Blue ridge lake

Temp 48
Level-18ft
Clarity 12ft
Feb typically brings our coldest temps of the year . These cold temps will drive fish deep to more stable water temps .This time of year I tell everyone find the deepest fish you can find and target those fish. Walleye hate light and love to lay in the deep water pinned to the bottom . Look for small groups of fish or individuals laying on the bottom near bait . A simple jig n minnow ,small spoon ,or soft plastic fished right in their face will usually draw a bite or two. Walleye can be super picky on color so switch between a few of your favorites to dial in the bite each day . As far as area or location this time of year it doesn’t seem to matter much as long as you’re looking deep you’ll find a few fish here and there . Unlike most of the yr in Feb you can sleep in a bit and get started around 8am vs well before sunrise for the walleye . You may not see the numbers this time of yr but the size of fish can’t be beat . With the fish feeding up for the spring run nows the time to catch some fatty females before they turn their attention to spawning vs eating .
   The spotted bass are schooled up and cruising the 20 to 40ft depth looking for bait balls to feed on . Spoons or live minnows,shad,or herring will get plenty of bites right now . Another option is fishing the backs of creeks with small swim baits . We are throwing the Cast Prodigy and Echo in the 3″ size on 1/8 or 1/4oz jigheads and letting it fall to the bottom then crawling it back on or just off the bottom . It the fish you’re targeting are suspended up high try a 3/8oz. VMC hammerhead jig and trailer hook with the 3″ Prodigy fished vertical.
  The recent trout stocking has given us a decent trout bite scattered all over the main lake . Casting spoons have been the go to option as they will absolutely annihilate them. Straight chrome or chrome and blue have had the most action.  Any surface activity right now is most likely trout so sling a spoon at them if you get the chance.