Fishing Report Late May: Lake Chatuge, Lake Glenville, Fontana Lake and Bear Lake

General Notes: The month of May has continued to be fantastic fishing in all of the lakes around the Smoky Mountain region! The spawn is just about finished up as I believe about 99% of the fish are done spawning. In 4 trips this week we counted a total of 1 bass still on a bed. So what does that mean? It's time to pattern post spawn bass and bass in transition to their summer patterns! This time of the year can be one of the most amazing times of the year while also being one of the most difficult times of the year! There are a lot of bass guarding fry up but that too is about to end quick. Many of those fish are heading back out deep!

Lake Chatuge:

Temp: 71-74

Clarity: 3-7ft

Topwater and some more topwater and swimbaits and topwater! Fish are packing up and schooling on herring across the lake. With water still relatively comfortable for fish, look for a bite at the top of the water column. Big largemouth are shallow and stay shallow! Big spotted bass will be nomadic and chasing bait in creek mouths, points and wind blown bays. The occasional largemouth will be in those fish. Big bass get big eating big forage! Big forage is at the top of the water or in shallow water mimic the big forage and get some big bites!

The Jackson County Shop with a Cop fundraiser tournament is June 4th out of Ledford's Chapel! $50 entry and should be a great turn out! A great way to give back to the community and support our police officers that keep us safe! and I think 19lbs 8oz will win!

Fontana Lake:

Temp: 72-75

Clarity: 8ft-12ft

If you want to avoid small bass go to the backs of creeks! The largemouth are there in abundance! Swimbaits, frogs, wacky worms, finesse worms, flukes and cranking the channels going back to them will produce above average Fontana fish! Wolf packs of giant largemouth are around, if you can be at the right place at the right time you can put a Fontana FREAK in the boat! There are still some old ancient hammers swimming in there!

Lake Glenville:

Temp: 67-71

Clarity: 3ft-5ft

The spawn is over! Bass are in tree's eating bream, up shallow eating bream or out on points feeding on blueback herring! Flukes, walking baits, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits are catching them off of points. You can go shallow and press your luck, won't get many bites but they will be good! There are herring schools everywhere! The bass are right behind them!

Bear Creek Lake:

Temp: 71-73

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! I like big wake baits, buzz frogs and hollow body frogs!

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