Fishing Forecast - Lake Nottely
Overview
Lake Nottely is a 4,180-acre Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir located in Union County near Blairsville. The lake's relatively fertile water supports a diverse fish community.
Contact Information: Tennessee Valley Authority: 423-751-2264; DNR Office: 770-535-5498
Fish attractor data (updated Feb. 2023) for this reservoir is available for you to upload into your fishfinder or other GPS devices, or view in free online mapping applications. The data is compatible with many brands including Lowrance, Humminbird, Garmin and Magellan to name a few. Instructions are here on how to use the data. Download the zipped data.
Best Bets: Spotted Bass, Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, and Crappie
Lake Nottely - Largemouth Bass
Prospect: Largemouth bass comprised 35% of the total black bass catch based on spring 2024 survey data, although biomass of Largemouth bass exceeded that of spotted bass thanks to the large average size of Nottley's bucketmouths. Largemouth numbers are stable and fish in the 10 – 12 inch size range are higher than average as well as fish in the 14 – 20-inch range, so this year will offer good chances of landing quality fish. The average length and weight are 14 inches and 1.5 pounds. Largemouth bass tend to be more habitat selective, and the highest numbers of Largemouth bass in Nottely occur in the upper reaches of the main lake and its associated coves. These areas provide the shallow water, downed trees, and productivity that attract Largemouth Bass.
Nottely angler Kyle Frantz and his son caught this 9+ lb Largemouth from Lake Nottely on the lake's south end.
Technique: Largemouth Bass feed on a variety of prey items including small bream, crayfish, shad, and Blueback Herring. The live baits listed above or artificial baits that imitate these natural food sources will be the key to success. During the winter, when bass are lethargic, slow-moving presentations like pig and jig combinations can produce big bass when worked around fallen trees and along creek channels. In general, bass will bite better in the afternoon when the water temperature reaches its daily peak. Bass spawn in April and May in shallow water near visible structure. Pre-spawn fish will be grouped at the mouths of creek channels. Shallow running crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, jerk baits, and plastic lizards are effective during the spawning period when worked around visible structure. Live baits such as crayfish and shiners are particularly effective this time of year. Try rigging a crayfish by slipping a rubber band or O-ring over the tail like you would a whacky rigged worm. This will keep your crayfish alive longer while offering a tasty presentation to a hungry bass. In the summer, largemouth bass retreat to deeper water in the 20 to 40-feet depth range. Drop shot, Carolina rigged soft plastics, and deep diving crankbaits worked along points are a good choice for summer largemouths. The fall presents another set of challenges as bass transition from their deep-water summer hiding places in search of food to build their fat reserves for the winter ahead. Blueback herring and shad are their primary food source during the fall months. Cover a lot of water in the major coves and around the dam during the early morning and evening with crankbaits, spinner baits and jerk baits that imitate shad. During the day, fish the points with crankbaits and pig and jig combinations that imitate crayfish. A flutter spoon dropped among a school of baitfish can also alert hungry bass to injured prey and put fish on the line.
Target: Largemouth Bass typically prefer coves and small pockets in the . Bass are especially attracted to visible cover such as trees, rocks and boathouses as well as to underwater creek channels and points. Good numbers of largemouth bass occur in the backwater areas of and as well as the small pockets that occur in the upper reaches of the lake. The highest catch rates for largemouth bass occurred from the north to Coldwell Cove, but fishing upstream towards Nottely River will also be productive. The rocky face along is a good secondary alternative if fishing the lower reservoir.
Lake Nottely - Spotted Bass
Prospect: Spotted Bass in Lake Nottely support an exciting fishery that provides year-round fun for novice and expert anglers alike. Spotted Bass make up roughly 65% of the black bass fishery in terms of numbers of fish. Spotted bass abundance has increased year-over-year from a recent low in 2018, and the population is now measuring near the average historical abundance. The average size of Nottely's spotted bass during spring 2024 was 10" and 0.5 lbs, but spots in the 12" to 16" size class were the most abundant size classes sampled. Catch rates were higher than average so expect to catch good numbers of quality fish with the occasional fish in the 2.5 - 3 lb size range. The largest caught during 2024 sampling was 4 lbs and 20 inches. There is no minimum size limit for spotted bass in Lake Nottely.
Technique: During the winter months, Spotted Bass seem to take live baits more readily than artificial baits. Target visible structure on the main lake, the rip-rap face of the dam, and rocky points with either live herring, crayfish, nightcrawlers, jigging spoons, or various pig’n jig combinations with a crayfish profile. The highest number of spots will be boated in April and May. Hard and soft-bodied jerk baits, finesse worms, tubes, crankbaits, and even spinner baits should be fished around visible structure such as downed trees and boat houses as well as on rocky banks on the lower half of the lake. During the summer and fall months, Spotted Bass will chase small Blueback Herring at the surface during the early morning. After mid-morning, spots will retreat to deeper water hideouts such as brushpiles, fish attractors, and rocky points. Fish drop shots, underspins, and finesse worms on vertical structures, or drag a Carolina-rigged worm across a rocky bottom for the best success this time of year.
Target: Spotted Bass are open water predators and will follow the schools of Blueback Herring throughout the year. The steep rocky points on the and along the rocky face of are prime habitats for spotted bass. During the winter, Spotted Bass will follow Blueback Herring along the dam. Drifting live herring or slowly working jerk baits along the dam are effective techniques for catching sluggish Spotted Bass during the winter time. Spotted Bass move into shallow water in April and May to spawn. Fast moving, shallow running lures and jerk baits are very effective this time of year. Target fallen trees and other visible structures. In the summer and fall months, Spotted Bass typically seek deeper water on the steep, rocky shorelines on the lower lake. Also watch for surface feeding spotted bass during the early morning and evening in the vicinity of the dam. Spotted Bass will concentrate on a number of DNR’s artificial structures placed around the lake.
Lake Nottely - Striped Bass
Prospect: DNR annually stocks Lake Nottely with striped bass fingerlings. Survival of the young stockers from year-to-year determines the overall abundance of the striped bass population. Over the past several years, first-year survival has been documented consistently, which translates to more stripers for anglers to catch in the future. Abundance of striped bass in Lake Nottely is average, with most linesides ranging between two to four pounds. Though not as abundant, striped bass between six to ten pounds are present. The opportunity to land larger fish (12+ lb) is best in the late winter (January - early March) during the pre-spawn feeding frenzy.
Technique: Striped Bass in Lake Nottely feed on Blueback Herring and Gizzard Shad. A good electronic fish finder coupled with an understanding of the seasonal movement patterns of these bait species will greatly increase your chances of catching a Nottely striper. Trophy fish can be targeted by using the largest shad available. In the winter months, drifting live herring or Gizzard Shad at various depths near the dam is the most likely place to find stripers during the cold weather. Anglers may also want to pull live bait along the shoreline . The southern main-lake flats and points in the early morning are also a good target in the late winter, as hungry pre-spawn stripers will be chasing bait into shallows during this period. From late March through May, stripers will move into creek channels and even into the Nottely River channel. Casting flukes and bucktail jigs, or trolling live herring behind planer boards are all effective methods for catching stripers during the spring. In the summer, stripers retreat to deep water in search of cooler temperatures. As summer progresses, striped bass will migrate toward the dam. Once a school of stripers is located on the sonar, drop herring into the school with a vertical presentation or troll through the school at the appropriate depth using lead core line. By mid-October, stripers will return to the surface and feed on small, young herring. Look for surface feeding fish on the lower lake during low light conditions. During the day, return to downlining and trolling methods to catch suspended fish over deep water.
Target: The biggest key to your success at catching Striped Bass is knowing where to fish and how deep to present your bait. Because Striped Bass roam the entire lake, good electronics with contour lines are essential tools for the striper angler. In the winter months, Striped Bass are looking for warmer water. Stained water absorbs heat and so do rocks; therefore, search for wintertime stripers at the face of the dam and in the backs of coves. From February to May, Striped Bass frequently cruise the shoreline in search of herring. Look for feeding activity on the points and flats from the mouth of and and continue trolling all the way to the back and even into the creek itself. You may be surprised to find huge stripers in just a few feet of water. Also look for stripers in other places such as and in the . Pulling fresh baits on a live line or behind planer boards is your best bet this time of year. If the wind is blowing, concentrate your efforts on windblown points in these same coves and along the main river channel in the upper half of the lake between the and . Anglers can also fish for stripers from shore at when fish are migrating into the river from late-March to mid-May. In the summer months, Striped Bass seek out deeper water on the lower end of the lake. You will often find them holding close to the bottom in 35 to 50-feet of water or suspended at this depth range over the river channel. Thanks to TVA’s deepwater oxygen injection system, stripers will hold near the system’s "bubble line" located near the dam in late-summer. Down lining and trolling live baits on lead core line are your best summer tactics. Once the water starts cooling down in October, stripers will feed on the surface on the lower half of the lake during low light conditions on small blueback herring. During the day, they will retreat to the deeper points in this same general area.
Lake Nottely - Hybrid Bass
Prospect: Renewed interest in fishing for hybrid bass on Lake Nottely resulted in their reintroduction starting in 2016. These fish exhibit excellent growth and can achieve respectable sizes in just a few years. During 2024 sampling the abundance of fish in the 16"-20" size range was above average and 30% of the hybrids were between 2.5 - 5.5 lbs. Overall average length was 15" and weight 2 lbs. The largest hybrid bass sampled was 5.5 pounds and 23 inches. While most fish won't survive long enough to achieve trophy sizes, hybrids weighing up to 10 lb are possible. The largest hybrid sampled on Lake Nottely during the fall of 2023 was 23.5" and 6.3 lbs.
Technique: Much like striped bass, Hybrid Bass feed primarily on Blueback Herring. In the spring, hybrids will chase adult herring at the surface, especially near rocky shorelines on the lower half of the lake. In the summer months, hybrids prefer to track down larger herring (6-inches and above) in 30 to 50-feet of water on the lower end of the lake. When the surface temperature drops below 75 degrees F in October, hybrid bass return to the surface, but this time to feed on the abundance of smaller 3-inch herring that are schooling over open water near the dam and along the main river channel. Casting bucktail jigs or flukes to surface-feeding fish or trolling live shad will help you catch a Nottely Hybrid Bass.
Target: Hybrid Bass are schooling fish, so if you catch one then you can be confident that other hybrids are nearby. In the winter months, Hybrid Bass can be found on windblown points feeding on Blueback Herring. Pulling live herring behind a planer board or live line near the shoreline is the best approach for catching hybrids in the winter. During the spring, hybrids will roam the shallows in search of adult herring that are spawning on rocky banks. By summer, Hybrid Bass will migrate to the lower lake but water quality conditions will force them near the bottom at depths around 35 feet deep for most of the summer. By late-summer, hybrids may be as deep as 60 to 80-feet. Good electronics will help an angler locate a large school of fish hovering near the bottom. During the fall, Hybrid Bass will feed aggressively at the surface in shallow water during the early morning and evening. Look for schooling activity near the dam and along the main river channel on the lower half of the lake. You can expect to catch hybrids in similar locations as Stripers.
Lake Nottely - Crappie
Prospect: Anglers enjoy fishing for black crappie in Lake Nottely, and reservoir conditions have been conducive to crappie production over the last several years. In 2024, numbers of crappie available to anglers will be similar to prior years. While you might not fill the cooler to the brim with high numbers, quality crappie averaging 9" and 0.5 lbs are present. Smaller crappie between 8" to 11" are moderately abundant, while larger crappie in the 12" - 13" size range are more abundant than usual.
Technique: Minnows and minnow-tipped jigs are the most effective baits for catching crappie. Small curly-tailed jigs or hair jigs are suitable alternatives for those who prefer fishing with artificial lures. A shad-imitating Bobby Garland crappie lure on a 1/16 th oz crappie jig slowly fished among brush piles or other submerged structure will find schooling crappie.
Target: Crappie are most abundant from to but good numbers of crappie also occur in the backwater areas and pockets of the major coves like , , and . When the water begins to warm up in March, a good fish finder will help you locate crappie in about 15-feet of water in the creek channels and underneath boathouses. By April, crappie move into very shallow water to spawn around visible structure like downed trees. For the remainder of the year, crappie typically reside in deeper water near submerged structure, especially timber and among DNR’s fish attractors.
Lake Nottely - Other Species
Fishable populations of bream, catfish and carp also occur in Lake Nottely.
From May to September, anglers should target bream spawning beds on sandy bottoms near creek mouths and adjacent flats in 4 to 10-feet of water. Live earthworms, crickets or small jigs are effective bream baits. Flyfishing anglers will have success using foam spiders or poppers. Shoreline fishing opportunities are also available at . For catfish, target the rocky bottoms located in the . Chicken liver, nightcrawlers, commercial baits and even marshmallows and hot dogs will catch catfish. During early spring, many channel catfish move far upstream into the Nottely River. Anglers should target the deeper holes of the river. Flathead catfish are also present in Lake Nottely. To target large flathead catfish, fish with live bream around large downed trees on rocky banks. Flathead seem to be more abundant upstream of . Carp are plentiful in Lake Nottely and can be great fun to catch. Entice carp with prepared catfish baits, corn or dough balls in shoreline areas adjacent to the , Deavertown ramp and Canal Lake boat ramp. To increase your chances of catching carp, anglers should consider baiting a fishing hole with one to two gallons of whole kernel corn a day or two before you plan to fish. Carp can also be fun to catch with flyfishing gear. They have been dubbed “Golden Bones” since they fight similar to bonefish. Flyfishing for carp provides a challenge to even the most experienced angler since they have surprisingly good eyesight and are sensitive to vibrations. As a result, a light tippet and careful presentation with nymph patterns is required.
