by Dickelsby Finn
Grandpa and the Kid Go Striper Swipin’…..You Can Too!
If you ever thought about visiting beautiful Lake Nottely in the mountains near Blairsville because you are enjoying the area’s fine attractions and you think you might want to experience some terrific lake fishing, keep reading!
We had the distinct pleasure of joining the Angler Magazine fishing team a few weeks ago. The participants were our two professional fish guiders, Shane Goebels and Darren Hughes. Two other Angler Magazine officials, Bob Rice and Nick Carter were also on board. Nick was stationed behind the camera to capture the magic moments of striper catching and some unexpected nature happenings.
We gathered at Hughes General Store very early and soon had the big flat bottomed boat out on the water heading for Ivory Log Creek. On the way we were advised to expect either feasting or fasting by the big fish, and hopes were high that we would find them eagerly looking for some herring and shad for breakfast.
Soon the electronics indicated baitfish and stripers were at 30 feet. The sturdy rigs were baited and inserted in the rod holders. There were two planer boards and a monster shad on a rig with a bobber the size of a softball trolling behind us. It didn’t take long to see the rods start bending as we all grabbed our nearest pole. Jimmy Jr was closest to the big one in the back and an epic battle began as he tried to land his first striper ever. This was a very big fish and it really didn’t want to be caught, so sadly he got free somehow, and we could only imagine setting the striper record with the monster that stills swims in the Nottely depths.
While this was going on, we landed 4 other beauties that were digitally recorded and quickly released. Soon the kid had another one on a spinning rig that tried relentlessly to avoid being in the net. Got em this time…. a prize 20 pounder! This was an event and a picture memory to last a lifetime.
As the sun started to peak through, we noticed some animal activity on the banks of the big cove. A coyote was chasing a turkey. It didn’t take long and it didn’t turn out well for the poor defenseless hen. These predators are really having a negative impact on our game population and hopefully the recent public hunter efforts at culling the herd will start to pay off.
We now approached the Murphy Highway area where a few more beauties were boated. Then something extraordinary occurred. Remember, I said we had some very big striper baits in the water. Well the rod nearest me doubles over and we netted the largest crappie I’ve ever seen; 2 ½ pounds worth of beautiful crappie! Quickly checking the smartest phones ever invented, we discovered it was indeed one of the largest caught in Lake Nottely. The record belongs to a lad who caught a 3.09 pounder a few years ago.
If you too wish to experience this wonderful action, simply get in touch with Big Ol Fish Guiding Service, www.bigolfish.com or call Shane Goebel at 828-361-2021 and you will be treated to some excellent service. They are also planning some great spotted bass trips to Lake Chatuge and Blue Ridge this summer. Also, if you are in the area needing gas, bait or other supplies, just stop in at Hughes General Store on Murphy Highway in Blairsville.
Hope you enjoyed your few minutes of fish reading and certainly get in touch with us here at The Angler Magazine if you would like to get your message in front of a great audience. Just call 404-427-3286 or Dickg@theanglermagazine.com