Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report December 2011

Blue Ridge: Level: 12.7 feet below full pool. Temp: 58 to 61 degrees. Clarity: Clear; 6 to 7 feet visibility.

Bass: Awesome. Eric Crowley, of Lake and Stream Guide Service, reports, “Smallies and spots are both feeding very well in the early hours, and the white bass are feeding a lot more in the midday hours. All fish are keying on big schools of threadfin shad and herring that are near the main-lake points. The fish are holding about 17 to 23 feet down and coming up to bust on the bait schools. Early morning action on a topwater hard bait is hard to beat. You just have to find what they are keying on. If they are after a smaller bait, try a small Zara Spook in blue or white/silver. The original larger Spook will work, too. If the bigger fish is what you are after, try tossing the new Smack Jack from Smack Tackle. It’s a larger profile bait with lots of action, and it gets the attention of the bigger fish.”

Walleye: Eric Crowley reports, “The walleye seem to be about 30 to 50 feet deep on most days and will eat a jigging spoon right at sunset, but that’s the only pattern we have for them right now.”