Forecast 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 Blairsville, GA’s #1 striper guide: Big Ol’ Fish Guiding Service.
Currently, Lake Nottely is 4 feet below full pool but is expected to be full by June 1st. Water clarity is clear and slightly stained in the backs of creeks, 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 points off the main channel. As the topwater bite has also been excellent, keep a Spook or a RedFin 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 all 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 quickly as possible.
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 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 monster 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 fish during the fishing trip of a lifetime. We are Blairsville, GA’s only full-time guide service, specializing in striped and hybrid 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 and the best live herring around. So, come fish with the pros for the opportunity to be featured in Angler Magazine. Let us help you get your fish on!