Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – July 2024

Chatuge: Level: 0.5 over 1925. Temp: 81-83 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service, “Fishing has been good, but we are in need of some rain. The lake temps are getting up, and we still have two more months of hot weather. It’s that time of year when your forward-facing sonar units show how good of an investment they are. I start my mornings out looking for offshore brush and ditches. I’ll drop my trolling motor and scan around a few times, and if I see fish, then I will start using a drop shot with a 6-inch Roboworm or swimbait on a 1/4-oz. jig head. I will also throw a shaky head around these areas, but I’m also going to have a topwater lure tied on, like a Berkley Cane Walker, something I can make a long cast on breaking fish. These areas have been holding a lot of fish. You may have to work at getting them to bite. Sometimes it can be tricky getting them to bite, but you have to remember the more anglers that are using forward-facing sonar, the smarter the fish are getting. If the wind is blowing, try throwing a 3/8-oz. spinnerbait around brush or docks that the wind is hitting on. Also, if you’re just looking at fishing laydowns, try a Zoom Fluke, 3/8-oz. green-pumpkin jig or a Texas rig. Good luck.”

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