Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – May 2008

Blue Ridge: Level: 1.1 feet below full pool. Temp: Mid 60s. Clarity: The main lake is clear, the creeks are good fishing color.

Bass: Good. Blue Ridge fishing guide Nathan Lewis was on the lake April 26 with Clayton Chambers and in a half day they caught 27 bass. The fish were a 50/50 mix of smallmouths and spots that ranged to 4 pounds. “We caught most of them on topwater,” said Nathan. “We caught some on flukes and some on crankbaits. There were a few fish breaking, and if you could get a bait to them, they would usually hit. We had an overcast day, and that probably improved the bite.” For topwater, Nathan and Clayton were throwing a Pop R and a Zara Spook Puppy. The crankbaits were Shad Raps and Bill Norman’s in shad patterns. “Usually, when the sun comes out you have to drop back and throw a tube a little deeper. We caught fish just about everywhere we tried — rocky points, red-clay points, windy banks, flats. Most of the smallmouths have spawned out, and they are up and feeding.”

Walleye: Still scattered as they move back down the lake, said Nathan, with some fishermen picking up an occasional fish on plugs cast to the bank. The nighttime bite on the full moon will hold up, although it will not be as good as the moons in February and March. Try No. 5 Shad Raps, hair jigs and curly tail jigs run just off the bottom. By June, the fish will move deeper and concentrate on deep drops and ledges and can be caught on spoons.