Smith Mountain Lake April Fishing Report - It’s bedding time

The fishing is going to out of this world good this month. The lake is at its peak with big fish moving around and eating heavily. Stripers are pushing back into most creek arms chasing the bait that is running to the warm shallow water. Some early topwater is right around the corner this month. Tossing around a fluke weighless is a great way to catch them and get some super aggressive strikes. A jerkbait and swimbait are also great options for getting them to bite. Try a Dobyns 1/4oz or 3/8oz swimbait head with a Tackle HD swimmer.

The largemouth and smallmouth are in a transition period for the next few weeks while they decide where they want to bed. This is SENKO season. Whacky rig a senko and hit as many docks and you can and you will have some of the highest numbers days of the entire year. Focus on finding fish in the back half of the pockets with spawning flats towards the backs. If you get some wind blowing toss around a chatter bait or the swimbait to find those aggressive prespawn fish. By late April there could be a topwater bite with a buzzbait or popper.

When you find a bass on a bed try flipping in smaller profile baits on a texas rig like a beaver, Missile baits D-Bomb or a small brush hog.

Bluegill will be on the docks in almost any section of the lake soon so if you have kids grab some worms from the local tackle shops or gas stations and tie up a hook and bobber and have a blast. Crappie are on the move to spawn so keep an eye on the shallows for large schools spawning together.

Please practice catch and release with most spawning fish. This is what keeps Smith Mountain Lake one of the best lakes in the south east right now.