Fishing Chatuge Lake

AKA: Lake Chatuge

Popular Fish Species
Chatuge Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Marinas
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Chatuge Lake, NC

Popular Fish Species Chatuge Lake, NC

Chatuge Lake Popular Fish - Spotted Bass

Spotted Bass Fishing

Here at Chatuge Lake, spots are a favorite of many local anglers, as they are plentiful and put up a good tussle when hooked. Spotted bass are often found in small schools on steep banks, around rocky or sandy shorelines, points and ledges. They often prefer hanging out in slightly deeper water than largemouths. Fishing for spotted bass can be good anytime you can locate them. Their diet consists mainly of crayfish and insects, but they also eat small baitfish, small sunfish and small bluegill. Most of the time, spots prefer to stage on steep rocky or gravel banks, and may move up and down the water column throughout the day. When shallow, use topwater or shallow crankbaits around rip rap. When they are deep, use drop-shot worms and jigs. Throughout winter, spend your time on deeper structure with small worms, jigs and spoons. Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass also reside here in good numbers.

Chatuge Lake Popular Fish - Black Crappie

Black Crappie Fishing

Chatuge Lake holds a healthy population of black crappie, which are fat and healthy this year. Crappie fishing is easy and requires simple, basic gear. Any fishing pole, reasonably small line and crappie jigs or small hooks baited with live bait, creates the ideal setup. Add a bobber and you can set the depth you prefer the bait to maintain. The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. Because crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Chatuge Lake Popular Fish - Hybrid Striped Bass

Hybrid Striped Bass Fishing

Hybrid striped bass, also known as wipers, are a favorite of many locals and fishing guides at Chatuge Lake, as they are plentiful and grow to bragging size. As a hybrid of striped bass and white bass, they have great potential for spawning massive numbers and growing to large sizes. Fishing for hybrid stripers is a matter of locating schools of bait, and schools of hybrid striped bass are likely to be in the area. Mornings, during Fall, hybrids can be caught on topwater or shallow running lures, as they are feeding on baitfish at the surface. When they move deeper, fish finders improve your odds of locating both bait and schools of wipers. Live bait, spoons and jigs are very very effective here, and these hungry fish can be caught year round.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, channel catfish, black crappie, walleye, bluegill, bream and hybrid striped bass at Chatuge Lake in North Carolina.

Chatuge Lake Fishing Video

With three kinds of bass, Chatuge Lake is a great destination for bass anglers. This is a 7,480-acre lake in the southwest corner of the state with excellent amenities to make an outing here a pleasant experience. Boat rentals are available at marinas for power boats, canoes and kayaks. Fishing from shore is also a viable option here, with some day-use areas providing over a mile of shoreline for fishing. Rocky banks, some with stumps and laydowns offer cover to bass. There are also many boat docks which often create ideal hangouts for bass, crappie and sunfish. There are plenty of ledges and submerged humps around the lake for structure fishing, and those located near deeper creek channels often produce fish fairly consistently. Because the lake is located in both Georgia and North Carolina, fishing regulations for both states come into play.

Primary fish species residing in Chatuge Lake

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Chatuge Lake Amenities

Marina: YES
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: YES
RV Hookups: YES
Lodging: YES
Convenience Store: YES
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Marinas

Chatuge Cove Marina
2397 NC-175
Hayesville, NC 28904
828 389-6155

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Jackrabbit Boating Access
From highway 65 on the east side of the lake, use Jack Rabbit Road to access this two-lane concrete ramp with primitive parking.

Ledford Chapel Road boat ramp
Ample paved parking and two docks make this two-lane boat launch ramp a good choice. It is located in the northern sector of the lake off Ledford Chapel Road.