Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – January 2025

Chatuge: Level: 7.2 feet below 1925. Temp: 53-55 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Eric Welch, of Welch’s Guide Service, reports, “Fishing is good. The lake is at winter pool, and the water temps are just right. The spotted bass on Chatuge love a Z-man Ned rig in the winter. On sunny days, these bass will pull up on long points and also red clay banks. I continued to fish a drop shot in the winter. I just downsize to a 4.5-inch worm and change my colors to red crawler and ayu. When using my forward-facing sonar, I will look for fish off points and ditches and will target them with an A-rig and jerkbait. If you have a sunny day and a little wind, try a crankbait, like a Bandit 200 or a Deep Wee R, in a crawfish or shad pattern around the clay banklines. When the lake is down at winter pool, there are not many laydowns where you can fish, but there is a lot of shore brush off the points and out in the main body of the lake. I like throwing a green-pumpkin jig or dragging a shaky head in these areas. Always keep topwater on the deck just in case you see some fish breaking.”

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