Cherokee Lake
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Cherokee Lake Fishing Reports
Stay up to date with the latest fishing reports from Cherokee Lake . Reports are submitted by local anglers, fishing guides, and our team of fishing experts.
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Largemouth BassTechniqueSpinnerbaitsSeasonFallStructureRock PileLaunched out of 25E Boat ramp and fished the western end of the lake primarily in coves. Air temperature was 27 at launch and rose to around 38 before starting to drop at 3 or so. Winds went from 0 to 10 mph throughout the day. Water temp ranged from 54 to 55 degrees. Found plenty of baitfish schooled and sporadically was able to find a few smallmouths hugged to the bottom below the schools in 5 to 12 feet of water. Was able to catch a short smallmouth on a 3/8 oz Damiki Vault in Black Halo color by casting out and after it reach bottom, I would slowly raise it off the bottom maybe a foot or two, flutter down on semi slack line and let it sit a few seconds before repeating. Bass would hit it on the bottom. Bottom composition was red clay with small rock intermixed. After a few hours we parallel the bank in a cove that had large rocks in 1 to 5 feet and I would cast a 1/2 oz River2Sea Bling spinnerbait with a 3.8 Keitech in electric shad as a trailer. Caught my 1st 4lbs 8 oz Largemouth keeper 2 reel turns into my retrieve as it came over a large rock. 3 casts later with same bait on the inside corner of a floating dock I was able to catch a 1 lbs. 9 oz Largemouth. Ended up with 6 more bites continuing this pattern until it was time for weigh-in. The Vault worked well with little to no wind, but the spinnerbait was the key when the wind started to pick up.
- SpeciesLargemouth BassTechniqueStructure JigsSeasonFallStructurePoints
Got on the water with Nathan Mountain. Check him out, Nathan Mountain Outdoors, super good dude. Put us on fish when we didn’t see many other folks catching. Found them on rocky points typically around brush. Ott Defoe even ran past us, so you know we were in the right area. Saw some crappie scopin’ but they were very finicky and wouldn’t commit. Fun and beautiful day on the water!
Omnia Community MemberBronze AmbassadorSpecies
Smallmouth BassTechniqueNed RigsSeasonSpring (Spawn)StructureBoulders- Species
Striped BassTechniqueHard Topwater (Walking)SeasonFallStructureShadCherokee is loaded with huge Stripers and Hybrids and fall is a great time of year to catch them using conventional bass tackle. Focus on looking at main lake points and islands around creek mouths. I have had the best luck riding and looking for schooling fish gorging on shad around the dam area. Mornings and evenings are best, some anglers even sit still on the main lake looking for schoolers, kind of like hunting. Grab you a topwater and go find them. Once you found them, keep you bait wet and have fun!
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueFinesse JigsSeasonFallStructureBoulders
Cherokee lake is without a doubt a challenging fishery in the fall. I just finished up a tournament where we found the bulk of our action on the main lake. We concentrated on areas where the river channel swung against rocky shorelines. Islands and sharp points were areas where smallmouth could easily ambush shad or feed on the many crawfish that live around the rocks.
Shaun PotterBronze AmbassadorSpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonFallStructureBouldersChasing bait balls of shad and throwing a keitech up into boulders while those smallmouth is laying there ambushing shad! Great way to land some of those smallmouth.
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueSoft Body Swimbaits (Small/Medium)SeasonFallStructureBoulders
Smallmouth are starting to get active as the water temperature goes down. Early fall, main lake points, and boulders, rock veins are all key areas to concentrate on. Fluke style baits in white, chartreuse and bubblegum have all been hot tickets. Work them 6”-12” under the water with short pauses between twitches. It is an absolute train wreck of a bite when you can see those smallies crush it.
- SpeciesSmallmouth BassTechniqueDrop ShotSeasonWinterStructureBaitfish
