Lake Fontana Small Mouth Guided Trip
Dominate patterns: Find bait heading to back of creeks and points were bass stage on downside of current
Lake levels were falling due to TVA pulling water. Good current on points up little tenn. river around mile 80. Nice 4-5 pound smallie hooked in two foot of water on this pattern. No fish were relating to banks in creeks except a 2-3 pounder in the very back of Chambers caught on topwater. Fish were not relating to deep main lake banks or humps. Good bait was located in Panther and Mouse creek. Bait was staging at the last deep narrow channel before flats open up in back. Water depth between 38-59 feet. Managed 18-20 bass all of which were 2-4 pounders mixed in the bait, mixture of small mouth and spots with a few large mouth. Small 2 inch shinner imitations worked well. Jigged 2 and 3 inch jigging spoons, drop shots with flukes and gulp minnows, and blade baits all produced. Most fish came from 45 feet down.
Tip: When scattered bait balls are present in the fall try throwing a heavy blade bait. Let if sink to prefered depth and slowly real in just fast enough to get the vibration. Also try try ripping it in a yoyo fashon. large 5-7 inch spoons worked this same way will often trigger the large fish into biting.
Capt. Frank Askew
Keep on Fishing!
Thanks for the great fishing trip Captain Askew! I think the most fun was throwing topwater plugs to smallies breaking around baitfish on the surface! The only minor weather detail you didn’t mention was that it poured rain the entire day, but that didn’t seem to interrupt the bite! October seems like a great month for lots of action.