The number of largemouth bass in Lake Chatuge remains relatively low, but a few big fish will be caught this year.
Technique
During the winter months, slow moving live baits and artificial baits that imitate crayfish or dying shad are effective during cold weather. As surface temperatures rise during the spring months, jerk baits and spinner baits fished around visible structure in coves and creek channels are your best bets. During summer, largemouth bass will feed on small blueback herring at the surface during the early morning hours. Cast into surface feeding fish with fast moving topwater baits. Bass will retreat to deeper water during the day where slower presentations with plastic worms are more effective. To hook up with hungry bass in the fall months, anglers need to explore a lot of water with crankbaits and swimbaits. Also be on the lookout for surface feeding fish at dawn and dusk.
Target
During the winter months, largemouths are bunched up in creek channels, along points and around fallen trees. Feeding activity is best during mid-afternoon when the daily water temperature reaches its peak. In the spring months, look for largemouth bass around shallow water structure near the backs of coves. The warm summer temperatures will drive largemouth bass to deeper water in the 20 to 30-ft depth range. Search for summer bass on points. As water temperatures cool down with the arrival of fall, largemouth bass go on the prowl in search of food to build up their winter fat reserves. Looking for schooling fish near the surface as well as on points this time of year.
Spotted bass
Prospect
Spotted bass are the most abundant sportfish species in Lake Chatuge. Anglers can expect to catch high numbers of spotted bass in the 1 to 2 pound range.
Technique
During the winter months, spotted bass prefer live baits, like blueback herring, fished in open water, especially near the dam. With warming spring temperatures, spotted bass will take jerk baits, floating worms, and spinner baits when fished along rocky shorelines, near boat docks, and fallen trees. During the summer at dawn and dusk, target surface feeding fish with topwater baits on the lower lake. During the daytime, switch to slow moving deepwater presentations on nearby points and along the dam. Fishing activity peaks again during the fall months when spotted bass feed aggressively throughout the day on a variety of artificial lures. Anglers need to use a variety of lures to cover a lot of water at different depth zones to zero in on feeding fish.
Target
During the winter months, spotted bass are searching for bait fish that are holding in pockets of warmer water. Rocky banks radiate heat into the water during the winter and provide the ideal site for anglers to find the wintertime bite. Anglers should target banks along the main river channel that contain gravel-to-boulder-size rocks with cover (stumps, brush and logs). The rip-rap lined face of the dam is also an excellent place to target during the winter months. Spawning occurs in April and May and spotted bass can be found in 5 to 15-ft of water near fallen trees, boat docks and along rocky banks. During summer, target points in 20 to 30-ft of water, gradually moving into deeper water as summer progresses. In fall, spotted bass can be just about anywhere looking for an easy meal. Look for surface feeding fish over open water at dawn and dusk. During the day, explore deeper water with crankbaits on points and around fallen trees. There are a number of small artificial reefs that have been placed into the lake by DNR. These sites are marked by buoys and hold good numbers of fish throughout most of the year.
Hybrid Bass
Prospect
Lake Chatuge once held the world record hybrid bass with a 25 lb, 8 oz trophy caught in 1997. Since the hybrid bass population does not reproduce and must be maintained by stocking, the population declined dramatically shortly after stocking ceased in 1996. In spring 2010, hybrid bass were stocked again into Lake Chatuge by GA-DNR. Stocked hybrids had high survival and rapid growth their first year in the lake after this long hiatus. We plan to continue stocking low numbers of hybrid bass into the lake annually in hopes of restoring Lake Chatuge's reputation as a world-class hybrid bass fishery. For now, anglers may catch high numbers of small hybrid bass from 1 to 2 pounds.
Technique
Hybrid bass are aggressive feeders that will take a variety of artificial baits that imitate live shad or herring. Live baits, curly-tailed grubs, bucktail jigs, and Super Flukes are all effective at various times of the year.
Target
Hybrid bass are schooling fish, so if you catch one there are sure to be many more close by. In the winter months, hybrid bass can be found on windblown points. During the spring, they will roam the shallows along rocky banks in search of spawning shad and herring. By summer, hybrid bass will migrate to deeper water on the lower lake. Good electronics will help an angler zero in actively feeding hybrid bass lying in wait underneath schools of blueback herring. During the fall, hybrid bass will still be concentrated on the lower lake in deeper water, but will feed aggressively at the surface during the early morning and evening.
White bass
Prospect
According to annual sampling, white bass abundance is stable. Lake Chatuge is one of the best reservoirs to target white bass in north Georgia.
Technique
Jigging with hair jigs, plastic grubs and spoons, and fishing topwater lures from May through July are effective methods.
Target
Target main lake points in summer months and creeks during the spring spawn.
Bream
Prospect
Bluegill are one of the more abundant sunfish varieties in Lake Chatuge. Expect larger fish from May to August.
Technique
Crickets and night crawlers fished with or without a float are productive all year. An alternative summer strategy is to cast rubber spiders, small popping bugs or rubber ants with a fly rod toward overhanging tree limbs in coves and small pockets.
Target
Adult fish spawn in relatively shallow water on sandy bottoms from May - August during the full moon. Search for their circular nests in 4 to 10-ft of water near boat docks and fallen trees. For the remainder of the summer, look for schools of bluegill underneath overhanging tree limbs and around boat docks. In the fall months, sunfish retreat to deeper water near fallen trees. The fish attractor sites marked by buoys are also good places to bream fish.
Crappie
Prospect
Low numbers of crappie are available. Most fish caught will average 1/2 pound.
Technique
Minnows and minnow-tipped jigs are most productive. Small curly-tailed jigs or hair jigs are a suitable alternative for the die-hard angler who prefers artificial presentations.
Target
Target downed trees and cove pockets containing woody debris or brush, especially in March and April. During summer, fall and winter, crappie can be found in similar types of habitat but in deeper water.
Other Species
Prospect
Chatuge supports a good population of channel catfish that readily take cut baits and commercial catfish baits. Carp also are abundant and readily take prepared catfish baits, corn and dough baits from May - August.
Additional Information
Since 2006, several partners have placed a number of PVC fish attractors at selected cove sites throughout the lake. For information concerning attractor locations call the Wildlife Resources Division office at: 770.535.5498. The website for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is http://www.tva.gov/sites/chatuge
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