Forecast By: Shane Goebel
Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team
Lakes Nottely, Chatuge, Blue Ridge and Hiwassee
828-361-2021,
1-844-4-ANGLER
Lake Blue Ridge plays host to some of North Georgia’s best smallmouth and bass fishing, and May is a great month to hit the water. Currently, Blue Ridge is 7 feet below full pool, water temperatures are in the mid 60’s, and the water is clear in the main lake and stained in the creeks and rivers.
We are still 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. Focus on working the banks that the early morning sun hits first. We are also catching some nice fish under the docks. We are still 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 15 to 25-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 lately, but a jigging spoon and shaky head can’t be ruled out now. Towards the end of this month these spotted bass will really start to school up and be feeding strong. Also watch for an exciting topwater bite. When they start busting on the surface, they will hit just about anything you can throw at them.
In May the walleye will start to head for deeper water. Look for them to be suspended off rocky points and on steep ledges throughout the lake. You can also find some stray wanderers on shallow humps. Downlining live bluebacks will work best. You can even bounce a few nightcrawlers 6 to 12 inches from the bottom. Also trolling crankbaits and jerkbaits will get you hooked up. When pulling artificial baits, I always go to my Yo-Zuri Deep Diver, Shad Raps or Smithwick deep divers. Just remember to make some good S turns and keep your speeds around 2 to 3 mph.
May is a fantastic month for catching some very big fish. 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. 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. Good luck!