By Shane Goebel
The long hot days of summer are finally here, and so are the insane schools of stripers and hybrids that this warm weather brings with it. We always tell everyone, “If you wanna catch numbers, then June is a great start”. It’s the perfect time to hit the lake and catch some amazing fish! And when I say numbers, it’s not uncommon for us to catch 30-50 of these explosive stripers in just a couple of hours. Now, what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Western NC & North Georgia’s #1 striper guide service: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. Check out our Facebook and Instagram page to see just what I mean. And, of course read these awesome articles.
Lake Hiwassee is unbelievable for summer striper fishing. There’s nothing like starting your day off with the birds chirping, morning fog lifting and an explosion of stripers slamming all your rods. It’s a feeding frenzy of schooled-up stripers and mass chaos of loading the boat with tons of fish. It’s not uncommon for us to boat 30-50 fish per trip out here on this serene Western North Carolina lake.
Currently, Lake Hiwassee is at full pool. Water is clear throughout the lake, and water temps are in the low 70’s. Striper fishing remains excellent. We have been loading the boat with some big fish in good quantities. Several of our fish have been in the 20-35 pound range.
The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. In the early morning hours, we have had an insane top water bite! Most of our fish have been caught on light tackle. You can still pull planer boards and free lines with live blueback herring and shad if you wish. Covering some ground will usually insure you catch some great fish. As the sun comes up in the later morning hours, start to focus on deeper water and switch to down lines. Target creek mouths and points off the main channel.
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. By mid-month these fish will really start to school up and we’ll switch to an all down line bite. Just remember to keep an eye on your electronics and watch for schools of stripers. Also, remember to try to get the fish back into the water as quick as possible.
June is a fantastic month for catching a lot of trophy stripers on this Murphy, North Carolina 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 stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime.
We are Murphy, NC’s and Blairsville Georgia’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Nottely and Chatuge (in North Carolina) and Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA.
So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!
Shane Goebel owns Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service and is a member of The Angler Magazine Fishing Team. See the website at www.bigolfish.com or call (828) 361-2021