Largemouth and spotted bass are equally abundant in Lake Rabun. For largemouth bass, anglers can expect to catch better than average numbers of largemouths in most size groups. In particular, bass over four pounds are more plentiful than usual, but so is the abundance of small bass less than one pound.
Technique
Bass in Lake Rabun will take advantage of any opportunity to grab a passing blueback herring, which gives lures like the pearl-colored Super Fluke or Pointer series a unique advantage among artificial lures. During the spring and fall months, work a 3/8-oz jig-head tipped with a fluke in prime target areas. Switch to finesse worms on points, humps and creek channels when the fluke is not attracting strikes.
Target
Largemouth bass anglers should generally target fallen trees, creek channels and boat docks in coves and small pockets. During the spring months, largemouth bass will hold tight to visible cover with overhead protection to build their spawning nests. This type of habitat is plentiful in the area around Hall's marina as well as on the upper end of the lake. In the summer months, look for largemouth bass in 20 feet of water along main lake points and in creek channels. Casting soft plastics on a Carolina rig is a good choice. During the fall months, largemouth bass will more actively feed during the early morning and evening in the general vicinity of their spring and summer locations.
Spotted bass
Prospect
The abundance of spotted bass in Lake Rabun is at its lowest level since 1997 due to reduced natural reproduction over the past few years. For anglers, this change presents a mixed blessing. Anglers can expect to catch fewer numbers of spotted bass this year, especially small fish, but the average size will be much larger than recent years. In fact, the abundance of huge spotted bass over 4 pounds is at an all-time high, so enjoy this unique situation while it lasts!
Technique
Spotted bass are generally aggressive feeders that will take a variety of natural and artificial baits. In the winter months, spotted bass are looking for an easy meal of blueback herring. Using live herring or their artificial imitations are your best bets during the winter months. In April and May, spotted bass will move into shallow water from 5 to 15-feet deep to spawn. Jerkbaits, shallow-running lures, floating worms, and plastic lizards are effective when cast near visible structure where there is a bass nest. You will want to make sure to cast a pearl Super Fluke this spring around boat house steps situated on rocky banks. During the fall, spotted bass gorge on blueback herring in open water during early morning and evening. During the day, bounce crayfish imitating baits down rocky points.
Target
In the winter months, spotted bass can be found holding tight to visible structure, such as fallen trees and boat houses with brush, or near the dam feeding on blueback herring. During April and May, spotted bass will seek rocky banks with overhead cover to build a spawning nest. Fallen trees, the corners of boat houses, and around their steps seem to provide all the ingredients that Lake Rabun spotted bass are looking for when choosing a place to build a nest. Maybe you have never tried "step fishing" before. Be sure to give it a go on Lake Rabun this spring. In the fall, spotted bass will be feeding on small blueback herring at the surface. Schooling fish are most abundant in the narrow section of the lake at the upper end.
Bream
Prospect
Bream fishing in Lake Rabun is good during the early summer months.
Technique
Bluegills readily take crickets, while the larger redear sunfish prefer red wigglers in deeper water.
Target
Fishing from the shore? Look for two small public fishing piers located at the U.S. Forest Service recreation area and campground located on the upper end of the lake. Cast to the small circular nests that are visible around the boat ramp and fishing pier. There is an abundance of large bluegills that hang out around the boat slips at Hall's Marina on the lower end of the lake.
Walleye
Prospect
The walleye population in Lake Rabun supports good numbers of quality and trophy-sized fish. This population is maintained by the annual stocking program of GA-DNR.
Technique
Three seasonal patterns have emerged. During March and early April, walleye are in a spawning pattern. Fish the shallow headwaters at dusk and dark with floating minnow imitations, white curly-tailed grubs or nightcrawlers. Start at the Low Gap Road bridge early and work your way upstream as the evening progresses. During the day, fish the deeper sections of the river by trolling nightcrawlers along the bottom or by casting crankbaits in perch, shad or crayfish color patterns. From June to September, walleye transition into a summer pattern. As the water heats up under the summertime sun, walleye will migrate to deeper waters near the dam and in the mouth of coves in search of cooler temperatures. Troll the same types of lures and baits already mentioned along the bottom at a depth of 30 feet. When water temperatures cool back down in October and November, walleye switch to a fall pattern where they move onto shallow water points in the evening to feed. During the day, walleye hang tight to the bottom in nearby deeper water where they can be caught on nightcrawlers.
Target
During the spawning pattern, anglers can fish from the shoreline at Georgia Power’s Nacoochee Park, which is located at the intersection of Low Gap Road and Seed Lake Road downstream of Nacoochee Dam. During the summer and fall patterns, troll the lower lake from Hall’s Marina to the dam. DNR saturated the cove directly across the lake from Hall’s Marina with artificial structure specifically placed at the critical depth range to attract walleye. Newcomers to Lake Rabun may want to explore this “Walleye Habitat Area” first by bouncing nightcrawlers along the bottom in a 100-foot wide radius around the marker buoy.
Other Species
Prospect
Yellow perch and chain pickerel are relatively abundant in the upper end of the lake. Troll small jigs tipped with a minnow along the river channel for yellow perch. For hard-hitting chain pickerel, cast flashy lures and spinners baits to fallen trees in shallow water. Anglers can find plenty of fish in close proximity to the US Forest Service boat ramp and fishing piers.
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