Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – July 2009

Chatuge: Level: 0.5 feet above full pool. Temp: Low 90s. Clarity: Clear, with a slight stain for Chatuge.

Bass: Good. Daniel Workman said there has been a good topwater bite in the mornings and evenings over brush and rocks. Daniel likes a Pop-R for this bite, and he sticks with natural colors, anything blue or green to imitate a blueback. When the topwater bite dies down, Daniel said he’s caught some very nice spots dropping a jig-head worm to brushpiles and rocks where the schooling fish were. He said to go with either a Zoom Finesse Worm or a Needle Worm. Green pumpkin is a good color on Chatuge. The largemouths are up in the creeks hugging bank cover. Daniel said the best way to catch them is to pound the banks with a small spinnerbait. He said the bait can be up to 1/2-oz., but the blades must be small, either willowleaf or Colorado. Go with either white/silver or firecracker, which is a clear skirt with red, white and blue flake.

Bream: Daniel said a lot of big brem are being caught on Chatuge, and it’s easy right now with the water level up. Go into the backs of the pockets and find an area where the water is up in the trees. Throw a cricket on a bobber to the tree line, and load the boat.