Forecast By: Shane Goebel
Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service &
The Angler Magazine Fishing Team
Lakes Apalachia, Chatuge, Nottely, Blue Ridge and Hiwassee
With the kids back in school and the start of fall in the air, it’s time to recover from the summer and visit Lake Nottely for some of the greatest striper fishing in the North Georgia Mountains. This is a perfect time of year to catch tons of schooling fish, and there’s no better way to do that than by booking a trip with Blairsville, GA’s #1 striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.
Currently, Lake Nottely is at 3 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and slightly stained in the backs of creeks, and water temps are in the low 80’s.
Striper fishing started off a little slower than normal during the month of August. Since then it has picked up, and by the time this hits the shelf it should be excellent. September has always been a great month for stripers for us. Currently, we are catching some decent fish in good quantities. There are a lot of smaller schoolies, but we are starting to see some larger stripers in the 15 to 20 pound range. The early morning and late afternoon bites are your best times to see action. Target creek mouths and points off the main lake channel. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 7 to the dam. Downlining live blueback herring over a 30 to 70 foot bottom has been the best technique, but we’ve actually had a pretty good topwater bite lately as well. Keep that Spook or RedFin at the ready to snag those surface-busting fish. The u-rig bite has also been working fairly well. The fish will continue to school up through the next couple months and will move to even deeper water. 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.
September is a fantastic month for catching a lot of stripers and bass on this North Georgia lake. Give Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service a call and let the area’s #1 rated guide service put you on some of Lake Nottely’s best trophy stripers during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s premier full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid bass. We also serve Lakes Hiwassee and Chatuge (in North Carolina), 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 Angler Magazine, and let us help you get your fish on!