Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – April 2025

Blue Ridge: Level: 8.6 feet below 1686. Temp: 48-56 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service, reports, “Fishing has been good. It’s that time of year when spring is in the air, and the days are getting longer, which means water levels are coming up and the water temperature is on the rise. In the next couple of weeks, you will start to see bass moving up and start feeding before the spawn. Spotted bass will be staging off long, rocky points, pebble banks and clay banks with some rocks. Largemouth will be moving up in pockets, around brush, and around the backs of docks looking for spawning areas. This time of year you can throw all kinds of baits in these areas: Ned rigs, tubes, shaky heads and drop shots. It’s also a great time to throw a fluke and a glide bait. For those groups of fish that are still swimming around waiting to move in, try one of the hundred different FFS minnows. It’s also a fun time of year to throw a Rat-L-Trap, or a 2.5 squarebill crankbait in a firecraw or spring-craw color. Spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits work well, also. Once they move into the spawning flats, I like dragging a 3/8-oz. jig with a twin-tail grub. I’ve always liked throwing a Chug Bug and a Pop-R on this lake. 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, “Temps are climbing and the winter pool level is slowly rising to spring levels on this reservoir. As the temps climb into the lower 60s, the fish in this lake start to get fired up. Walleye are slowly making their way out of the river system and moving back to the lake where the blueback herring are schooling up preparing for their annual spawn. Look for the walleye to set up in ambush locations waiting on the baitfish. These are rockpiles, brushpiles, edges where rock meets mud bottom and the rocks along the dam. The walleye will be on the bottom waiting on your offering. Lures, jigs, spoons and live bait will all put fish in the boat this month. How you choose to target them is personal preference. We are fishing both live bait and plastics, depending on weather and water  conditions. The 12- to 40-foot range has been key early and 25 to 55 feet after the sun is up high. One thing to keep in mind is leader size on this clear lake. The 6- to 8-lb. line seems to be the ticket, out producing 10- and 12-1b. test two to one right now. Regardless of lure or bait choice, being stealthy is the key in clear, shallow water. Husky Jerks and Shad Raps are the go-to artificials for us right now. Rotating through colors and sizes every day to find what they want has become standard on this lake. The areas around Point 5 and the mouth of Star Creek have both been producing nice walleye recently.”