Lake Chatuge Fishing Report

It appears that the groundhog may have actually been right this year and spring is starting early! March weather is here and with it comes warming water temperatures across the entire mountain region and the big fish factory called Lake Chatuge. With water temperatures warming the big bass are returning to shallower water. The big female largemouth are moving to shallower structure and cover staging for the prespawn and spawn. I consider the early part of March the pre prespawn period. The biggest fish will be in the transition from 15ft of water to 2ft of water. You can do some serious damage to some giant bass flipping a jig around wood, docks and other shallow cover! A shallow crankbait on rock and wood will catch some good fish as well. If there is a little chop and breeze you can hang some hammers with a jerkbait. I like a deeper jerkbait this time of the year but I will mix it up when the conditions call for it! An olive green X-Rap deep will put some good ones in the boat! A big swimbait will entice the big fish to get a large easy meal! I will combo a big swimbait and jigs on shallow docks and wood with a high warm sun and the water warming. The ultimate battle is quantity or quality. You can run points and pockets with a jerkbait and catch numbers but to get a big largemouth you need to punch your ticket on shallow cover!