Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – November 2018

Chatuge: Level: 5.3 feet low. Temp: 66-68 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch reports, “Fishing is getting good. Fall and winter is the greatest time of the year to fish. With the lake dropping, the days getting shorter and cooler weather in the forecast, fishing on Lake Chatuge is fixing to bust wide open. When the pros fished for three days, they mainly threw topwater lures. Just wait until the water temps drop another 10 degrees, and it will be the best topwater bite we’ve had in a couple years. The lake is full of bluebacks from 2.5 to 6 inches, and they’re staged all over the main body and in the pockets. If you know how to read your electronics, you can find the bait. Topwater baits I’m using are the Strike King Sexy Dawg, the KVD Splash, the Ima Little Stik 135 and a Cane Thumper. I’m also following it up with a Sebile Magic Swimmer 125 (custom painted) and a Nichols Flutter spoon in the bombshell shad. Once the bass bust the school of baitfish up, I’m throwing a Rage Swimmer in 2.5 and 3.75 on a 3/16-oz. swimbait head. You can also watch fish on your depthfinder and throw a drop shot with a 6-inch morning-dawn colored Roboworm and a Z-Man TRD worm on a 1/16-oz. Ned rig hook. You can also catch fish on the double fluke rig. Around docks, it’s hard to beat a shaky head in green pumpkin and maybe a pb&j jig.”