Lake Blue Ridge Fishing Reports – March 2023

Blue Ridge: Level: 12.9 feet below full pool. Temp: 49-53 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service reports, “Fishing has been good. We’ve had a lot of rain lately, along with some warm days. This has brought the lake levels up and the water temps have started warming up, but we always seem to have another cold snap that changes things before the spawn. We’ve been staying to the normal pattern of starting out on the main body of the lake, looking for pebble-rock bank lines and areas that will warm up faster and where fish normally spawn. I’ve been using a Ned rig, 3.5-inch tubes and small crankbaits in these areas. You will find fish staging off small finger points with very small pockets between them. I have also been throwing a swimbait and a jerkbait in these areas. If I see a group of fish on my Garmin Livescope, I will also use a drop shot. With as good as the Garmin Livescope is, it won’t take long to scan an area for fish. The river is a coin toss depending on how much rain that we’ve received in the last 48 hours, whether it will be a little stained or muddy. I’m fishing the same baits up the river that I’m fishing on the main body. If we continue having warm days, it is possible we could see an early spawn.”

Capt. Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “March is a great month to catch the variety of bass in this lake. Largemouth are cruising the banks, the spotted bass are chasing bait up shallow early in the day, then suspending just offshore after that. Flukes and spoons will get their attention in either situation. I like a Krocodile spoon in rainbow trout color or gold on cloudy days. Later in the month, you can start searching for beds in Star Creek, Green Creek and around Morganton Point where Trick Worms wacky rigged are a personal favorite. The bass bite should really be in full swing by the middle of March as water temps start to slowly rise. The other go-to in March is crayfish-themed cranks. Deep, shallow on the bottom or suspended, a red-craw-colored crankbait is hard to beat on this lake when the crayfish are spawning. Norman Little Ns and Rapala DT10s are my go-to lures for March.”

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Walleye: Capt. Eric Crowley, of Lake And Stream Guide Service, reports, “The water is still cold, and the lake is still down 20 or so feet. Plus every time it rains, the lake gets a bad stain from the bank runoff, but if you time it right, the bite can be a lot of fun. There are walleye scattered everywhere right now in the main river channel from Point 5 up. These walleye are on the move to the spawning grounds. It’s mostly a night bite with the clear water, but on overcast or rainy days, you can cash in during daylight hours. We are fishing spoons vertical or pulling crankbaits near the bottom in 20 to 30 feet of water. Look for hard or rocky bottom in between mud banks and flats along the river. These are staging areas where the fish will rest along the way. These are the places to fish during the daytime. At night, look for the bite shallower in the same general areas with jerkbaits or a Jig-N-Minnow. Stick to the appropriate colors for the water conditions or glow in the dark after sunset.”