Fishing Report 4/25/16: Lake Chatuge, Lake Glenville, Fontana Lake and Bear Lake

General Notes: This past week was one of the best big fish weeks I can recall in a while! Fish were on beds, fish were staging and you could catch them fishing your strengths just about anywhere! Our best 5 fish went over 20lbs almost everyday last week and we had 4 fish over 7lbs total on the week (technically 5 if you include an 8 pound walleye)! Here are some tips, techniques and things to look for if you hit the water this week!

Lake Chatuge:

Temp: 64-68

Clarity: 2-5ft Depending on your location

Fish are shallow! You can fish points and have your fun with spotted bass but if you're looking to frame a picture, fish shallow. In the morning fish are chasing bait in the backs of pockets, cast and wind a herring imitator! As the sun gets up they are locking on to spawn! I personally think 5 big bites is better than 20 dink bites so go hunting for big bass when the sun gets up and warm! If you are not comfortable with bed fishing or want to learn how to become better, we would love to take you and show you how we land giant bed fish! We had 21lbs 2oz on Saturday with a 9lb 5oz kicker! Bed fishing was the ticket!

Fontana Lake:

Temp: 65-68

Clarity: 8ft-12ft

Run down the bank with a worm to catch the fire out of 10"-12" fish, go to the backs of creeks to find the largemouth! They live there year round and catchable right now! Flipping, top water and floating worm will catch the bigger fish!

Lake Glenville:

Temp: 60-64

Clarity: 4ft-6ft

Best lake in the south east is continuing to produce great bags and sizeable fish! A tournament this past weekend took 18lbs! The fish are all over wood and docks! You can catch some big top water smallmouth and run shallow area's for largemouth! It's lights out!

Bear Creek Lake

Temp: 61-65

Clarity: 15ft

The lake has fish swimming shallow everywhere! There is an abundance of shallow bait over top of tree's and load of bass on the banks!

Achieving the Next Level: Confidence, Perseverance & Passion in Fishing

     There is a "next level" that everyone possesses in everything they do! As I sit back and peck at this keyboard trying to figure out what to blog about on this rainy off day, that is the thought that keeps running through my mind! How do I and others achieve the "next level?" "Next level" is obviously relative to where you are but regardless of where you are, achieving the "next level" takes a lot of growth! Whether you are fun fishing or fishing competitively it is YOU vs. THE FISH and it's almost entirely a mental battle! Being that it's mostly a mental battle, almost all the growth that will occur will be with your mental game! Today I wanted to break down the three most important weapons when I am out on the water (none are equipment)!

#1 Confidence- There is a next level you achieve when your approach goes from "I hope we catch them" to "I know we are going to catch them! It just depends on when, where and how!" As a young guide I use to get butterflies and nervous when I would take people out. I wasn't fully confident in my ability as a fisherman and as a teacher of the craft. I would always second guess my decisions! But one day I realized something... I am on the water 4 to 6 days a week, we always catch them pretty good and I just need to relax and know it's going to happen! I had to let God's timing for our day take root! You see, optimism is the faith that leads to achievement! I know we can use a select few baits and catch fish year round, the confidence in knowing you can always catch fish will free you up to try and hit a homerun more often!

#2 Perseverance- I love watching the 2003 Bassmaster Classic when Mike Iaconelli is screaming and crying "NEVER GIVE UP!!!" Or the next year in 2004 Takahiro Omori caught three giants in his last 3 casts to win the Classic right here in North Carolina! I can not tell you how many days and trips I have had when the best technique was just persevering! Galatians 6:9 says "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." Sometimes you just have to put your head down and grind! Your hard work will be blessed, just hold on for a little longer! These are some persevering pictures! Each one of these fish or bags were strung together in the final hour or even minutes of the days!

#3 Passion- Passion breeds success! The more passionate you are about something the better chance you have at achieving something great with it. I notice a lot of people want the glory, achievements and the accolades but they are not passionate enough to stuggle for it. Proverbs 18 says your gift will make room for you! Believe that, pursue it and share your passion!

I really do hope and pray that this helps you put more fish in the boat! If you are looking for an awesome experience while fishing Lake Glenville, Lake Chatuge, Fontana Lake or Bear Creek Lake we would love to guide you to your Dream Catch! Visit DreamCatcherGuides.com or call us @ 443-534-4900

Late April Fishing Report: Lake Chatuge, Fontana Lake, Lake Glenville and Bear Creek Lake

General Notes: This is the time of the year to be out on the water! The water is warming and the moon is big! The fish are shallow and without question spawning, roaming and staging for the spawn. There are big fish to be caught but it is never an easy task. Fish will be finicky but some will be very aggressive. You will definitely have to grind to catch them but you will have an opportunity to bag your biggest bass!

Lake Chatuge:

Temp: 62-68

Clarity: Depends on where you are...

Fish are moving up shallow as the day progresses. With cool nights the fish will be pushing back out to the closest structure or cover. Big bass are easy to find and will be together, it's more like hunting than it is fishing.

Fontana Lake:

Temp: 63-68

Clarity: 8ft-12ft

In the back of creeks and pockets is where you will find the unicorns (BIG LARGEMOUTH) they are spawning and aggressive. It may take some time to catch them but when you do they will be good one's!

Lake Glenville:

Temp: 59-61

Clarity: 3ft-6ft

Still decently chilly water, fish are doing more staging here. Wood, docks and deep water near spawning areas will be your best bet to catching your big largemouth. Fishing pockets and points with jerkbaits, swimbaits and topwater can and will produce some quality bites.

Bear Creek Lake

Temp: 61-65

Clarity: 8ft

Shallow cover and structure dominates this place year round. Big fish are pulling up on logs, rock and sand. There are some hammers in this lake and this is the time of the year to catch them!

Early April Fishing Report: Lake Chatuge, Fontana Lake, Lake Glenville and Bear Creek Lake

General Notes: The cold front that came through this past week really set the fish back (relative to how it was shaping up). The warming trend in combination with the moon phase looked promising for the fish to be up and have a good amount of fish spawning. With the moon dwindling and another cold front on the way look for the fish to stabilize in what was happening the past few weeks. As the next full moon approaches and hopefully warm weather be prepared for the fireworks! Late April and early May should be lights out!

Lake Chatuge
Water Temp: 57-60
Clarity: 5ft-7ft
Notes: There are fish shallow! Docks, wood, points and running the bank with moving baits can pay off. Spinnerbaits in shallow water a long with swimbaits, jerkbaits and chatterbaits can play. There are a few bedding fish around, look for cover or structure near bedding areas to flip and finesse. The cold front will have the few bedding fish retreating to stable comfort zones with food.

Fontana Lake
Water Temp: 54-58
Clarity: 5ft- 15ft
Notes: You can run down the bank with a worm and knock their lights out! You can fish shallow and knock their lights out! Spawning smallmouth and spots are in the backs of creeks and keep yours eyes peeled, their are some giant largemouth starting to lurk. They're spooky this time of the year, long casts, light line and I bet you can put a big fish or two in the box!

Lake Glenville
Water Temp: 50-53
Clarity: 5ft-10ft
Notes: What was a slugfest in the middle of March through late March has slowed down. Fish are starting to disperse into key areas as the spawn approaches. Moving baits are working well, don't hesitate to slow down and soak a worm or craw. A lot of pinchers in the livewell along with herring guts, tails and skeletons. Fish your strengths and it will pay off!

Bear Creek Lake
Water Temp: 55-59
Clarity: 8ft
Notes: Look to grind if you're making a trip to Bear. The quantity will leave you a little skeptical but the quality is something to brag about. Flipping and finessing your way around all the trees and rocks will be your best bet. The bass in Bear love bream and craws!