Lake Chatuge Ga
Lake Chatuge in the North Georgia Mountains
Lake Chatuge is settled in the Blue Ridge Smoky Mountains, on the Georgia/Western North Carolina borderline. The water is clear because of the lake’s infertility, which adds up to the beauty of the scenery.
The lake is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. Its surface in the summertime is about 7,000 acres and has a shoreline of 130 miles of shoreline. Chatuge Reservoir is a 13-mile-long reservoir on the Hiwassee River in North Carolina that stretches southeast from the dam into north Georgia.
The lake was constructed in the 1940s by the Tenessee Valley Authority for the purpose of power supply and controlling floods. An adjacent Cherokee town inspired the reservoir’s name.
Thousands of people visit Chatuge Lake each year. Besides fishing, visitors can enjoy outdoors hiking, various water sports, and visiting one of the many streams. Boating is also available, either by boat rentals from the marinas or by bringing personal vessels.
What is Lake Chatuge Ga known for?
The yearly trout fishing contests are the most well-known feature of Lake Chatuge. Because of the yearly trout fishing, each portion of the lake has become renowned.
Top Targeted Fish Species
Fishing Lake Chatuge
The Chatuge Reservoir has 32 fish species. Chatuge contains some stumps, logs, and undergrowth, but not much. Tournament fishing is popular, and the lake has produced numerous state records.
On Chatuge, fishing at depths of 25 feet or more is frequent. The lake is home to spotted bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, hybrid striped bass, and white bass. Lake Chatuge also has crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, walleye, hybrid bass, and bluegill.
Chatuge caught the state record smallmouth of 7 pounds, 2 ounces in 1973. While the decrease of the smallmouth bass is disappointing, there are 30 other fish species to keep anglers occupied.
How Do you Catch Fish on Lake Chatuge?
There are numerous ways that visitors may use to catch fish. You can fish off-shore, from a boat launch ramp, a boat, or canoe. Wade fishing for trout is also attractive below Chatuge Dam and in the Hiawassee River. Visitors can rent boars from several Towns County marinas.
Does Lake Chatuge have walleye?
Lake Chatuge is home to walleye, as well as to many other fish species, which makes it one of the best lakes for a fishing trip.
Lake Chatuge Charters
North Georgia Vacations Best Places to Stay at Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee & Young Harris
Chatuge Lake offers a lot of lodging options such as campgrounds, cabins, cottages, hotels, and resorts. Most of them are located at Hiawassee near the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and Young Harris, but you can find private accommodation on all sides around the lake as well.
Bed & Breakfast
Chatuge offers a few Bed & Breakfast lodging options. ‘Bed & Breakfast at Swan Lake’ and ‘Hidden Valley Bed & Breakfast’ are the most popular ones in the town of Hiawassee.
Cabin & Cottage
Many cabins and cottages include large porches, swings, and fireplace hearths where visitors may relax. These are fantastic locations to renew relationships, stay with family, motivate your business team, and range from palatial to rustic. The guest reviews state that the facilities are pretty affordable and well-kept.
Activities at Chatuge Lake
The lake’s most popular feature, apart from its natural beauty, is water activities, including fishing, sailing, boating, jet-skiing, and sunbathing and tanning on its sandy beaches.
There are authorized camping spaces along the lake’s forested coastline and good local and beachfront hotels. There are many approved picnic spots, as well as multiple boat launches with easy access and two marinas.
There are numerous tranquil wilderness paths along the lake’s coastline, as well as one track in the Jackrabbit Mountain Recreation Area. It is just north of Hiawassee and east of Blairsville and Morganton both highly popular with mountain bikers.
