Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – August 2017

Blue Ridge: Level: 4.8 feet above full pool. Temp: 83 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “Pretty standard summer pattern for this lake. Spots and largemouth seem to be holding in 25 to 40 feet of water upriver on submerged structure like roadbeds, rocky points, fish attractors and bends. They are holding tight to cover and waiting on baitfish to cruise by. The key to good numbers is covering water—one or two fish, and move. You don’t have to move far, maybe just the next point, but it can really pay off. Cover the water on both sides of a point and on any large pieces of structure, and then move along. The bigger, aggressive fish seem to be eating first. The smallmouth are still showing off a little in the morning on topwater busting up schools of fry bait on the surface. After that, good luck—it’s pretty random. Hopefully with the DNR’s new stocking program we will see more bronze fish in a few years.” Guide Eric Welch reports, “The fishing remains fair. The bass are still scattered in their summer pattern. The fish we’ve been catching have been spitting up this year’s herring fry that are about 2 1/2 inches long. You can mark a lot of fish on your electronics, but getting them to bite has been the real trick. I’ve been using a drop shot and trying to match what they’re eating by using little 3-inch curly tail grubs and cutting Senkos down to 3-inch pieces. You will see some fish breaking in the mornings, but you have to try and match the small herring. I’ve been throwing a small Fluke Jr. on a weighted hook. Once the sun gets up, your deep rocky banks and laydowns up the river have been producing some fish. Throw a drop shot with a 4 1/2-inch Robo Worm and a Texas-rigged worm. I will also throw a jig around all laydowns, trying to pick up a largemouth. All we have to do is get past the month of August, and our fall fishing will start.

Walleye & Other: Guide Eric Crowley reports, “The walleye are set up pretty deep. The ones we have seen are in 60ish feet on the main river channel. Live baits, jigs, spoons—it doesn’t seem to matter when the bite is on. It’s more a matter of timing than offering. The full moon night bite should be great this month. For you catfish guys looking for some bigger fish, we caught several nice channels and a few blues up the river in the last few weeks. Haven’t seen many flatheads this year, but with the mile-long string of catfish limb lines up the river that will be the case. Anyone seen a white bass? We haven’t seen one this year since early April.”