Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Report – June 2023

Blue Ridge: Level: Full pool. Temp: 70-76 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Capt. Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “The spotted bass are done spawning and are out packing on the pounds for summer. There’s lots of activity at sunrise with fish chasing bait on the surface in the creeks and on the main lake in open water. We have been throwing topwater plugs at them or flukes if you are close enough. Both have been drawing the attention of these hungry green fish. Cloudy days seem to draw the bite out a little longer versus the sunshine usually shutting it off early. Star Creek, Green Creek and the area around Points 5 and 7 have been hot at sunrise.”

Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service reports, “Bass fishing at Blue Ridge has been fair. The bass are done spawning and are moving out to their summer areas. The lake is at full pool and anyone who has ever fished Lake Blue Ridge knows it fishes better when it is about 3 feet below full pool and lower. Something about the full pool changes how the fish like to set up on the rocky banks. I’ve been starting my mornings on the main body of the lake, fishing pockets and points with a shaky head and 3.5-inch tube. If I’m scanning offshore or a deep point and marking some fish, I will use a drop shot or a minnow bait on the drop shot. There should start being some breaking fish early in the mornings. I will throw a Whopper Plopper or a Pop-R around open water that has ditches or transitions from deep water to shallow water. Midday I will start working my way up the river and hitting the deep banks where the river hits. Baits of choice will be a shaky head or a drop shot. If there is a bank line that has laydowns, I will throw a Texas-rigged green-pumpkin finesse worm. Good luck.”

Lake Blue Ridge Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports

Walleye: Capt. Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “The last two months have been incredible, one of the best spring fishing runs we have had in a few years. Lots of walleye were caught last month, both day and night fishing. We had several fish in the 5- to 6-lb. range come on the boat recently that were just stuffed with herring. The bait spawn was great with lots of big walleye showing up to feast on the spawning bluebacks. Now that the bait has spawned and spread back out over the main lake, the walleye have followed them and are now set up in their favorite summertime locations. Look for fish holding just offshore in cooler, deeper water; 25 to 50 feet will be the area of interest. Look for bait on or around the major main-lake points and flats. Crankbaits, spoons and live bait will catch walleye this month. It really just depends on how you like to catch them. Some days they will chase down a crankbait or a jerkbait, and some days you may want to go vertical, depending on their mood. Bandits, Smithwicks and Shad Raps are all at the top of the list for crankbait options, and the Hopkins and Krocodile spoons are my go-to vertical baits. As we get later into June, you may want to look a little deeper during the daytime as the sunlight can really penetrate the clear water of this lake, or look in the grassbeds in deeper water.”