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Lake Nottely

Lake Nottely is a deep, clear mountain lake of 4,180 acres that offers good fishing for a variety of species, but Nottely is probably best known for its trophy striped bass. Nottely is one of many reservoirs built by the Tennessee Valley Authority. It is located entirely in Union County. Formed in 1942 by the damming of the Nottely River, Nottely Reservoir extends 20 miles upstream to Blairsville. Approximately 70 percent of the shoreline is owned by the U.S. Forest Service and undeveloped.

Lake Nottely Resources

Lake Nottely Fishing Report – May 2025

By GON Staff | April 30, 2025

Nottely: Level: 2 feet below 1775. Temp: 64-67 degrees. Clarity: Clear. Stripers: Guide Jeremy Seabolt reports, “Fishing has been good. Our boats have already put one fish over 30 and three over 20 in the boat. We have caught lots of teenaged fish. Most all our fish have come off large shad and 6- and 8-inch herring. Fish are scattered from Point 9 to the dam. Creek mouths and long, rocky points have been holding the most fish. We have been catching most of our fish pulling boards and pitching herring on the long points. Now, going into May, it starts getting fun for numbers. When the herring get to spawning, I like throwing flukes and Red Fins. Fish should start feeding heavy on the herring and will start getting in bigger schools. Start to look for fish to get active on top mid May, so have a topwater plug ready…

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Lake Nottely Articles

December Trophy Stripers At Lake Nottely

Lake Nottely sits high in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Georgia. Being so far from Atlanta, the lake doesn’t see the fishing pressure of many reservoirs. In December, the pressure will be even less. For Josh Garrison, owner of Garrison International Inc. Fishing Guide Service, the lack of pressure is what makes the lake…

Lake Nottely Record Walleye

On Feb. 24, 2007, Dwight Dilbeck, of Ducktown, was on Lake Nottely with his father in the boat when he caught thas lake record 8-lb., 15.2-oz. walleye. The fish hit a crankbait. Dwight’s dad, Doug, was the former record-holder.

Live Bait Linesides At Lake Nottely

There’s no mistaking it when a hybrid bass or striper hits a live bait. We caught several spotted bass on the live bluebacks we were fishing on downlines and freelines, and the spots seem to like to play with their food.  The rod tip might bounce a few times before the indecisive spot really eats.…

Stealth For Monster Nottely Stripers

“Tony, we are fixin’ to get hit, here.” said Randy, watching the arches on his graph. “ They are coming up.” Ten seconds later one of the rod tips began to bounce — the bait being taken by a striper “Here we go,” said Randy, as the rod tip crashed into the water. Randy’s brother-in-law…

Lake Nottely’s Mountain Magic Bass, Topwater Style

The smash of a healthy largemouth bass attacking a topwater bait is one of those things that avid anglers don’t soon forget. Nothing is more likely to get a serious bass fisherman’s adrenaline flowing than an explosive topwater strike from a big fish on a quiet summer morning. Bass are predators by nature, and they…

Lake Nottely Record Fish

Largemouth Bass12-lbs.Sonny Evans07/30/75
Spotted Bass7-lbs., 2-ozs.Robert Kincaid03/08/72
Smallmouth6-lbs.James Miller01/30/93
Striped Bass53-lbs., 12-ozs.Christopher Hampton04/28/02
Hybrid Bass11-lbs., 5.6-ozs.James Beise03/21/17
White Bass3-lbs., 10-ozs.John Ledford08/06/88
Black Crappie3-lbs., 1.28-ozs.Anthony Tritt04/04/14
Yellow Perch1-lb., 2-ozs.Harold Underwood04/01/85
Flathead Catfish51-lbs., 15-ozs.Hoyt McDaniel06/02/69
Blue Catfish12-lbs., 8-ozs.Denise Dean06/26/86
Walleye8-lbs., 15.2-ozs.Dwight Dilbeck02/24/07
Brown Trout11-lbs., 7.52-ozs.Jonathan Lewis03/16/10
Channel Catfish17-lbs., 12-ozs.Micah Garrison08/20/21