# Lake Nantahala?



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Anyone fish Lake Nantahala? I will be staying on the lake this weekend, and hope to find some smallies from the kayak. I fished Fontana Lake a few weeks back, and I expect that Lake Nantahala will be similar fishing? Im also considering a float on the Little Tennessee for some smallies. Any fishing suggestions for the area would be greatly appreciated. Im primarily interested in smallies, but Im sure that I will hit a few trout streams as well.


----------



## Treebass227 (Jul 31, 2006)

If you haven't run it already, the Nantahala river is really fun and beautiful from a kayak. Don't know about the fishing , though.


----------



## redhawk fisherman (Apr 13, 2004)

I never fished Nantahala, but I was curious what you thought of Fontana?


----------



## fisharder (Mar 18, 2005)

I fished there last summer and smallmouth are the main game fish.The lake was way down when I was there all the docks and boat houses were out of the water and access was limited. I fished spinner baits and small crank baits and did pretty well. Fontana was the same way no water.


----------



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

The smallmouth fishing was OK at Fontana. I expected more and larger fish. But, it is a very large lake to fish from a kayak. Most of the fish came from the creek mouths on spinnerbaits or tubes. Also, we caught a lot of white bass and small walleye at the creek mouths. I talked to some guys that were doing really well on deep diving crankbaits for smallies.

We did much better fishing the creeks for trout. Tons of fish and a few really large browns.

The scenery alone is enough to get me back to Fontana as soon as I can find the time!


----------



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Very scenic lake, and there are some fish in there too!

Caught this smallie on the first cast on the lake:










This girl must be on a diet! She weighed in right at 4Lbs, but I thought she was bigger.


----------



## cj88 (May 13, 2011)

I just went 3 weeks ago, no luck. We only have a pontoon boat with no trolling motor, so tis hard to stay on the points and anywhere shallow to fish. But we do have 2 kayaks, so we fished jigs along shorline deadfall near our house. On the first cast, right next to a tree, i had a nice 4 punder on and it pulled my kayak 20 feet over to a sunken tree and wrapped itself around it, causing me to loose the fish, and the jig. While we were there, we talked to an ex forest ranger who runs a guide service and are thinking about going out on a trip with him to learn the basics about the lake. The next time in going up is the last week in July, all week.Anyone know what some good lures and locations are for then?


----------



## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

Ive fished this Lake several times in the last few years. I never get a lot of fish, but the ones I do get are usually quality fish. Ive done well on the largemouth in the summer months (I cant seem to find the smallies, but suspect they are very deep). I usually throw wooden crankbaits and bounce them off the rocks, but my biggest bass (7.5lbs) came off a black senko near the little island. Once again, the fishing is slow, but the BIG bass make it worth while. Great lake, and I hope to get back this year.


----------



## cj88 (May 13, 2011)

I kayak fish this lake whenever im there, as we dont have a boat thats rigged for fishing. Try and find downded trees, rock piles( you'll be able to see them as this lake is so clear) and trees overhanging the water. If you have a depthfinder and can locate fish, try the main clay and rock points all over the lake. Use drop shot rigs, green pumkin worms, flukes, or deep diving cranks.


----------

