There's always time to fish
FISHING FALLING WATER
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| Fontana Lake during the late fall and early winter. |
In Western North Carolina and many other places around the country lakes managed for hydroelectric power are lowered below full pool during winter months. This is done to handle the excess rain and snow melt from mountain winters and allow repairs to be made on the dam and generation equipment.
“Chatuge, Fontana and Hiawassee are “operated for many purposes, including flood damage reduction, power generation, and augmentation of water flows for navigation downstream.” TVA
Lakes are lowered from a just a few feet to 50-60+ feet, depending on the lake and area of the country. Anyone living in far western North Carolina knows how far the Tennessee Valley Authority lowers Fontana, Chatuge and Hiawassee. While this practice offers flood protection to people who live downstream it really throws a kink in launching bass boats in the fall and winter months. People who live on the lake and have floating docks are left with a fishing bonanza that few get to experience.
This is where a kayak comes in handy.
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| My Kayak on Wolf Lake during fall 2012 trip |
Kayak fishing in the mountains is growing by leaps and bounds worldwide. Quality kayaks are stable, quiet and allow access too many ponds, creeks, rivers and lakes that were off once limits to fishers. Sit on top kayaks allow fishermen to carry more than enough rods and tackle, as well as lunch and drinks for a day’s fishing. Newer kayaks have built in mounting platforms for anchor rigs, fish finders, and rod holders. Many have built in dry storage areas and some even have built in rod storage.
The more ‘top of the line’ models offer anglers the ability to stand up and fish very comfortably. Several models are designed to allow anglers to attach trolling motors to the transom to assist with covering long distances. Hobie offers a kayak with a specially designed peddle system that fits into the center of the boat making paddling unnecessary. Make sure you check your local regulations concerning motors. In North Carolina any boat with a motor must be registered with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.
“All motorized vessels used on public waters including vessels which use an electric trolling motor must be registered. This requirement also includes jet skis.
Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and rafts moved only by oars, paddles, or the current do not need registration in North Carolina.” NCWRC
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| Through hull trolling motor for a sit on top kayak |
As far as access to lowered lakes the skies the limit, often, most of the time. Many NCWRC boating access areas allow for relatively easy access to the lake. However some older boat ramps are built where the lake floor drops off rather quickly so access there may not be available. Swimming beaches, and long slow-tapering points near roads are good choices for lake access. These areas often offer parking for your vehicle as well. Again, check posted regulations and never park in a public road as you may find it ticketed, towed or wrecked on your return.
Most kayaks are light enough to carry down the lake bank to the water. Some of the heavier models, or those with batteries, motors and anchor systems can be moved using wheeled dollies. Some lakes are shallow and rocky enough that you can drive down to the water, but again, check with your local wildlife officer to be sure.
A thought about wildlife officers, or ‘game wardens’ as their often called. These guys get a bad rap more often than not, and especially from people who have broken wildlife laws and been ticketed. These guys are a valuable resource to anglers. They can and often will tell you some of the best places to fish, easy access to areas and shortcuts to and from fishing holes.
Wildlife Resource Officers know the woods and water as well or better than most people, and are happy to help legal sportsmen out with that knowledge. They are overworked and underpaid and deserve a little help from sportsmen. Pick up your trash, report violators and keep an eye out for anything they might need to know to do their job better. Remember if you help them out they may well help you out in return.
Now that you’re on the water where do you start? As in most bass fishing situation you can begin on a point. Remember “points, point out bass.” Bass will follow the water levels down as they drop. During falling water I have found the first abrupt depth change to be a good starting point. When the water level reaches its lowest point the bass tend to return to exactly the same type of structure and cover they use when the lake is full. Remember to be mindful of wind and current. Wind will produce a current in lakes, but more importantly it blows the forage into predictable areas. With lake levels low the original river current will be more noticeable.
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| Nice Largemouth from Wolf Lake |
The current flow schedules are valuable because it can help you determine when to be on the water for the best action. Current triggers bass, Walleye, Crappie, Hybrids, Striper, catfish and everything else in your lake to eat. The current may not “flip the switch” for bream in the same way it does for bass or stripers, but it will cause an increase in activity. Being on predictable locations when the current starts can be like ringing the dinner bell. Points, saddles, humps, rock piles, riprap and channel swings and necks can be fantastic areas to fish in current. The baitfish are moved by the current, and the bass set up on these structure areas and eat. This is a dependable pattern all summer into late fall.
September 12, 2014
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| If want to fish and need some advice or a guide then contact my good buddy Austin Neary. He is a serious stick on Glenville Lake and all WNC Mountain lakes. Austin fishes the BASS College Series, and after a third place finish at the Eastern Regional at Watts Bar, Tennessee he competed in the National Championship Tournament on Lake Chatuge. Reach him at Dream Catcher Guides |
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