Lake Chatuge Fishing Reports – August 2020

Chatuge: Level: 1 foot below full. Temp: Mid 80s. Clarity: Clear.

Bass: Guide Eric Welch reports, “I’ve not seen any breaking or schooling fish. All the baitfish I have been marking has been deep. We’ve been catching spotted bass off main-lake points, deep banks and docks with deep water access. The bait of choice has been a drop shot with a 6-inch morning-dawn worm, Z-Man Ned rig with a TRD worm and a shaky head with a 5-inch finesse worm. With the water temp being as warm as it has been, I tell everyone you need to fish like it was cold weather and water temps are cold. The bite is real light, and you have to set the hook before they spit it. I’ve been catching fish from 8 to 45 feet deep. When fishing is like this, you need good electronics and know-how to use them. The water temp up the river has been cooler, and we’ve been catching some largemouth up there on a Strike King Ocho rigged wacky style.”

Linesides: Guide Shane Goebel reports, “We’ve had one of the most productive and exciting hybrid bites in years, and now that August is here it should remain the same. Hybrid fishing has been phenomenal lately. The fish are schooling in large numbers, and we are catching some big quantities (40 to 60 a morning.) Most of our hybrids are averaging 5 to 8 pounds. The early morning and mid-afternoon bites have been prime. Look for schools of fish along the main channel and off points from marker 5 to the dam. Downlining live blueback herring has been the best technique. Search out your areas and watch your electronics. 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 plug, Spook or Red Fin at the ready. Look for this same pattern to continue for the next month or so until water temps begin to fall.”

GON’s Lake Chatuge Page