Watauga Lake
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Watauga Lake Fishing Reports
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Billy Steward
Bronze Ambassador
8/31/22
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Ned Rigs
Structure
Boulders
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Crawfish
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Winter
Technique
Soft Swimbaits (Sm/Md)
Structure
Baitfish
Forage
Alewife
focusing on wind blown pockets with baitfish up in the water column
Species
Largemouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
Structure
Laydowns
Fish are staging and are ready to start moving up. Find them hanging around wood in the cuts and pockets.
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Spawn)
Technique
Texas Rigs (Worming)
Structure
Points
When the water temp on Watauga is between 60-63 degrees, smallmouth bass will start spawning on main lake points. Search for points with a pea gravel or sand bottom, along with chunk rock. Fishing a 4.5” Roboworm texas rigged in these areas is a highly productive way to catch them. The bait is small enough to have a high hook up ratio, but large enough to trigger an aggressive protective response. A bright color like Bold Bluegill just adds to the effectiveness!
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Spring (Pre-Spawn)
Technique
Hard Jerkbaits
Structure
Boulders
Forage
Alewife
Water Temperature
48°
Secondary points are holding both spots and smallies! With or without forward facing sonar you should be able to catch a bunch throwing a Jerkbait! Start on secondary points and work your way back each finger targeting banks from 4-12 ft of water with hard bottom/boulders/brush
Species
Smallmouth Bass
Season
Summer
Technique
Topwater Prop
Structure
Laydowns
Forage
Shad
During the dog days of summer, throwing a bone whopper plopper around lay downs is a great way to produce trophy smallmouths. Vary your retrieval from stop and go , to constant. This produces some awesome top water actions.