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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

Lake Nottely Record Striped Bass

On April 28, 2002, 13-year-old Christopher Hampton, of Blairsville, was fishing for striped bass on Lake Nottely with his dad Randy when he hooked-up with a huge striper. Even with the boat in hot pursuit with the trolling motor on high, the fish nearly stripped 240 yards of 12-lb. test line off Christopher’s reel. The…

Lake Nottely Record Smallmouth Bass

A Nottely smallmouth weighing 6-lbs. even set a new lake record in 1993. James Miller, of Blue Ridge, caught the trophy smallmouth on Jan. 30.

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