Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – February 2024

Chatuge: Level: 5.7 feet below 1925. Temp: 41- 43 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service, reports, “Fishing has been fair. The past month we have had all kinds of weather changes; some warm days, a lot of rain and air temps in the single digits, which has dropped the water temps to the lowest we’ve seen in a couple of years. I hope it provides us with a good shad kill. Our mountain lakes are starting to get overpopulated with blueback herring, which means we have way more bait than fish, which causes the lake to get out of balance. I’ve been marking fish 18 to 45 feet deep on main-lake ditches and way-off points. I’ve been targeting these fish with a drop shot, a 4.5-inch Roboworm or switching it up with a 3-inch minnow bait to try and match the herring that they’re feeding on. You can also catch some on a Ned rig, jig and a shaky head. This time of year is a good time to start using small swimbaits. I like throwing a Strike King 3.25-inch Rage Swimmer on a 1/4- to 5/16-oz. VMC swimbait hook. If you find a good school of fish off a point or in a ditch, try throwing a Flex-It spoon or a hair jig. Chatuge is full of herring baitfish, so fall and winter is a great time to throw a jerkbait or a small crankbait. If you want to just burn the banks, try paralleling and throwing a No. 5 Shad Rap. This is a great time of year to take a little time and work on your electronic skills, especially if you’re using forward-facing sonar. It will help to dial in your settings and also see how your baits work out in front of you. If you set it up right, you will be able to watch a jerkbait or crankbait come right over the brushpile or school of fish. If you’re looking for a good workout, try throwing an A-rig all day long. You’re about guaranteed to catch fish and not be able to lift your coffee cup the next morning. Good luck.”

Lake Chatuge Page: Archived Articles, News & Fishing Reports