Photo by CRAIG HOLT Smallmouth bass are one of the attractions at Lake James during the fall months.

Anglers seeking relief from the last hot days of summer — and looking for a decent freshwater fish bite since most largemouth angling in Piedmont will be slow — couldn’t find a better spot than Lake James, a Catawba River system lake near Asheville.

But forget the shallow-water lures and dig deep into the tackle box for heavy lures that’ll go deep.

“When the water cools down, fishing starts picking up,” said Clay Veasey, a N.C. Parks&Recreation ranger at Lake James.

“Right now (early September), people are catching smallmouths and largemouths early and late. But the best fishing this month will be for walleyes.”

Walleye, one of the best-tasting of all freshwater fish, are caught at Lake James in 50 to 60 feet of water.

“Go to any of the coves on the lake and start bumping the bottom with jigs, spoons or beetlespins,” he said. “When the water really cools down, a lot of people will troll for them in 10- to 15-feet of water. The boat ramps later this month will be slammed with walleye anglers.”

Average sizes of walleye will be 10 to 12 inches, but minimum-keeper size at Lake James is 15 inches. Smallmouths run 1 to 2 pounds, but bigger fish are possible.

“You’ll have to go through a lot of smaller (walleyes) before you catch some of the bigger ones,” Veasey said.

Walleye fishing at night is popular during late summer with tournaments held each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

“If you’re coming during the day, try to pick a cloudy day,” Veasey said. “Walleye seem to bite better when it’s cloudy.”

Trout fishing also picks up this month, mostly for rainbows and brown trout.

“Trout fishing is best behind the Catawba Dam powerhouse (a tailrace),” Veasey said. “The Wildlife Commission stocks fish in the river, and there are some big trout in there.”