by Jeremy Seabolt
Lake Nottely fishing has been off the hooks. This has been the best January I have ever seen. The fish are loaded up in the creeks, and we have been catching fish ever way you can. The best bite is on herring and shad pulling them on planer boards and weighted free lines.
In March I will be fishing the backs of creeks pulling big gizzard and herring in the flats. Bucktails and Red Fins are producing lots fish too, but remember to work them both slowly. I have been catching some nice fish working points and steep banks, and the Red Fin bite will be the best in March. There has been a good topwater bite in Camp Creek.
Remember that Paradise Bait has all your big striper bait needs, so come catch the hardest fighting fish this side of the ocean with us. Check out our Facebook page to get weekly fishing reports.
Lake Nottely Stripers
Forecast By: Shane Goebel
In like a lion, out like a lamb. This ole folklore is so true for the North Georgia mountains. As early spring approaches and brings with it its hard to predict weather patterns, one thing is sure to be consistent, and that is that the fishing keeps getting better on Lake Nottely. For me, March has always been the kickoff to an awesome fishing season. With its warmer weather and longer days, it’s my favorite month for fishing.
Currently, Lake Nottely is 12 feet below full pool. Water temperatures have been bouncing from the low to mid 50’s. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and just slightly stained in the backs of creeks.
Striper fishing has been super out here lately. We’ve had a very successful January and February. Most of the stripers we are catching have been in the 20 to 30 pound range, and we’re averaging about 10 stripers a trip. This pattern should continue into the month of March and increase as the stripers start their pre-spawn. Continue the same techniques as the previous months, pulling planer boards with live herring in the backs of creeks and around shallow, sloping banks. Make sure you keep your bait close to the surface and work close to the banks. I usually run my shad and bluebacks 15-25 feet behind my planer boards. As you pull boards, it’s always a good idea to work the banks by casting a Zara Spook or a Red Fin. As the sun comes up, turn your focus to fishing the mouths of creeks, as the stripers will follow bait to deeper water. With pre-spawn in mind, more and more stripers will start to stage in the mouths of creeks in March. Keep an eye on your electronics for schooling stripers, and pay attention to where the bait balls are. I guarantee you, if you find the bait, the stripers will be close by.
We are also catching some nice spotted and largemouth bass. We’ve caught several largemouth in the past few weeks in the 8 to 10 pound range, and the spotted bass bite has started to increase. These spotted bass have been schooling up on points and shallow areas around the lake. Down-lining live bluebacks has been the best technique for catching a slew of these great bass in 15-25 feet of water. For the shallow water, early morning bite, keep a jerkbait, a Flex-It spoon or a fluke on hand to work the banks and points.
Although the weather may still be on the chilly side, March is a fantastic month for catching some big fish on this lake. So dig out your long johns and give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call. Let the area’s #1 striper-guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We also serve lakes Chatuge, Blue Ridge, and Hiwassee in Murphy, NC. And, for all your live bait and tackle needs, check out Hughes General Store in Blairsville, GA. They carry everything you need for a successful day of fishing. Now bundle up, hit the water, and go get your fish on! Good luck!
