By Shane Goebel
If you asked us which of the months were our favorites for striper fishing, the answer would definitely be September. Fishing for these Lake Hiwassee monsters is wide open in early fall. With the cooling temps and water levels falling, it really gets the stripers schooled up and feeding like crazy. This means we can absolutely wear them out and trust me, we do! This is a perfect time to experience some extreme striper fishing, and what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Murphy, NC’s #1 and only fulltime striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service. We’ve been striper fishing these area lakes longer than anyone! We have what it takes to put you one some sweet trophy stripers.
Currently, Lake Hiwassee is 6 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and water temps are in the mid to low 80s.
Striper fishing has been excellent for us lately. We’ve been averaging around 30 to 40 stripers per morning out here and on other surrounding lakes. Most of our fish have been in the 8 to 15 pound range. We have also caught some bigger stripers in the 20 to 30 pound range. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. With the cooling water temps, Stripers will really start to show up in the mouths of creeks and points off the main lake channel. Also, these fish will start working their way up the Hiwassee and Nottely Rivers. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 6 to the dam. Down lining live blue back herring will be your best technique. The top-water bite on our ultra-light tackle has picked up a bit too, so keep a spook or a Red Fin at the ready to snag surface-busting fish. The fish will continue to be schooled up throughout the next month and will remain in deeper water before starting to spread out. Just remember to keep an eye on your electronics and watch for schools of stripers when cruising the lake. Also, remember to try to get the fish back into the water as quickly as possible after they are caught. Try not to drop them in the boat and remember that the limit is 4 per person out there. This is an excellent striper lake, and it’s only going to get better if we help them thrive.
September is a fantastic month for catching tons of monster stripers on this Western 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 trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Murphy NC’s only and original premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Nottely, Chatuge, and Lake 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 and have the best live herring around. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in The 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