff banks.

A feature local anglers key in on is a rocky bottom. Most of the Coosa's banks are mud and sand, but if you can locate a rocky area, you likely have found a honey hole. The stretch of river from the State Route 100 bridge downstream to the Brushy Branch area has some good rocky areas.

Most anglers target the main river for catfish, but the shallow backwater sloughs scattered along the river are convenient places to catch bait. Access to the Coosa is excellent with good boat ramps at Heritage Park in downtown Rome, Mayo's Bar Lock and Dam, on River Road just downstream of the intersection of SR 20 and SR 100, and at Montgomery Landing in Brushy Branch.

Contrary to the stereotype of an old, grizzled river rat camped out for days at a time waiting on that one big bite, the most productive catfish anglers know when to hold them and when to fold them.

The Georgia WRD publishes a free pamphlet titled Guide to Fishing the Coosa River. This includes a river map and has information on launch sites, camping, and fishing hints. Copies are available by calling the Calhoun Fisheries Office at (706) 624-1161.

Moving south, two places on the Flint River stand out. Perhaps the No. 1 catfish hole in southwest Georgia is the Flint River below Blackshear Dam. Anglers do very well on channel catfish in this tailrace, with a few flatheads thrown in as a bonus. The east bank of the river below the dam has improved facilities including a boat ramp and bank access.

Shad are popular bait, but since channel cats are tops on the list at this location, it might be a good idea to carry along some chicken livers to help fill the cooler with fiddler-sized channel cats destined for the corn meal and hot grease. The Blackshear tailrace can be reached from SR 300 southwest of Cordele.

Moving on downstream, the Flint River below Lake Chehaw in Albany also offers good catfishing. The Georgia Power access point below the dam makes a good fishing destination. On the west side of the river, anglers find an improved fishing pier, a boat ramp, plenty of parking, and rest room facilities. Both channel cats and flatheads are found here in good numbers and there is the potential for big fish. Lake Chehaw is in Albany near the U.S. 19/82 bypass on the north side of town.