Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – May 2025

Blue Ridge: Level: 2.2 feet below 1686. Temp: 69-72 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service, reports, “Fishing is good. The spawn is pretty much over. We’re in postspawn now, and the bass are starting to feed up. You will find bass guarding fry around docks and lay downs. It’s a good time to throw a Zoom Trick Worm and a Zoom Fluke around these areas. There are still some fish hanging around spawning areas. I’ve been fishing these areas with a 3.5-inch tube, Z-man Ned rig and drop shot. We have been seeing shad spawning, and that has started some topwater action around the rocky banks.  Try throwing a 3.5-inch swimbait like a Strike King Rage Swimmer. Try throwing an Ima Skimmer or a Lucky Craft Gunfish around points and humps. If fishing deeper laydowns and brush, try a 3/8-oz. green-pumpkin jig or a shaky head. Good luck.”

Lake Blue Ridge Page: Archived Articles, Fishing Reports and Official Lake Records

Walleye: Guide Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “This lake really comes alive in May. The walleye are crushing the spawning herring early in the morning. Look for active bait up shallow before dawn and concentrate on those areas after sunrise. Jerkbaits, jigs, live bait and trolling can all be used to catch walleye this month. Your target depths in May can run from just a few feet to 50 feet deep, depending on weather conditions. Get your baits to the fish, and then fine tune your color options upon success. We have seen some real quality fish so far this year, as well as numbers, thanks to DNR’s continued stocking efforts.” 

Trout: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The trout bite has fired up for summer, and the newly added rainbows are literally jumping in the cooler some days. Small spoons, jerkbaits or even live bait at the proper depths will all catch fish this month. Most trout are running 15 to 18 feet deep. These lake fish are much tastier than their river-based cousins based on their diets and make great tablefare.”