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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 – December 2023

By GON Staff | November 29, 2023

Nottely: Level: 11.7 feet below 1775. Temp: 58-61 degrees. Clarity: Clear. Stripers: Guide Jeremy Seabolt, of Lake Nottely Fishing Charter, reports, “Fishing has been good. We have been catching fish all over the lake. Creeks have been a little better for bigger fish, and open water has been best for numbers. Most of our fish have come off shad and large herring. We have been catching them pulling boards and freelines. Mid morning we have been catching fish pulling Mini Macks 125 feet behind the boat in open water and clipping humps and points. Going into December, we will be doing about the same as November. Fishing in December can be brutal with the cold weather, but you just have to find the bait and fish slow. I like throwing a 1-oz. bucktail when it gets cold and the water temp gets into the low 50s. Find a red-clay bank or…

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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