Smallmouth and Spotted Bass
Forecast By: Shane Goebel
Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service &
The Angler Magazine Fishing Team
www.bigolfish.com
828-361-2021, 1-844-4-ANGLER
Located about two hours north of Atlanta, Lake Blue Ridge plays host to some of North Georgia’s best smallmouth and bass fishing. This beautiful 3,300-acre body of water produces some awesome trophy smallmouth, and March is a great month to hit the water.
Currently, Lake Blue Ridge is 24 feet below full pool. Water temperatures are in the mid 50’s. Water clarity is clear in the main lake and stained in the creeks and rivers.
We have been catching a lot of smallmouth and spotted bass all over the lake, with the majority of our smallmouth being caught in the Toccoa River area. Target these fish off rocky points, ledges and shallow humps around the lake. Also, focus on working the banks that the early morning sun hits first. We’ve been pulling planer boards with live blueback herring early. It’s also a great idea to set out a couple of free lines 100 to 120 feet behind the boat while you pull planer boards. When the sun really comes up in the mid-morning hours, we’ll switch to down lining live blueback herring. Most of our fish have been caught in the 30 to 40-foot range. This really seems to be the best technique for the larger smallmouth but not until the sun really gets up. Look for large schools of smallmouths in the Toccoa River and Star Creek area. Live bait seems to be the key out here lately, but a jigging spoon and shaky head can’t be ruled out this time of year.
March is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish on this lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 guide service put you on some of Lake Blue Ridge’s best trophy fish. And, for all your live bait and tackle needs, go 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!