Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Reports – December 2021

Blue Ridge: Level: 12.3 feet below 1681. Temp: 55-55 degrees. Clarity: 10 feet.

Bass: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “Bass are on the points 20 to 30 feet deep crashing bait on the surface and holding deep on rockpiles in 40 feet of water. We are catching them on vertical offerings while walleye fishing, but I’m sure anything will work. They are definitely liking the chrome or green spoons and lures.”

Guide Eric Welch reports, “The bite is good. TVA has the lake pulled down, and we have also been having some colder weather, which is helping drop the water temp. It’s that time of year to start digging in you tackle box and pulling out the Rapala No. 5 Shad Raps and start paralleling the rocky banks. We’ve also been catching some fish on jerkbaits. I like throwing the new Strike King KVD 100 because it’s small like the herring baitfish they’re feeding on. Once the sun comes out, you can start targeting rocky points, deep, rocky, bank lines and brush if you can find any. I target these areas with a drop shot and a 4.5-inch Roboworm, a Z-man TRD in green pumpkin and a 3/8-oz. jig green pumpkin or pb&j. This time of year you just have to move around. Also, if you find a school of fish on your electronics, try dropping a Flex It spoon down on them. Good luck.” 

Walleye: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “Wow! Fall fishing has been amazing. The walleye have moved out of the summer locations and are feeding heavily on bait before winter sets in. We have switched over to a vertical presentation for the walleye versus trolling or casting. Spoons, jigs and live-bait combinations are the way to go. Use dark colors on bright days and bright colors on darker days. To locate them, look for large schools of bait near structure. The walleye will be on the bottom under the bait balls. Work the area where the bait is, not just the fish your marking. Fish will be tight to the rocky bottom and hard to see at times. Weather can be key with the walleye. Cloudy, overcast days are what you’re looking for. Walleye hate sunshine, especially combined with clear water. Also, the smaller the moon the better the morning bite will be. The water is super clear right now, so downsizing line to 8-lb. fluorocarbon will increase the number of bites you’re getting with any presentation. Average fish have been 22 inches with several fish hitting 24 inches. Most days we are seeing three to eight fish a day.  

Yellow Perch: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The perch bites been really good and should continue this month. Small jigs, spoons or the standard minnow rig will all catch perch.  Chrome, gold, green and white are my go-to colors. The trick is catching the bigger ones. Try mixing in a bigger lure or bait to attract the bigger fish. Look for them in 16 to 40 feet of water typically on the edges or drop-offs in pockets or channel bends. The lake is at winter pool, and there’s lots of shallow hazards. If you’re going to venture out on the lake this time of year, please keep an eye out.”