Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – December 2008

Blue Ridge: Level: 17.5 feet below full pool. Temp: High 40s to low 50s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Good. Nathan Lewis said the smallmouths are on main-lake points in 15 to 18 feet of water, and they are biting a 1/4-oz. tube jig in either brown or green pumpkin. “Anything that imitates a crawdad,” he said. He has also had some luck on a 1/4-oz. Doll Fly fished without a trailer. “There have been a lot of spots mixed in with them,” Nathan said, “and we’ve been catching them on the same baits.” Another bait that’s working well for smallies and spots in the same types of areas is a small worm fished on a drop shot. Nathan specifically mentioned a Roboworm, Aaron’s Magic in color. If you want a chance at a big largemouth, Nathan said they’re there, but they’re hard to catch because the water is so clear. For bigger fish, Nathan likes to flip a small jig ’n pig in watermelon or green pumpkin or a big worm like a Texas-rigged Ol Monster in either cherry seed or green pumpkin to the thickest brush he can find or rocks in the river 10 feet deep or shallower. He said this bite is better after a rain, when the water is a little more dingy.

Walleye: “It’s almost non-existent,” said Nathan. “The last few weeks have been really tough. I guess they’re suspended somewhere. When they’re suspended in 40 feet of water over an 80-foot bottom, they’re just hard to catch.”