By Shane Goebel
Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service & The Angler Magazine Fishing Team
www.bigolfish.com
October in the North Georgia Mountains is a fantastic time to hit the water. With the beautiful views of the changing leaves and the cool comfortable temps, this is the perfect time to hit the lake and experience some extreme striper fishing, and what’s the best way to do that? By booking a trip with Blairsville, GA’s #1 and only fulltime striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.
Currently, Lake Nottely is 7 feet below full pool. Water clarity is clear and water temps are in the low 70s. At the time of writing this report, we are seeing good signs of lake turnover. Don’t let this get you down. The fish will be very moody, but you just have to deploy some different tactics. For us, the smallmouth and spots usually get fired during turnover, and the stripers get pretty temperamental. Just be patient and figure out what is working the best to get that hookup.
Striper fishing has been excellent. We’ve been averaging around 20 stripers per morning out here. We are also starting to catch some bigger fish in the 15 to 30 pound range. The early-morning and evening bites are your best times to see action. We’ve also had some heavy bites in the mid-day hours. With the cooling water temps, continue to target creek mouths and points off the main lake channel but also look for schools to move back into the creeks. The majority of our fish have been caught from Point 6 to the dam. The topwater bite has picked up a bit, so keep a Spook or a RedFin 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.
October is a fantastic month for catching some big fish on this 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 fish. We also serve Lake Hiawassee, Chatuge and Blue Ridge. And for all your live blueback herring 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, and let us help you get your fish on!