Fishing Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

[DEbassman17]

Went out on the water yesterday at about 8:00 PM. and fished with a 2 inch mr. twister curly tail grub on a 1/32 oz jighead, caught 17 crappie (none bigger than 8 inches) and a 9 inch green sunfish. That was FUN.

Today i went out and caught a few nice green sunfish, + 3 nice cats.

First Catfish was a Yellow Bullhead, About 2 1/2 pounds. Caught on a whole nightcrawler. Intresting thing was This catfish was up shallow spawning with a nice Brown Bullhead (Yes i know weird). So i pitched my nightcrawler in there and there was no hesitation that yellow bullhead absolutely crushed it. Took about 3 minutes to bring in on the ultra-lite.

Second Catfish was the Brown Bullhead that the Yellow was spawning with. I pitched my nightcrawler over there once again and the Brown one smacked at it, and hooked it in the tail ! Battled it for about three minutes and then it came off.

After that i relocated myself on the other side of the lake but it was just to windy over there. I did manage to see 2 monster Carp, one looked to be 25+ lbs and the other 40+ lbs. Hard to believe ; yes, but it was an amazing sight.

After that I went back to where i was before and pitched my nightcrawler back on the catfish spawning bed and the Brown Bullhead that i had foul hooked before surely enough came back and engulfed my Bait. I set the hook and battled this thing for about 3-4 minutes and got him in. It was a niiiiice fish ;D.

I then proceded to walk around and saw another catfish bed. These were smaller though. I flipped my little crawler in there and caught one. It was only like 12 inches.

Then, It was time to go.

I'm goin' back later at around 3:30 so i'll post my results again

Tight Lines

-Jason

PS Have you guys ever seen two different kinds of Bullheads spawning together??? The two i caught were deffinentley(wrong spelling i know) spawning. I will post pics when i get home (Next Tues.)

[aarogb]

    Where the heck is that lake at?  I have never heard of it.

[DEbassman17]

It's up near maggie valley. It's a reaaaaaaall nice lake, I went back at caught a couple more 1- 1/2 pound catfish. It's the first time i've ever sight fished for catfish. I caught a couple in less than a foot of water.

[aarogb]

    It's one of those mountain lakes then.

    Is the water pretty clear?

[DEbassman17]

Yes it is a mountain lake and the water is very clear.

[DEbassman17]

I went again today at 11:30 am and managed to sight fish 4 more nice bullheads (1 1/2 - 2 1/2 lbs), one small largemouth bass (1 1/2 lbs), and about 40-50 different kinds of sunfish                                         (green sunfish, bluegill,long ear, and redbreasted), all were way bigger than my hand and a blast to catch on a 4' 8" ultra lite rod and a shimano sahara 750 fb with 4 lb test.

Hope ya'll are catchin' em to  

-Jason

[Randall]

That's a good bass lake you are fishing. It's where I learned to bass fish years ago growing up in Waynesville. It was much better before a fish kill killed most of the fish in the lake years ago and it had to be restocked but still isn't bad and has some big bass in it.  

[SammyLee]

I was there in 1969 when the USA landed on the moon.  My parents and I went over to the hotel to see it on TV.  While we were camping near the lake, I noticed the lake had bunches of large goldfish and pointed them out to my dad.  He told me in a few years, all that will be left of them is carp.  Seems he was right.

It is a pretty lake and one I want to go back to.

[jimmieO]

We went for one of our best friend's wedding in october. They got married at the chapel that sits right on the water. That is an absolutely beautiful place.

[DEbassman17]

yea, i saw a few 4 pounders that wouldn't bite anything lol. I did see one big goldfish (2-3 pounds) but that was it. After I was there my grandparents and I went up to monroe NC. I fished lake twitty up there and caught a 22" 5 + pound Common Carp. The crazy thing was that i caught it on my ultra-lite. 4 lb test and a 4'8" rod and shimano sahara 750 FB. Took around 20-25 minutes to bring in, That was the first carp i've ever caught.

[ElHeat]

Me and my Dad have went out there 3 times and haven't caught a single fish yet. I've had about 5 nibbles but I'm too inexperienced and was too anxious, not to mention we both decided it was just little fish.

I think there has been a combonation of negative factors that has led to our bad luck, such as wind and heat, but this is just cruel because this is the first time I have been fishing for what seems like the past 5 years. I don't know what we're doing wrong. I guess it's because we are fishing from the shoreline, but we've caught fish in the past from there.

I would say we're using the wrong lures, but my Dad has tried everything we have in the box (spinners, trout worms, real worms, grubs, corn scents, you name it) and still nothing. I think he's too impatient though, since he used everything in a mere 20 minutes..

I stick with the plastic trout worms, that's what I was using when I got the bites.

Any suggestions?

Because it sucks to watch other people catch fish when we aren't.

[DEbassman17]

Me and my Dad have went out there 3 times and haven't caught a single fish yet. I've had about 5 nibbles but I'm too inexperienced and was too anxious, not to mention we both decided it was just little fish.

I think there has been a combonation of negative factors that has led to our bad luck, such as wind and heat, but this is just cruel because this is the first time I have been fishing for what seems like the past 5 years. I don't know what we're doing wrong. I guess it's because we are fishing from the shoreline, but we've caught fish in the past from there.

I would say we're using the wrong lures, but my Dad has tried everything we have in the box (spinners, trout worms, real worms, grubs, corn scents, you name it) and still nothing. I think he's too impatient though, since he used everything in a mere 20 minutes..

I stick with the plastic trout worms, that's what I was using when I got the bites.

Any suggestions?

Because it sucks to watch other people catch fish when we aren't.

yes, you know the main entrence? go in there and head down a little bit, to the right you'll see a little dock. don't actually fish off the dock but fish in that little cove area. you can fish fish real worms under bobbers to catch nice sunfish, real worms on the bottom for bass,catfish and carp, or fish senkos for nice bass. be patient, that is the most important thing to do, be patient.

[ElHeat]

Me and my Dad have went out there 3 times and haven't caught a single fish yet. I've had about 5 nibbles but I'm too inexperienced and was too anxious, not to mention we both decided it was just little fish.

I think there has been a combonation of negative factors that has led to our bad luck, such as wind and heat, but this is just cruel because this is the first time I have been fishing for what seems like the past 5 years. I don't know what we're doing wrong. I guess it's because we are fishing from the shoreline, but we've caught fish in the past from there.

I would say we're using the wrong lures, but my Dad has tried everything we have in the box (spinners, trout worms, real worms, grubs, corn scents, you name it) and still nothing. I think he's too impatient though, since he used everything in a mere 20 minutes..

I stick with the plastic trout worms, that's what I was using when I got the bites.

Any suggestions?

Because it sucks to watch other people catch fish when we aren't.

yes, you know the main entrence? go in there and head down a little bit, to the right you'll see a little dock. don't actually fish off the dock but fish in that little cove area. you can fish fish real worms under bobbers to catch nice sunfish, real worms on the bottom for bass,catfish and carp, or fish senkos for nice bass. be patient, that is the most important thing to do, be patient.

Thanks for the info, I'll try it.

[DEbassman17]

Me and my Dad have went out there 3 times and haven't caught a single fish yet. I've had about 5 nibbles but I'm too inexperienced and was too anxious, not to mention we both decided it was just little fish.

I think there has been a combonation of negative factors that has led to our bad luck, such as wind and heat, but this is just cruel because this is the first time I have been fishing for what seems like the past 5 years. I don't know what we're doing wrong. I guess it's because we are fishing from the shoreline, but we've caught fish in the past from there.

I would say we're using the wrong lures, but my Dad has tried everything we have in the box (spinners, trout worms, real worms, grubs, corn scents, you name it) and still nothing. I think he's too impatient though, since he used everything in a mere 20 minutes..

I stick with the plastic trout worms, that's what I was using when I got the bites.

Any suggestions?

Because it sucks to watch other people catch fish when we aren't.

yes, you know the main entrence? go in there and head down a little bit, to the right you'll see a little dock. don't actually fish off the dock but fish in that little cove area. you can fish fish real worms under bobbers to catch nice sunfish, real worms on the bottom for bass,catfish and carp, or fish senkos for nice bass. be patient, that is the most important thing to do, be patient.

Thanks for the info, I'll try it.

yup  ;D out by the pool if you walk out to the corner and fish off that, the crappies usually school there starting at 8.

[ElHeat]

Haha! I finally broke through!

It's no bass, and it's the only thing I caught, but it was one of those sunfish you were talking about. I would post a picture, but it won't let me.

I caught it under some trees. My instincts told me to go there, and I was right. I also had a few more bites, but I think they got a little spooked and we never had anything else after that one.

But I'm glad to finally catch something this year.

This was our 4th trip out to Junaluska, and 8th trip fishing overall... and first fish caught, out of all of that, lol.

My Dad was a little disappointed though. He infamously loses hooks and stuff all the time and today was no exception (and I lost one too but I'm not gonna complain).

He probably would've caught something if he were doing what I was. He just casts out into the open and doesn't leave it for a minute until it's reeled back to him... I was like that at first, but started doing the complete opposite and it has paid off. Maybe I will have to give him some tips...

Thanks for the advice again. I'm gonna keep using it. My goal is to catch a bass. I never have caught one before. I don't care how big it is, as long as I can say I've caught one.

I've never caught a catfish, either... my Dad has though. I've caught the sunfish, bluegill, mountain trout, and a rock bass once.. but I don't count that.

And all of that happened over 5 years ago.