Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report February 2013

Blue Ridge: Level: 9.7 feet below full pool. Temp: Upper 40s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Eric Crowley, of Lake and Stream Guide Service, reports, “This mountain reservoir is a hard lake to fish in February, but if you can find the smallies, you can for sure catch ’em. The key this month will be finding the bait. Start by searching in the pockets and coves that come in contact with the river channel. The bait uses the river channel to move around the lake, and the smallies will hold on the edges and wait for them or follow them at or near the same depth. I like to vertical jig for these fish but not with a spoon. I like to jig a Smack Tackle Flitter Bait right in their face till they can’t stand it. These little baits seem to mimic the baitfish so well there is no need for live bait right now. Mark the baitfish on the sonar, figure out the depth, count out the line to that depth, and start a twitching-type bounce with the rod tip moving the bait up and down in the water column just over the fish or at the same depth. Another trick is to turn up the sensitivity on the Humminbird and crank up the chart speed. This will allow you to see the bait clear as day and even watch the fish as they strike the lure. Green Creek and Star Creek both have a good amount of bait in them now and should well into February.”