Lake Chatuge Fishing Report – September 2017

Chatuge: Level: 2.6 feet low. Temp: 82-85 degrees. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide: Eric Welch reports, “The bass are still scattered around. There are some fish blowing up in the mornings around flats and on the main body. I keep a Strike King Sexy Dawg tied on a spinning rod, so I can make long casts at the breaking fish. I’m also throwing the Whopper Plopper around laydowns and any brush. After the morning bite, I’m throwing drop shots and shaky heads off points and around docks. There have been some fish out on the humps. The water temp should start dropping this month, and the Chatuge bass should start schooling and feeding together.”

Linesides: Fair. Guide Jeremy Seabolt reports, “The spots have been schooling good, and a few hybrids are mixed in with them. Most of the hybrids are schooled up around Point 1 and Points 7 and 8. We have been having some 20- to 40-fish days. We have been downlining herring 20 to 40 feet deep and pulling freelines 150 feet behind the boat. Lake Chatuge is a good lake to take a kid out fishing. The spots are a ton of fun to catch, and the lake is full them.” Guide Shane Goebel reports, “This summer has been off the charts for us. We’ve had one of the most productive and exciting hybrid bites in years, and now that fall is knocking on our doors, it should remain the same. Hybrid fishing is great as the fish are schooling in large numbers, and we are catching some big quantities. Most of our hybrids are averaging 8 to 12 pounds. The early morning and mid-afternoon bites have been prime. Look for schools of Chatuge hybrids along the main channel and off points. Downlining live blueback herring has been the best technique. When you mark fish, drop your lines. Fish will be slightly shallower in the early morning hours and will move to deeper water by mid-morning. The topwater bite has slowed down considerably, but you can still find a few busting. When these fish start busting on bait, it’s always a good idea to have a Spook or Red-Fin at the ready. In the upcoming month, look for these trends to continue. Hybrids will stay deep and move around throughout the lake. All the same techniques will be the same.”