[CaptCatFish]

Hi JamesandKim1!

Not sure if you will have a boat or not but you'll need one for "tightlining". What I mean by tightlining is threading your line through a barrel weight (3/8 ounce) to a swivel and attaching a short (18") leader and gold (#6) aberdeen hook. Hook the minnow through the nose and lower to a depth of 16-20 feet as measured from the reel to the first rod guide by "pulls" (usually 2' per pull) or pulling the line out from the reel, counting each pull as you go. Place the rod in a rod holder (otherwise the fish will eventually take it out of the boat) and move slowly around the rocky points at a depth of 18-30'. Counting out the depth of the minnow and working the points at slightly more that depth will reduce the amount of time you spend hung up on the bottom.

The bream will definitely be biting on crickets and should provide lots of fun for the kids.

Another thing that kids will enjoy is jug fishing for catfish (especially if you have a boat). Check the NC regulations regarding jug fishing but if possible put out about a dozen just before dark using the heads of the bream you catch. Take the kids back out the following morning to find the jugs and chase those with catfish on them. Great fun plus you'll get some nice channel cats and maybe the one so big that divers won't go down at the dam. (I've been trying to catch that catfish for 30 years in a dozen states but no luck so far. I'm beginning to believe its a widely perpetuated myth).

I hope this helps.

Best regards

CaptCatFish

 

[jamesandkim1]

Thanks. Yes that does help. I do have a boat that I am taking. I have never tried jug fishing (always read about it and seen it on tv) so just may have to give that a try my daughter will really get a kick out of that.
I am really looking forward to this trip!!!
Take care
James

 

[Conrules]

We are going to lake Aug 21st for a week and want to walleye fish. Would any suggestions on what to use or where to fish? Any reansonable guides to use to do this? Would appreciate any info at all. Thanks

 

[jamesandkim1]

Well just got back from the lake trip around midnight last night. Man the place is beautiful but huuuggge. If you go set way points you can get turned around quick. The first day I put in I thougt it would be a quick hop from the ramp I used to our cabin took me about an hour of running around before I finally lucked up and found my way to the cabin dock.
Then on the last day dummy me didn't set a way point at the ramp I used to put in cause I thought my bread crumb trail would be there but with all the running around fishing that I had done all week it wiped out that part of it so when It came time to take the boat out so we could leave Saturday no bread crumb trail. I finally wound up at avery branch ramp out of gas and had to catch a ride from a nice local guy back to the ramp. Like I said the place is biig if you are not familar with it.
As far as the fishing goes caught lots of little bass, could only catch em up shallow on crickets, only caught one on minnows. Water was so clear you see the fish come out/ up and look at the minnows but wouldn't eat it. Tried fishing deep with the minnows but could not buy a bite deep.
Graphed fish everywhere on the lowrance but just don't know what I am doing in the deep stuff.
All in all had a great time and will definatly do it again.
James

 

[mookie]

I'm booking a week in June 16-23rd. Got a sweet house with a boat dock with the family.
I'm thinking of doing a smallie river trip one day in the area. I'm horribly unfarmilliar with that part of the state. Any recommendations?

thanks in advance!

 

[dbeam]

I am off 19, 20, 21 of that week if someone would like to share a ride and split a campsite I would like to come up and fish with you. I have always heard good things about that lake, but never got a chance to fish it.

Darrell

 

[logs]

There is also some very good trout in there towards the dam at night. Good luck.

 

[mookie]

I am off 19, 20, 21 of that week if someone would like to share a ride and split a campsite I would like to come up and fish with you. I have always heard good things about that lake, but never got a chance to fish it.

Darrell

I'm guessing we'll probably meet in person prior to June, but if we don't....definately hit me up and we'll go out! I gotta find out the physical address of our cabin so I can start scoping the google earth maps and such.

 

[dbeam]

Sounds good, it is a long way out but definitively on my to do list. I guess summer gas prices could be one determining factor. See you @ Eno or Kerr Scott for sure.

Darrell

 

[gambusia]

The river/bypass below the dam has smallies and trout. Only ever fished it once though.

 

[cranker]

ive fished santeelah quite a bit and and always had luck on 1/4 and1/8 oz brown hair jigs that i tie and put any comercial grub or crawfish trailer on it with a squirt of yum attractant,and a shad rap in bleeding olive pattern is good you can but them brown jigs at walmart their made by arkie, hope this is some help ,good luck,good fishing and good times forever!

 

[dbeam]

ive fished santeelah quite a bit and and always had luck on 1/4 and1/8 oz brown hair jigs that i tie and put any comercial grub or crawfish trailer on it with a squirt of yum attractant,and a shad rap in bleeding olive pattern is good you can but them brown jigs at walmart their made by arkie, hope this is some help ,good luck,good fishing and good times forever!

If it is not too much trouble how about a picture or two of the brown hair jigs

Darrell

 

[cranker]

ok here the set up,.

ok here the set up,it took me forever im easily frustrated learnin new stuff like,lol that but now finally know how,lol. maybe i can finally post some pics fish

 

[dbeam]

Nice job what kind of hair is that? Sorry to put you to the trouble of the pics, but now I am looking forward to seeing your fish pictures.

Darrell

 

[cranker]

i tied this with hair from the base of a set elk antlers i have somebody gave i thought the hair loook more reddish brown than a deeper darker brown , and them grubs and trailers i pinch a third or half the body so it fits more compact and snug to the jig,i found a website jann'snetcraft.com that carries a huge line of materials,ive really just started tying my own jigs i know nothing bought trout flies.i was gona order some grizzly hair that looks real good and try that stuff,and maybe some on shakey heads

 

[dbeam]

Warning tying gets addictive in a hurry.

Darrell

 

[cranker]

great ive got plenty of time on my hands this time of year

 

[cranker]

id like to hear some info of different folks that they use on these top mountain waters around these parts?tubes are another great player same as flukes.

 

[Rockytopman]

You all have got me to thinkin about making a visit to Santeetlah this spring. I have always went to Fontana every year, and am always looking for a good place to camp and wet a line. Is the wind as bad there as it is on Fontana? It is pretty much a constant thing to deal with at Fontana.

 

[mrpossumtail]

I'm booking a week in June 16-23rd. Got a sweet house with a boat dock with the family.
I'm thinking of doing a smallie river trip one day in the area. I'm horribly unfarmilliar with that part of the state. Any recommendations?

thanks in advance!

The only nearby river that I can think of that can be floated is the Hiwassee downstream of Lake Chatuge. This may be a better trout stream than a smallie stream. You will be faced with all the flow issues associated with hydo electric dam tailwaters. My guess is power generation will take place during the week. There is a smaller dam(Mission Dam) between Chatuge and Hiwassee Res.that you would need to plan your trip around.

There are some other kayaking options. I have been dying to float tube Calderwood or Cheoah for trout. These lakes small and scenic and appear to be well suited for kayak fishing. Calderwood is at the site of the Little Tennessee Gorge. Before the construction of these dams, the Little T which at this point carried more water than the French Broad @ the Tennessee border and sliced it's way through one of the tightest, most rugged, steepest, most constricted gorges in the state.