By Shane Goebel
Summer is finally here. The weather is beautiful, the water is warmer, and the fish are going crazy—it’s the perfect time to “hit the lake” and catch some amazing fish! What’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Murphy, NC’s #1 striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.
Lake Hiwassee is an unbelievable for summer fishing. The stripers are schooled up in large numbers and feeding heavily on live bait, as are the smallmouth and spotted bass. In fact, it’s not uncommon for us to boat 30-50 fish per trip out here on this serene Western North Carolina lake. This makes it a perfect option for everyone from the kids to hardcore anglers.
Currently, Lake Hiwassee is 7 feet below full pool but is expected to be full by June 1st. Water clarity is clear and slightly stained in the rivers, and water temps are in the mid to upper 70s.
Striper fishing remains excellent. We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. In the early-morning hours, we are still pulling planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring. Keep your free lines 100-150 feet behind the boat, and stagger your baits behind the boards. As the sun comes up in the later morning hours, start to focus on deeper water. Switch to downlines and add a little split shot to your free lines. Target creek mouths and rocky points. As the top-water bite has also been excellent, keep a spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag those surface-busting fish.
Smallmouth and spotted bass fishing has been outstanding, too. These fish are finally off the beds and are schooled up. We’ve been wearing out some nice smallmouths and spots every trip lately. Work shallow humps, creek mouths, and clay banks. Also, target brush piles throughout the lake. Downlining blueback herring has worked best for us, but we are also picking up some quality fish on jerkbaits, flukes, and spooks. Look for these bass to continue to school through the rest of next month.
June is a fantastic month for catching some big fish on this lake. From smallmouth bass to hard fighting stripers, we have many great opportunities to catch a number of fish species on Hiwassee Lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Hiwassee’s best trophy fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy, NC’s only full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hyrbrid bass. We also serve Lake Apalachia for huge lake trout, and Lakes Nottely, Chatuge and Blue Ridge. 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. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine—let us help you get your fish on!
Shane Goebel is the Owner of Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and a member of The Angler Fishing Team. Contact him at www.bigolfish.com or (828) 361-2021 / 1-(844)-4-ANGLER