Smith Mountain Lake December Fishing Report - Water Temps down and fish are biting!
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It’s about damn time I get another report out! Sorry about that folks. New born life, running a few businesses and work like balance pulled me away last month and most of December but I’M BACK and so is some killer fishing.
We have now transitioned from early winter to some true winter fishing. Water temps are ranging from low 50’s to high 40’s and I am starting to see a large transition from shallow pockets back out onto the main lake. Evenings being short this time of year and cool NW winds are what help drop the lake temps down and get all predatory fish in the mood to eat. If you can handle a little cold on your fingers and bundle up this is the time of year I would get after it. I would be looking to head to the lake after a super cold snap when we have a little wind and highs in the 40’s. Shad stuns are one of the best days to fish for the next few months and that always happens after we have days with overnight lows in the teens. Also, really keep an eye on the moon cycle, full and new moons will be the best fishing days of the rest of the month.
Largemouth and Smallmouth are both doing about the same thing. For the next few weeks most fish are focused on shad and chasing around those bait balls that are in the back half of the creeks making their way back out to the main lake ditches and points. Bait selection is pretty start forwards this time of year with a few horizontal presentations and a few vertical. Keeping in mind that shad are the main food source you can bet I have baits like a Megabass Vision 110 +1, a Megabass Magdraft, some Damiki baits (Armor Shad, Baby Z Too, Sakamata Shad) , a Megabass Dyna Response Blade Bait and an A rig set up rocking on the boat deck. We haven’t had a ton of rain this season so most of the lake is still rather clear. Keep you color choices pretty natural for the most part with a few pops of color.
Finding largemouth and smallmouth is actually pretty easy this time of year as well. The majority of the population will be sticking in ditches and off main lake points with access to the old river channel. I wouldn’t spend much time up super shallow or far back in pockets after say Christmas unless you are finding large bait schools or if we get a fresh rain. Pay attention to tight contour lines on your mapping leading from secondary points towards channel swings and into ditches. Just like in the spring you are doing the reverse by looking for fish moving out towards the main lake and not back into pockets. Keep in mind that fish will either be on the breaks up tight to cover or be roaming out in the ditch. They can either be suspended in small groups or be single big fish. Tossing a jerkbait at these fish can be a great way to get the school fired up and make them bite.
Stripers are in huge schools right now and are super easy to catch. Some schools are shallow in those same ditches as the bass while other schools will be out deeper on the main lake in the tree tops. A 3/4oz spoon is all you need to get some meat for the freezer.
Crappie fishing is also about to be great. Deeper docks and brush should start holding large numbers of big fish back in creeks. Start by looking at large laydowns on the bank that create good habitat for the schools. These fish can also be stacked together in structure like cane piles or stumps in the 20-30 foot range.
Last thing, be safe out there guys. Always have an extra pair of clothes in the boat this time of year if you fall in. I always wear a life jacket this time of year as well. Keep your throwable close by in case someone need to throw it out and always tell someone what area of the lake you are fishing.
Smith Mountain Lake October Fishing Report - Fall Topwater, Hurricane Helene and Bait
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October at Smith Mountain Lake is a prime time for bass fishing as the water temperatures drop, fish become more active, and the fall feeding frenzy kicks into gear. On top of the cooling effects of nature it’s Hurricane season. Helene just came through with devastating force and with it came higher water. If you can spare some supplies or money find a local church or organization and please give to the help efforts.
With the higher water and changing temps comes a lot of movement from all species of fish. All the way from the migration patterns of minnows to the large schools of stripers, a lot is about to change and quick. Following bait is one of the most important things this month. Using your electronics and more specifically side scan is key to keep up with the bait. I like to start backwards from most by finding bait in the backs of pockets and working my way out to the main lake. This allows me to see if single bigger fish are moved up and back faster than the schoolers coming in. This also allows you to see where in the pockets the schools are located which can be replicated around the entire lake. The goal this month should be to find how far back the fish have moved to increase the number of bites you can get in a day.
Lure’s this month are about to be super fun. It’s a hard turn towards power fishing and lots of topwater action. I’t time to put away a lot of the spinning set ups and grab those Dobyns rods for some fast action fishing.
For me one of the best ways to break the water down quick this time of year is a crankbait. I’m tossing around a squarebill a lot like the Megabass SonicSide or a Z1 checking everything from shallow laydowns, rock veins to even paralleling dock post. Being around bait is the most important part to this. I try to focus on ambush spots in areas where bait is around as bass tend to stick close to those waiting for the bait balls to pass by. This is also why I will always have a topwater ready handing off the side of the boat. I like to have 2-3 different baits ready based on size. The minnows are all different sizes this time of year as well as the gizzard shad around moving back so there is some large meals swimming around. I am always ready with a Megabass Pop-X , a Megabass Dog-X Diamante and a Megabass Karashi Twitch Bait. This covers a wide range of sizes. Always be experimenting to find out what the bass want that day or in a certain area. Keep your eyes peeled for bait balls swimming around and see if you can find out the hatch size.
As much as I don’t like throwing it it’s also time for the spinnerbait bite to kick off. I don’t throw these around a ton, but of course it works. It’s one of the best baits for bouncing around cover and can still get some monster bites. I like throwing a Megabass SV-3 in 1/2oz to match the smaller bait or a Dobyns D-Blade Beast Series in a 3/4 and upsize the blades to 7’s to show them something oversized.
Last is a jerkbait, a lot of dudes really don’t throw this until we get into the colder months, but it will shine this time of year. Again, paying attention to the size of the bait swimming around should help you decide what size to throw. Megabass of course offers the Vision 110, but also keep an open mind to how small you can go and still get monster bites. The 110 jr is great as well as the Megabass X-80 TD. I like to try some whacky colors as well like that Table Rock SP or Northern Secret if the water has a little stain.
Striper fishing again is about to be lights out this month with fish really starting to school together. Check river channel swings half way back into pockets or even all the way back on the flats as the water temp begins to fall quickly. Topwater is the best way to get some killer bites on those schools.
Tight lines and be safe out there!
Smith Mountain Lake September Fishing Report - How to tackle transitioning fish and turnover
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It’s turn over time and I hope it comes and goes quick. September into October is a interesting time to be on the water. A lot of guys are getting hunting stuff out to start to prep for deer season, but for us die hard fishermen it’s a time of scattered fish, hard patterns and ever changing conditions. I’m here for it because I love to solve the daily puzzles, but for some it can be one of the most difficult months of the year to fish.
Let’s talk about what is happening in the lake before we jump into the fishing. As cooler night come a phenomenon occurs know as turn over. This is created because the water on the top of the lake that was heated by the summer sun for the last few months is now going to get the colder nightly air temps and begin to cool. The water that was below the thermocline for the last few months doesn’t change, so when the top layer becomes cooler than the bottom the lake “turns over". This causes a number of things, but the most obvious is that the bait move around and quick. The bait that has been suspended moves to secondaries and the backs of pockets to get the last of those hot summer days. The fish quickly follow. This will happen faster than you think. I am already finding bait and fish in pockets as of the first week of September. I always keep in mind if we have three days of cooler nights things will change. Another note: turn over doesn’t happen at the same time every year and the entire lake doesn’t turn over at the same time. My rule is always to find non turn over water by running up the rivers or finding areas with fresh water coming into the lake.
For the fishing,… man bass can be turds this month. It’s junk fishing time and that means you will need to not only focus on area but also on matching the hatch better than any other time of the year. Baitfish are multiple sizes, crawfish are moving, warmouth are back on the bank, crappies are moving to fall brush it’s just a big transition for everything. This time of year is about following your instinct and moving quickly. I like to start in the backs and make my way out of pockets to see if I can gauge how far along bass have moved. Big fish are usually the first to move back. Not sure why that is but maybe it’s the amount of times they have experienced that season change but I am always ready for a monster bite up shallow. This is when i’m coving water with the trolling motor on 8-10. Buzzbaits, whooper ploppers and poppers are always on the deck for me right now. I like to toss a large blade buzzer and a smaller blade. The bait fish may be 4” long in the back or 2” long depending on the area. A Megabass Jamica Boa is a great choice for that larger profile. The different skirt length helps show bass a large meal. Another buzzer is the James Watson Tackle HD World Wide Buzzer. It’s got a great sound and smaller profile. I remove the skirt and usually add a smaller grub or anything in that 2”-3” range. The Whooper Plopper is a great all around top water that can be slowed down or speed up to get those strikes. For a popper I like something super load like a Rico or something a little smaller like a Megabass pop X.
For mid range water column baits a Zoom fluke is hard to beat these next two months. The bass still want stuff moving pretty fast so an erratic moving baitfish profile is good to get the fish biting. I rig mine on a 1/0 Gamakatsu Nano Alpha Offset worm hook and like to stick with whites and silvers to try to match as best as possible.
Dragging is also very important this time of year and fall rate is top of the list. The jig is about to become one of the best baits to have in your hand. Both crawfish and bluegill are back on the bank and being able to drag or swim a jig to present both patterns can help you put more fish in the boat. I like to have two different weights of jigs on the boat. A 3/4oz and a 3/8oz. I want to check every day if they want something falling super fast past their face or something slower. I can also adjust the speed of the fall by adding a different trailer. I throw a Missile Baits Ike’s flip out jig for my 3/4oz and the Missile Baits Ike’s mini flip jig for my 3/8oz. I really like the hooks on these baits and the colors are a good mix between crawfish and bluegill. For a faster fall rate trailer I like the Missile Baits Craw Father and for something to slow it down I’ll use a Missile Baits D bomb or baby destroyer.
Striper fishing is about to get bonkers. The fish should already be schooling up on main lake points and working their way backs into pockets using the main river channels. I would honestly just have a 3/4oz jig head and a fluke on for dropping to those fish quickly or a spook for topwater when they start to come up. If your graph isn’t loaded with returns keep moving until you find them.
Crappies are starting to stack up on some deeper docks in pockets and work their way to brush to suspend for the fall. Check the same piles you would in late spring to see if they have shown up yet.
Be safe out there this month and keep moving and trying things until you find some fish. It may be a while before you get bites and in between bites but if you can crack the code each day it can make for a fun month of fishing.
Smith Mountain Lake August Fishing Report - Where i’ve been and what the fish are doing!
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE LATE SUMMER TACKLE
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Life is crazy and in a great way! As many of you guys know that follow me on my social media stuff life has changed for me. We have an amazing little 7 month old girl already and life has been so cool seeing her grow. On top of activating DAD mode I have been quietly working on a massive life changing launch of a company that I am proud to say is now in the public and growing super fast! Don’t worry I am still going to guide.
That company is called paddleBOX. A very close friend and engineering wiz have created a company that offers paddle board rentals at a self service, completely solar powered tower that can be placed anywhere there is water. We have created some great relationships over the last year and we are hoping to have these at a ton of lakes in VA and in other states ASAP. If you’re interested in getting involved with a tower system near you swing over to the website and shoot us an email.
As for the FISHING…. man it’s a fun time of year in my opinion. A lot of guys hate this late summer into fall transitions due to the frequent changes you have to make, but I love that puzzle solving on the water every day, hell every hour. Now I will say this is a time of year where you are having to go through a good amount of dinks before you’re smashing on some giant ones, but each day brings us closer and closer to all out fall fishing and the bigs still have to eat.
Junk fishing for bass is the name of the game for basically the next 60 days. I am not joking when I say I am catching big ones in 6” of water and 60’ feet deep. The lake still has a massive amount of schoolers out on the main lake points, humps and channels swings, but some of the bait is already making its way back into pockets and some bass are hot on their tails. If late August thru September is super tough on you here would be a few tips that I would keep in mind when you’re getting out on the water.
Water color. This can be the time of year where the lower and mid sections of the lake are going to be the clearest it will be all year. Keep an eye going from the bank to the deeper water to see how clear it is. The big adjustment here is downsizing line. In most cases I am having clients throw 6lb or 7lb Sunline Sniper for leaders on everything from dropshot, shaky head, neko and swimbait fishing. You would be surprised by how many more fish you will catch going from 10lb to 6lb.
Bait location. I already mentinoed that there are some smaller bait balls in the backs of pockets all ready, so take the time to look there. Also, when spending some time graphing on your way back to the ends of guts keep an eye on your side scan and down scan to see how deep the bait is. This can change everyday, but is a good give away for what baits to start with. For example if the bait is super high in the water I pick up a topwater almost every time. If it’s mid depth the crank bite could be firing off that day and if they are down near the bottom it’s time for the jig.
Speed is key. I mention this every fall. Speed is the biggest part to the puzzle this time of year. Jig fall rate is a huge deal when going from catching nothing to giant ones. I like to start heavy and work back from there. Bass are going to start getting more and more aggresive so tossing a 3/4 oz Missile Baits headbanger is where I start. I like a big jig right now when looking for that giant bite.
The striper fishing is about to be lights out. I am seeing massive groups of fish getting together on main lake points and above tree tops. They should start moving back into pockets soon and the schools will get even bigger. Remember this time of year when you are running down the lake to keep an eye out for tons of fish blowing up.
Again, sorry for the missed July report and a late post for August but things are getting back on track over at the Kohls house lol.
Check out the links in the report for the baits I would be throwing this month.
Smith Mountain Lake June Fishing Report - Topwater time, Worming and the Dropshot.
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE SUMMER TACKLE
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June is one of my favorite months out here. Smith Mountain can set up to be super fun with fish both shallow and deep like really deep this month. We have a lot of post spawn fish that are now past that annoying zombie phase and are ready to start schooling up and chomping. We are also getting a pretty mild early summer with lots of low pressure days, some good rain to keep the water stained and some flow. Lastly, I personally feel like we are seeing a little less boat traffic this year that could help that off shore bite stay on longer every day. Bass are on the move both shallow and deep, stripers are stacked on points and panfish are everywhere!
Post spawn is a great time to get out and fish. We have both smallmouth and largemouth that are ready to put the weight back on and that makes they more aggressive than last month. The threadfin shad spawn is still rolling but happening pretty late right now. I’m hearing guys say its not starting until midnight or later and only lasting a few hours. Bluebacks are schooling up great this year, it takes some time to find the groups but once you do there are some giant bass around. The bluegills are in full on spawn mode a little early this year and that is keeping a good population of bass shallow this year. I feel like we had a lot of up and down this spring and the cool start to the summer left a lot of bass shallow. Once the bluegill start to spawn there isn’t really a reason for a big fish to head deep just to turn around so keep that in mind that we may have a longer and better shallow bite this early summer.
Stripers are being stripers right now. I am not finding the massive school yet that the summer will bring but there are some large groups on the lower and mid sections of the lake that are coming together. Topwater and jigging time is here and a great way to peel some drag.
Like I mentioned bluegill are out heavy right now. If you’re trying to get the kids on some fish or fill a bucket head to most rounded flat back pockets and find plenty of bedding fish or focus around the biggest wood laydowns you can find. Hard to beat a worm and a bobber and have at it.
Like I mentioned in the title I find June to actually be the better topwater month than May. The shad spawn is shorter in the night and those fish typically eat more in the early morning hours as opposed to the middle of the night. The blueback bite also keeps fish looking up for most of the day. I have three topwaters that are always on the boat right now and I rotate them frequently throughout the day. Keep it in your mind that each day is different. Some days they want something super load, other days something pretty quiet. Starting with load is a Whooper Plopper. I really like throwing the 130. Something bigger and louder than the smaller version. It’s a killer bait and super easy to use. Next and keeping with the bigger bait is the Megabass Magadog. Now I know this is a very large bait but hear me out. Everyone is throwing a spook style bait or something in that 3”- 4” range. They work for sure but the biggest bass in the lake have seen it 100%. Big baits catch big fish and this topwater is an amazing lure to draw the biggest fish on in the group. If you’re not thinking the big bait is for you a Megabass Dog X topwater. It’s important right now to have a three hook bait to pin as many fish as you can. My last topwater is a popper. I have two that I LOVE again a Megabass Pop X is a killer little guy that can be worked both slow and fast. The other is the Rico Popper.
If the fish are not coming it’s time to start dragging and it can be such a fun way to catch them. Everyone knows i’m not a massive Carolina Rig guys but if your planning to throw it now is the time. It’s really your choice as an angler on how you want to approach presenting soft plastics. A good ole texas rigged worm is a always good, a wobble head is a cool way to do or something off the wall like a Free Rig. The plastics can range from a Zoom Ole Monster or a Magnum Trick worm to something as small as a Missle Baits magic worm. The main thing to remember when dragging is to be slow and keep that bottom contact the entire time. If you think you are fishing slow go slower lol.
Of course I am going to put in that the dropshot is a killer bait for June. Fish are on their way out to the brush piles and one of it not the best bait is the dropshot to get them to bite around this time. For me I trust Sunline for all my line needs and their 7lb Sniper florocarbon as a dropshot leader is always tied on, even in the brush. Again, my go to is a Missle Baits magic worm. Next would be a 7” Roboworm or something like a Keitech Easy Shaker Worm. I usually have clients throw a 1/8oz as a standard to start.
Some honorable mentions for things to try is a bigger jig for those large crawfish that are moving around now. A 3/4oz Missle Baits headbanger jig is my go to for keeping it on the bottom and having a large profile. Also, keep an eye on those bluegill eating fish and keep something handy like a Missile Baits 48 worm or a Senko to skip around bream beds.
June can be a month of both size and numbers of fish. Keep an eye on incoming fronts and look to try to get out on some cloudy days to keep that topwater bite on longer. Also, be safe out there and keep an eye on your weather. VA is known for having thunder storms pop up at any moment. See you on the water!
Smith Mountain Lake May Fishing Report - Late Spawn, Shad Spawn and Bream Eaters
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Here we go again with another strange weather spring, roller coaster water temps and a later spawn. May is shaping up to be an interesting one this year with a lot of things happening all at the same time. We have bass that stayed in pre-spawn patterns for a super long time, we have a large way of spawners for early May, we have some post spawn fish that did their deal early April, we have bream starting to spawn and the shad spawn is in full swing both on the bank at night and on lights. It’s pretty much pick how you want to tackle it and have some fun!!!
However, even with a lot going on at the same time the lake is feeling like it is fishing smaller with some areas of the lake seeming dead while others are loaded. I am finding a lot of fish on certain banks and I can go back to those banks multiple times a day and get bites on every pass. Keep that in mind if you are not finding fish to keep moving and repeat stretches if you think they are a lot of fish on them.
Typical pre-spawn baits like big swimbaits, jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs are catching fish around secondary points leading into spawning areas. Bed fishing is going on so a texas rig and dropshot are key to getting those fish to bite. The post spawners are chasing topwater and I am already catching schooling bass out very deep. Now the shad spawn usually occurs in May when the water temperature reaches around 65-70 degrees. During this time, shad will spawn in shallow areas, such as around rocks, riprap and points. This will attract predatory fish, such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, stripers, and catfish.
You can use lures that mimic shad, like the Megabass Suwitch (killer bait) a Thunderstick or Hitstick, Flukes work amazing as well as Chatterbaits and shallow crankbaits. Topwater time means having a few different offerings like a Megabass Dog X, A buzzbait, or a Rico Popper is solid as well. Getting up early or staying out past dark will increase the number and size of fish you will catch. Remember to be safe driving during those times and have the correct lights working on your boats.
The shad in SML got lucky again this winter with mild temps which means most lived. This is causing the fishing to be a little tough in areas because of the amount of food available to the bass. Try to find areas with maybe a little less bait present instead of those areas that are top to bottom with shad on the graph.
Second it’s time to start to look at water that is close to main creek channel swings or high spots near secondary points. The fish will also use docks heavily at this time as cover and ambush areas. Once the topwater bite stops for the day this is a great time to focus on dragging. A Carolina rig with something like a Missilebaits 48 worm or a big D Stroyer Creature. A dropshot is always on the boat in May. I may try upsizing my worm first by rigging up a Missile Baits Quiver worm, but will always have the Magic Worm or Bomb Shot ready to present to a fish. It works both for bedding fish and post spawners love an easy meal. Also it’s time for a heavier shaky head to shine. This is when I will be throwing a much bigger bait like a Zoom 8” dead ringer or a Ol’ Monster. I am looking for that large female that needs a big meal after spawning out.
Smallmouth bass can be found in clear and rocky areas, such as points, ledges, and drop-offs. These fish will be the first to really start moving out deeper towards the main lake. These fish will be very aggressive this month so keep trying different baits until you find what they seem to want on each day. A small swimbait is about all you need on a cloudy or windy day on the lower end.
In May, the water temperature at Smith Mountain Lake is usually in the mid-60s to low 70s, making it an excellent time to fish. Be sure to take advantage of the shad spawn by using lures that mimic shad, and always follow local fishing regulations and properly release fish back into the water to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.
Smith Mountain Lake April Fishing Report - Fish all over the map!
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY SRING TACKLE I USE
What a strange spring. Talking to a lot of the bass guys around the lake and even some of the striper guides, it sounds like this is one of the most off spring bites this lake has experienced. Now there is no way to know what happened, but as an avid angler and a person that is on the water most days the two things that come to mind are the super early March warming trend that kicked a ton of fish shallow and also that we have not had a shad stun/kill in three winters now. That seemed to really keep the fish off shore much longer since the food source is so abundant. With the normal spring temperatures here now and the full moon approaching I think we should be back to some more “normal” fishing soon.
April is the spawning month here at SML with most the bass bedding up from mid April-May. This can be a fun a super fun time to fish, but please remember that bed fishing some of the biggest fish in the lake can damage the bass population. Have a good time fishing that way, but mix some pre-spawn and post-spawn techniques in each day because bass are in all three stages.
Pre-spawn and post-spawn fish are located in the same locations on transition spots. This is an important time of year to focus on flatter banks with isolated cover like strumps and hard spots in that 8-15 foot range. Most bass are going to be in that depth for the next 30-45 days. This is also the time of year that you can turn off your front facing sonar and just go fishing (thank you lord). Every day is of course going to be different, but for the most part you can approach a day like this….. Fish are going to eat in early morning and low light. Once the sun gets up the bite will most likely slow down as fish begin to start moving closer to spawning. Once mid day hits you can start focusing on shade lines on docks or looking for beds. As the evening gets close those post spawn fish will start to chase bait and we may start seeing schooling fish as soon as next week blowing up on top.
For baits I love keeping it simple and lean heavy into my spinning rod expertise. A dropshot,, shaky head, smaller jig, neko and ned rig are always on the boat. I loop in a Carolina rig as well for those colder mornings that draw fish towards the bottom. Check out the BAIT SHOP for links to all the early spring baits I recommend. A Missile Baits Magic Worm is always rigged on the dropshot. For a shaky head I like the Missile Baits Craw Father. A Missile Baits Micro jig is hard to beat showing the fish something different. Neko is also a great way to show the fish something slightly different than most anglers throwing a senko. I love the larger Missile Baits Quiver worm. For the Carolina Rig I LOVE going with the biggest bait I can get which is of course the Missile Baits D Stroyer.
If your plan is to target post spawn fish you also need to think big. Those fish are beat up and tired from spawning and they usually rest for days to sometimes a week plus before really getting back to eating. They will be hungry so jumping back on the Megabass Magdraft bite is key to getting those bigger post spawners rolling. Topwater is about to come into play as well and I will say we still have a lot of smaller bait in the lake. I would keep that in mind and downsize to match the hatch before the shad spawn starts. A Megabass Pop X or a Megabass Karashi Twitch Bait.
Stripers are EVERYWHERE on the main lake points right now. With the past 4 seasons of guiding I have really started to notice that the stripers will load up on the main lake stuff when the bass are up shallow in spring and fall. Most of the points in Craddock, the mountain and mid lake area have hundreds on each point. Just like the post spawn bass you will see them starting to blow up. Get a topwater handy, a fluke and a swimbait.
Crappie should starting to stack up a bit more together on laydowns and deeper brush and bluegills will be spawning starting in May. The bluegills are up on the riprap banks in smaller numbers, but that will change quickly.
As always, be safe out there and good luck!
Smith Mountain Lake March Fishing Report - Bass on the move…fast
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY SRING TACKLE I USE
It’s an early spring again this year with stained water, warming trends and all species of fish on the move. Flowers are blooming and the trees are not far behind. The bass are ahead and we should see some bass on beds in late March unless we get a massive late spring cold snap. This is the time of year that fish are going to in all three patterns; Pre-spawn, spawn and even some super early post spawn fish. That allows for everyone to fish to their strengths, either power fishing or finesse. Plastics will start to come into play and we should be getting to the prime time for the big swimbait bite. It’s a great time of year to catch your PB also! I am booked up, but still have some days open to chase the fish of your year.
Bass are on the move. What I mean is that is we have buck bass moving into shallow water early this year. Buck (male bass) are usually the first to come shallow in the spring in large numbers to scope out areas for spawning. Using your mapping to find good secondary points and docks can be key this time of year to find holding bass waiting for a long stretch warming weather to move back to start making beds. These buck bass can be used as a dead give away to where the big pre spawn female bass are. I use a rule of thumb that if I hit three spots and am only catching buck’s I am either too shallow or I am too far back into the pockets towards the spawning flats. Using this approach of finding buck bass allows me to focus on deeper areas or drops back towards the main lake that the females may be using as they wait for the warm weather. Stay focused and pay attention to the size of bass you are catching this time of year to find the big ones.
Spring time fishing baits can be pretty straight forwards because of lot of these bass are putting on the feedbag before the big spawn. For power fishing you won’t find much more in my hand than a Megabass Magdraft, a V9 spinnerbait or a Sonic Side. For dragging I love tossing around a Missile baits Ike Mini Flip Jig, A micro football jig or a Neko with a Quiver worm or 48 worm. As a bait that may not get a ton of bites, but can call a giant one up is a buzz bait. Find something super loud and load a big bait on the back to call out a shallow early pre spawn fish. Once the water is over 52 degrees I find that the lake starts to come alive.
Keep in mind this month that smallmouth and largemouth, although they are both bass have a very different approach to spawning. Largemouth prefer flats with timber, stumps and docks, while smallmouth are more rock focused with pea gravel transitions and boulders as a main place to do their business. Target those types of structures to target the species you are hoping to catch.
The Stripers are starting to run to the backs of creeks and chew on the bait that came up early. It’s back to fluke jigging season in ditches and humps heading back into pockets. I would have a topwater ready for these super warm nights. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see fish schooling bright and early.
Crappie fishing has been lights out for weeks now and it’s only going to get better as we see fish start to move from deep holes into shallow brush piles near docks and cover. A damiki rigged with a small live minnow or minnow style bait is all you need to find some big pre spawn female fish.
This is a great time of year to get out and enjoy the coming spring. Not only do I think it’s important for the fish, but also us as people to get out of the stuffy house and into nature. Birds are singing, trees are blooming and it’s just good for the soul to get out in the sun! Tight lines and see you out there!
Smith Mountain Lake February Fishing Report - Warming waters and wondering bass
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY WINTER TACKLE I USE
Well that cold water lasted all of 10 days LOL. Looks to be setting up that we are getting another warmer spring with rising water temperatures. This is a good and bad thing depending on how you look at it. The good is that a lot bass are already starting their movements back into pockets and pinch points near spawning areas. They are also setting up suspended in ditches looking for bait that is sure to move back quicker than normal this year. The bad is a lot of these warmer days turn into transition days that bass are less interested in eating and more interested in swimming to their next stopping stop. Now is a good time to cover water quickly again as the fish are going to scatter. As well, this is the best month in my opinion to catch the fish of a lifetime at Smith Mountain Lake.
It’s time to also start getting out the big baits. Both largemouth and smallmouth are going to want to eat bigger and more often as we lead into early pre-spawn. Large swimbaits, oversized jigs, Alabama Rigs and glide baits are a great idea for fishing those transition spots.
Largemouth are going to be moving out of the main river channel and into large main lake pockets to start as they move back to find spawning areas. Look for steeper banks that pinch into wider areas with structure close by like a laydown or dock. Bass will hold to these areas for a while as they wait for the water too warm even more. Keeping up with the bass movement can be a hard task now, so keep moving down those banks until you get a bite and repeat in other similar areas.
Smallmouth on the other hand have been out suspended over tree tops and in very deep water, but are quickly moving up on to humps and flats. Remember smallmouth are vision eaters so throwing baits that have some color this time of year is a good choice to get their attention. Chartreuse, pinks and purples on swimbaits can be killer as well as trying some off the wall jerk bait colors. Look for smallmouth suspended over those main lake humps and points even on bright sunny days with low wind.
Here is what I would have on to target larger green fish. A large paddle tail swimbait around gizzard shad and bass is one of the best ways to get the bigger bite. The Megabass Magdraft is a staple in the paddle tail category and everyone should have a few. I throw a 6” version on a Dobyns 764 Champ XP rod and 18lb Sunline Sniper. For the 8” Magdraft I use a Dobyns 795 Champ XP and up my line to 20lb.
A jig bite this time of year can be a monster fish. I like to start upsizing for those larger prespawn fish using a Missile Baits Headbanger jig paired with a Missile Baits Twin Turbo trailer. For stained water try something with some color like PB&J and for clear water try Green Pumpkin or Bamer Craw
Although Alabama rig fishing isn’t my favorite you have to throw it this time of year. Rigs can get expensive quick so I like to keep it simple. I have been throwing a Hog Farmer Tactical Bassin Mini Flex Rig 4 with Hog Farmer A Rig Heads and either Megabass 3” spark shads with a Megabass 5” spark shad in the center or Keitch Easy Shiner baits. I do like to throw a random color in the rig like chartreuse or pink.
If you’re new to glide bait fishing this is the time of year to build some confidence with it. Baits can get expensive quick so here are some cheaper options to start.
Baitsanity Antidote Chimera Shad
If glides are part of your everyday fishing and you are looking for something higher end check these bad boys out.
The striper bite is still on fire right now. Most main lake points that have timber off the ends are loaded with extremely large schools. A spoon, hairjig or swimbait is all you need. Look for fish on the breaklines and drops that dump into the main river channel. You can also run into the back of most major creek arms like Gills, Becky’s and Betty’s or Yacht club and find schools pushing bait in the backs. Also, be sure to start looking for bait in the backs of pockets as the stripers will move quickly this time of year to find their food.
The Crappie and Yellow Perch fishing has also been lights out. Crappies are loaded on docks up the rivers on the main channel with depths of 15-25 feet of the ends of the docks and yellow perch seem to be taking over a lot of brush piles in that 10-15 feet range. Minnows is still your best choice but if you need to go artifical a little grub is all you need.
Tightlines and stay safe out there!! Also be sure to check out the BAITSHOP for all the baits i’m throwing this month!
Smith Mountain Lake January Fishing Report - Game on! Fish are eating, water is finally cold and lots of rain!!!
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY WINTER TACKLE I USE
OMG it’s finally happening!!!!! We have cold water, lots of wet days in the forecast and the fish are putting on the feedbag really heavy. Winter fishing is one of my favorite times to fish in VA. Some of the days have high temperatures close to 50 degrees and the fish will bite on a windy day and also a bright sunny low wind day. Keep in mind this time of year the fish are going to have a smaller bite window, but the bigger fish are going to eat. Also, the bass and striper are both looking for large meals that will keep them full for a few days. I would plan to have a few big baits to present and also some smaller baits for those post front sunny calm days.
Largemouth are easier to find this time of year and are stacked together this time of year. Ditches and drains are at great place to start looking this time of year and understanding how to find these on your map is the key to finding the bass. Steep banks and longer points dumping to the main channel are second to the ditches, but can also produce some big fish. Ditches and drains are the last deep water in the back of pockets. It can be large pockets or smaller cuts. Look on your mapping for the depth change of 30 feet to 20 feet or 20 feet to 10 feet. Larger flats in the backs of those pockets can be good also if we get a few days of warm weather back to back.
Smallmouth do somewhat of the opposite of the largemouth. The lower end of Smith Mountain Lake is loaded with humps and longer points with natural rock as well as tons of standing timber. Smallmouth will use those longer areas for feeding and the tree tops for a holding pattern. When I say deep I do mean 40 feet - 60 feet. These fish are usually in small groups of 2-3. FFS is key to doing this but it can still be done with a 2D sonar.
As for what baits to use, here is what I would have on to target larger green fish. A large paddle tail swimbait around gizzard shad and bass is one of the best ways to get the bigger bite. The Megabass Magdraft is a staple in the paddle tail category and everyone should have a few. I throw a 6” version on a Dobyns 764 Champ XP rod and 18lb Sunline Sniper. For the 8” Magdraft I use a Dobyns 795 Champ XP and up my line to 20lb. A jerkbait is a close second to a swimbait. Again a Megabass vision 110 is the gold standard of jerkbaits. Pick up a few in the original size, the +1 and the +2. As a follow up to a bigger meal you can also throw a Megabass Katana. These draw big fish to the boat and can get you some monster bites.
For a more finesse approach a dropshot is hard to beat. This time of year is about slowing down so don’t plan to fish them fast. I will downsize my worm this time of year to a 4” Missile Mini Magic worm. Focus on channel swing banks and deeper docks to find those bass on sunny days.
Smallmouth are much more aggressive this time of year. They are spread out a lot more and can be harder to find, but they will bite a lot more often. A damiki rig and small swimbait are all you need to get those fish to bite. I focus on presenting a few different weights to allow for different fall rates. I always have a 1/4oz and 3/8oz head on the damiki and will have a 1/8oz and 3/8oz swimbait head. Speed has to be considered when throwing the swimbait, some days they want to chase something down and another they will want it very slow. My preferred Damiki head is a VMC Mooneye head. My preferred swimbait head is a Megabass Okashira head in both the original and the screwlock. Baits I throw are a Damiki Armor Shad, Berkley Glup or Zoom Fluke. For swimbaits its a Megabass Hazedong Shad 3”.
The striper bite is on fire right now. Most main lake points that have timber off the ends are loaded with extremely large schools. A spoon, hairjig or swimbait is all you need. Look for fish on the breaklines and drops that dump into the main river channel. You can also run into the back of most major creek arms like Gills, Becky’s and Betty’s or Yacht club and find schools pushing bait in the backs.
The Crappie and Yellow Perch fishing has also been lights out. Crappies are loaded on docks up the rivers on the main channel with depths of 15-25 feet of the ends of the docks and yellow perch seem to be taking over a lot of brush piles in that 10-15 feet range. Minnows is still your best choice but if you need to go artifical a little grub is all you need.
Tightlines and stay safe out there!! Also be sure to check out the BAITSHOP for all the baits i’m throwing this month!
Smith Mountain Lake December Fishing Report - Waters warm but fish are ready to eat!
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY WINTER TACKLE I USE
I’m starting to feel like a broken record on how bad we need a cold snap but i’ll say it again for this report. The fish are stacked and so ready to eat, but the water temps are just holding in that strange 55-59 degree range. This is causing a lot of the largemouth and smallemouth to have lockjaw unless the conditions are good. The stripers on the other hand are loaded up in large schools both on the main lake and in the backs of most major creek arms. With a cold snap not showing up until mid December fishing may stay tougher for a few weeks but the end is near!
Largemouth and Smallmouth bass are both eating and biting on similar patterns. It’s a split between shad chasers on typical fall style baits and crawdad eaters which seem to be bigger fish. Again, this year we had a large push of bait head to the backs of pockets early and then move back out when we got cold snaps in late October and November. Those smaller bait fish have now moved back into the pockets and the bass are not far behind. Stick with moving baits to get those fish to eat like a Megabass Hasdong Shad or a Missile Baits Shockwave. A heavier swimbait head is a good choice this time of year to keep the lure down and be able to reel fast. Speed is your friend to get those reaction bites.
As mentioned it seems like the bigger fish are eating crawdad this month, but the numbers are few and far between. Sticking with a two prong approach is good with a Missile Baits Ike Mini Flip jig and some sort of crank that resembles a crawfish like the Megabass-Z Z3 in colors like Phantom Green Craw and IT Craw. Another great bait is the Storm Wiggle Wart or Spro RKcrawler in any craw pattern.
Target isolated rock on secondary points and main lake points. Look for natural rock or slate rock that comes out from the riprap. Also focus on stump fields on the lower end of the lake. As clear as the water is they are easy to spot.
As the water does begin to cool more and more slow down those baits and crawl them along the bottom. Some of the better bites I have caught have been barely moving the baits along hitting every piece of structure you can. I refer to this as counting rocks. Make a mental note while you fish of letting that bait site next to something after you hit it because some of those bass will follow a lure far from the start of your cast.
For the striper folks the fishing has been great. Most main lake points, humps and shoals are loaded in the mid lake down to the mountain in the 20-40 foot range and they are large schools of 50-200 fish. As well the seagulls are here and are your best friend for finding fish very quickly. Most evenings the birds are all together telling you right where they are. If you’re into a fun fishing day of just casting on those fish a small swimbait, jerkbait or fluke are a great choice to catch numbers and size.
If you’re chasing a fish of a lifetime live bait is the play. The large gizzard shad are up most major creek arms like Gills, Becky’s, Campers and both ends of the rivers as far as you can go. Free lining and running planner boards under and around the bait is all you need to do for a bigger bite.
The Crappie and Yellow Perch fishing has also been lights out. Crappies are loaded on docks up the rivers on the main channel with depths of 15-25 feet of the ends of the docks and yellow perch seem to be taking over a lot of brush piles in that 10-15 feet range. Minnows is still your best choice but if you need to go artifical a little grub is all you need.
Tightlines and stay safe out there!! Also be sure to check out the BAITSHOP for all the baits i’m throwing this month!
Smith Mountain Lake November Fishing Report - Clear water and hope for wind
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE LATE FALL TACKLE I USE
The water is GIN clear and that can make things tough, but don’t be discouraged….. Wind is your friend and it’s transition time for the weather so it comes and goes every few days! Late fall fishing can be a struggle depending on lake conditions and those conditions can be different every other year. For example the first year I lived here it was high and muddy from two hurricanes dropping a lot of rain. The water was a nice green stain basically all fall and the crank bite was amazing. On the other side of that coin is low draw down clear water that can make catching bigger fish a little tougher. SML is done turning over at this point and the water has stabilized. I’m seeing bass both in the way backs of pockets and still out on the main lake. The bait is also pretty random.
What is nice about this time of year however is being able to downsize the number of rods you need on the deck. I refer to this time of year as “textbook” for the most part. The fish stage up on very obvious structure like rocky points, super big flats with bait and suspending on clay. The trick is finding something that matches the size of bait they are eating and cracking the code on those slick calm days when they can see everything.
For me it’s power fishing 80% of the time no matter the conditions to start each trip. Everyday these fish are getting closer and closer to having to eat everything they can to prepare for winter. They are still putting their feedbag on, each day just might be different. I like to keep things simple with a crankbait, jig, jerkbait, topwater and fluke. If I need to go finesse i’m sticking a Ned or shaky head in my hand.
Real quick on the crankbaits. I always have at least two on the deck to be able to present something different. Like I mentioned in my October report, crawfish are extremely important in the fall and early winter so having a bait that has good hunting action is key to getting those craw eaters. Check out the Megabass-Z Z3 in colors like Phantom Green Craw and IT Craw. This bait dives to 10-13 feet and can be deadly this time of year hitting those deep rocking spots with the water level being down. Another great bait is the Storm Wiggle Wart or Spro RKcrawler in any craw pattern. You also need to have something that resembles the baitfish. A lot of the bass are chasing very small bait this time of year because they are plentiful and easy to eat. I toss a Megabass S Crank 1.5. This bait is under 3” long and looks just like the smaller bait fish roaming around. Keep alternating between a craw style and a shad style each day to find which fish are more active.
Jerkbait fishing is super straight forward for me. Megabass has had the market on lockdown for years with the amazing Vision 110 series, but don’t forget about their smaller offerings in the Megabass Nanahan and the larger Megabass Katana. Matching the hatch is the KEY to getting fish to eat the jerkbait so keep experimenting.
If you’re not super confident with jig fishing, now is your time to start. Around the full moons is the best for getting bigs to bites and to be throwing it around everything you can. The Missile Baits Ike Mini Flip jig and Missle Baits Headbanger jig cover everything you need. Grab some bluegill colors and some craw patterns to break down the bite even more. I will start switching from a very erratic jig trailer to something a little more calm like the Mini D Chunk. Target isolated rocks and boulders with the head banger and skip docks near the backs of pockets with the bluegill patterns for those big bass up finishing off the last bluegill nuggets of the year.
Topwater is still wide open with basically any type working well this month. If you’re a buzzbait person hit those shallow pockets and cover water, if walking the dog is your deal hit the points (always start deeper then you think out here) if you’re a popper person slow playing the lure over bait balls can usually cause some massive strikes. Fish the conditions every day to see which one is working best. These fish are ready to eat!!!
For anyone that reads these reports regularly you know I love a fluke. It’s one of the best baits ever made. It’s hard to not have one on all year. The fluke can be fished anywhere this time of year. You can skip it around structure in the backs of the pockets, under docks, around rock and over schooling fish on the main lake. Try some whacky colors to trigger more bites and set you bait apart from the bait balls.
Like I mentioned above a lot of fish are either way in the backs of the pockets or still out on the main lake. It’s a super quick fish transition month so you’ll want to start each trip by starting at the mouth of any major creek arm and working back on the secondaries until you run into them. In some cases you won’t find them until the last few feet in the back of the pockets. Smallmouth are out and eating super aggressively. They love to chase so a topwater or jerkbait are a great choice for them. Largemouth are focused on eating crawfish and bait in the backs of the pockets.
Stipers are starting to stack up in HUGE schools. The lower end around the mountain, shoals in Craddock Creek and the mid lake area are full of them. Topwater is great this time of year if you find they staging higher in the water or a swimbait on a ball head will get it done when they are deeper. Keep you eyes out for massive schools blowing up in those areas and get on the big motor as fast as you can.
Crappie are also getting stacked in brush and making it super easy to have great numbers days. I typically like using smaller jigs this time of year because the fish are aggressive.
Tightlines and stay safe out there and be sure to check out the BAITSHOP for all the baits i’m throwing this month!
Smith Mountain Lake October Fishing Report - Craws, Shad and Shallow
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY FALL TACKLE I USE
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAITSHOP FOR MY EARLY FALL LURE LIST.
It’s time to start thinking about the Moon!!!! We are turning the corner and starting to head into true fall fishing with all species of fish putting on the feedbag to prepare for the colder months ahead. Just like this spring we are already seeing some super cool temps ahead of their typical weeks and that’s on top of the water temperature already being lower than the last few years. Finding bait is going to be a big part of finding active fish this month. If you’re interested in on the water electronics training please reach out.
First things first, keep it simple. This is the time of year that going by the text book can get you numbers and size of fish. Before I talk baits lets focus on areas. The water is cooling on the lake and that is going to cause big shifts in both shad and crawdads. Shad will soon be in the way backs of pockets to catch the last bit of warm water during the days and the bass and stripers will be right behind them. This allows for covering water at a faster pace than almost any other time of the year.
Topwater is a key player as the fish are still very active and aggressive They WILL chase down a bait from a far distance away. Speed is also a thing to keep top of mind. They want to eat so moving baits past them fast can cause some serious bites because fish don’t have too much time to think about it. Cranking is right behind topwater for covering water and being able to offer both a shad profile and crawdad profile bait to fish. My approach for bassin would be to start in the backs and work your way towards the middle of pockets to see how far back the predatory fish are located. A few cold nights in a row and these fish will move very quickly off the secondaries and into the backs of the pockets.
Lastly is sound, A buzzbait is one of my favorite ways to get it done. It was just the winning lure for the Cabela’s Big Bass Tour event on the lake and it catches bigs. I throw two style of buzzbaits. A knocker and a bead. The Tackle HD World Wide Buzzer is the loudest buzzer I can find and the Megabass Jamaica Boa Buzzbait is a close second. It’s a good idea to try to match the hatch on the buzzer with the size bait swimming around so be sure to have a few different swimmer sizes to switch out. For cranking i’m sticking to a squarebill (Spro Speed Demon, Megabass S Crank 1.2, Jackall Bling) or a craw style crank (Storm Wiggle Wart, Spro Rockcrawler, Megabass Super-Z Z2). Anything in the brown color’s is great around rocky transitions.
All areas of the lake are going to be good this time of year as the fish are starting to eat. As the month goes on you may need to start transitioning back out from the back pockets towards the main lake depending on how quick winter decides to show up.
Moon phase is also a critical part to the next few months. Crawdads are going to be making their way into the riprap banks to burrow for the winter and the bass know this like clockwork. Crawdads will move at night so fishing around the full moon is ideal for a bigger bite. This is where a bigger jig bite can produce well. A Missile Baits Headbanger around shallow rock is all you need. I like to have two different weights on to see if they want a slower fall rate for the day or something zooming past their face. Keep it simple on colors with browns, greens and reds.
Stripers are going to be super fun this month as they will be schooling in massive groups and chasing the bait. This is the time of year to get the kids out and get them hooked on fishing. Towater, flukes and small swimbaits covers it all. Take some time to check points and humps going towards the back of the pockets and hang on. Also, keep an eye out as you’re running down the lake for fish busting and get to them as quick as you can.
Crappie should be stacking up on brush a bit shallower in the guts and ditches going back in the creeks. Any brush in those areas with 10-15 feet of water on them should be loaded with them.
Tightlines and stay safe out there.
Smith Mountain Lake September Fishing Report - Early cool temps running fish shallow
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAIT SHOP FOR ALL THE EARLY FALL TACKLE I USE
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE BAITSHOP FOR MY EARLY FALL LURE LIST.
It’s an El Niño weather pattern this year and we are already seeing the effects on the fishing, water temp and how they are biting. Bring it on!!!!! I’m ready for some big changes in the fish this fall as we have had a much slower than normal transition. El Niño should have us getting a wetter and cloudy fall and winter. We had such a delayed Spring and Summer that I don’t really think many bass went super deep. As I am writing this the 10-day forecast is already calling for evenings in the 50’s. This is good to see this early and should keep the fish shallow and eating for the time being. However, the dreaded turnover is on its way.
A quick recap on what turnover is. As the water heats up in the summer it becomes stratified. This means that the water above is warmer than the water below and a thermocline is created. This is the area in the water that is the most oxygen rich and draws a lot of baitfish to those depths. As we start to see these low evening temps and much shorter daylight hours the upper layer of warmer water is going to cool below the cooler water that is below and the lake with turnover. This chases a stressful event for fish and can lead to some tougher fishing days on the water. Keep an eye on the watercolor this time of year or the bubbles you see on the water left from say a topwater. If you notice the water is stained more than normal even though it has not rained you could be in a turnover area of the lake. Not all the lake is going to turn over at the same time so keep moving until you find normal looking water or run up either of the river sections to get into some current areas. This should only last a week or so until things will normalize, and the fish will start to really eat again.
The largemouth and smallmouth are doing somewhat similar things in different areas of the lake. Schooling is still the best approach for numbers and if you can find the right sized schooling fish you can put a great bag together. The lower end is starting to see lots of smallmouth activity while the upper rivers are holding a lot of largemouth schools. Topwater in the morning on sunny days are a great way to get the schools fired up. A walking bait or popper are a great tool this time of year to see if they want something moving fast or something slowed down. Burning a smaller swimbait is also a great morning bite as the predatory fish are looking up to feed. Focus on main lake and secondary points that are close to the river channel and main lake. If you must slow down this time of year a jig is key to getting some bigger bites. The crawfish are starting to move around a lot and targeting rocky transitions can lead to some bigger bites. I throw a Missile Baits Head Banger jig trimmed up with a Missile Baits twin turbo trailer to get lots of action out of the bait. This is also the time of year to really start getting out the bigger baits. Glide baits are a live or die way of fishing, but the bass know the weather is changing and they need to start feeding up for the incoming change. Keep an eye out for good transition docks that may old some very large fish this time of year.
Stripers are still deep as of this week. I am finding lots of schools on main lake points or off the points in the standing timber. A spoon or jig head with a fluke is still the first choice to get some bites. Keep a topwater close by or a weightless fluke incase the school decides to come up on the bait. If you can time your trips id focus on a calm and cloudy day for the best action.
The crappies are stacked on the channel swing banks in brush up both rivers right now. Focus on that 15–25-foot range with your jigs and smaller spoons to get those packs fired up.
The last term I’ll use on this report is junk fishing. September is known as the junk fishing month for bass, and it holds true every year. You could catch a fish on a moving bait, a jig, a dropshot, topwater in the middle of the day, it’s just random sometimes this month. Try not to get discouraged this time of year and keep covering water and breaking down the structure you’re fishing.
As always, I have my BaitShop tackle list here that you can see what I will have tied on this month for myself and my guide trips to catch bass. If you have any questions on the list shoot me an email.
Tightlines and stay safe out there.
Smith Mountain Lake August Fishing Report - Timing and bite windows, bait size and covering water
August is one of my favorite times to fish out here. That might seem against the grain since most fishing handbooks tell you summer time fishing is tough, but I love solving the puzzle daily. Water temps are now back on track with what they have been the last few years with morning temps right around the 80-82 mark and 84-85 durning the evening window. This can change with a few cooler mornings or a few super hot days, but the heat has stabilized the water to where the fish don’t care too much. As the title suggest this time of year is about bite windows. Keep that idea in your head as you put the boat in the water. The fish have the fastest metabolism of the entire year right now and that creates a unique fishing situation. A bite window refers to when the fish will be actively eating vs having to force them to react. This is where the fun lies… if you can get onto a school of fish, doesn’t matter if it’s bass or stripers and be in an ative bite window you can catch numbers and size very easily. However, this can also be the time of year where you have to check the same school of fish one, two, hell even five times until you land on them when they are eating. Your best bet at having a fun fish catching August is to spend some time graphing to find these high percentage areas of main lake schoolers…. but don’t forget about those shallow bass either :)
Just as I mentioned last month the largemouth are are in two different places right now. A good part of the population did their normal fish movements out to the main lake points, into brush piles and around channel swings, but some of the bigger fish turned right around to focus on eating bluegills way back in the pockets in the super hot water. The main lake schoolers have one goal and this is to push bait up to the surface (even during the middle of the day) to ambush. On a topographical map you need to find areas with main lake channel near, points with longer tapers and some possible structure under the water. A stump field is a great starting spot for shad chasing schoolers. That applies to both bass and stripers. Just like last month an early morning topwater bite is on for the first hour of light or longer if you get a cloudy day. Here are some amazing schooling style baits to have on. A Missle Baits Shockwave 3.5 or 4.5 rigged on a 1/8oz ball head. Play with the weights of the lead head to find what is working each day. Some days they may want a slower fall rate and others something very fast. Use the countdown method if you don’t have front facing sonar. Another great bait is a jerkbait. I always start by working the piss of out this style of bait this time of year. Literally no pauses at all. These fish are conditioned to chase right now and they will catch it trust me. Lastly is a topwater, this can be personal preference. A walking bait like a Spro Walking Haint is the general rule, but don’t shy away from a popper like the Spro Essential Series E Pop 80 out over open water for something different. Keep a close eye on the size of the bait that the fish are bringing to the surface and match as close as possible. As the summer progesses you will start to notice the bait getting smaller and smaller so make sure you adjust.
For shallow bass it’s pretty straight forward this time of year. Focus on rounded back pockets that hold bream beds and target structure close by. This can be a dock, laydown or even a random stick. Texas rigging a bluegill style bait is a good bait to have. A D-bomb is hard to beat. Next would be a stick style bait like the Missle Baits 48. A shaky head is key but think smaller. Grab you some of the new Missile Baits 4” mini magic worm to try or the Spro Pin tail for something slightly bigger. Lastly is a frog like the new Spro Bronzeye Poppin’ Frog 70. This is a bigger and heavier frog for getting those really big fish to commit.
Stripers are everywhere on main lake points and shoal humps just like they were last month. A fluke, topwater or 3.3 swimbait are killing it right now. Low light hours seem to be the best for targeting those fish. There are also fish starting to stack on the tree tops on the main lake channel parts of the Roanoke and Blackwater rivers. I typically use a spoon on those deeper fish once I find a big school.
Crappie are loaded in the brush in 10-20 feet of water still. I am seeing large schools getting together and make for easy fishing when you find a pile loaded up. Focus on the river areas with little guts or large lay downs near the main river channel. Small grubs or minnows will always work.
Tip of the month is take is slow once the boat traffic gets busy. Everyone is going to be out enjoying the lake as they should be but don’t take a beating on your boats. Respect everyones space both pleasure boaters and fishermen. Good luck fishing at Smith Mountain Lake!
Smith Mountain Lake July Fishing Report - Big schools, bluegill eaters and night time brush pile fishing
July bring on the heat baby!!!!! We have had one strange spring but we are finally getting some super hot days (heat index over 100) and that is putting the fish back on track to where they should be. The bass fishing is getting really good, the stripers are back in the tree tops and the bream and crappie fishing is loaded up. July gets a lot of slack for being a hard time to fish, but once you locate the schools it can be lights out for good numbers and some big fish.
Largemouth are are in two different places right now. A good part of the population did their normal fish movements out to the main lake points, into brush piles and around channel swings, but some of the bigger fish turned right around to focus on eating bluegills way back in the pockets in the super hot water. Spend some time this month graphing main lake points to find good areas of hard bottom, brush piles and rocks for schooling fish. An early more topwater bite is one for about the first hour or light or a long if you get a cloudy day. Focus on areas with deep water near by and structure anywhere from 12-20 feet deep. It’s also time to get out the big guns and start big worm fishing. Texas rigging a big worm is a great way to have a chance at a giant one. On the other side of this a dropshot shines this time of year. Shad style baits like the Missile Baits Bomb Shot and straight tail worms like the Missile Baits Magic worm are great options on the end of a dropshot. For the bluegill eaters a Missle baits 48 or a texas rigged D-bomb are hard to beat around those bream beds.
Smallmouth are roaming in schools right now off main lake points, red clay banks and near channel swings. They are heavy on chasing bait so a fluke style bait is a good call. Also a swimbait should always be tied on. A Missile Baits shockwave on a ball head is all you need. Focus on the lower end of the lake around rock for the bigger sized fish. Another great call for smallies and largemouth is running a mid or deep diving crankbait through schoolers. My go to is a Spro Little John DD 60 for anything around 10-14 feet and a Spro Little John DD 90 to get to those deeper fish.
Stripers are everyone on main lake points and shoal humps. A fluke, topwater or 3.3 swimbait are killing it right now. Low light hours seem to be the best for targeting those fish.
Crappie are loaded in the brush in 10-20 feet of water. I am seeing large schools getting together and make for easy fishing when you find a pile loaded up. Focus on the river areas with little guts or large laydowns near the main river channel. Small grubs or minnows will always work.
The shad spawn is all but done at this point now that the water temps have reached close to 80 degrees.
Always check local fishing regulations and obtain any necessary permits before fishing. Pay attention to weather forecasts and adjust your techniques accordingly. Good luck fishing at Smith Mountain Lake!
Smith Mountain Lake June Fishing Report - Fry guarding still, shad spawn and brush
June is here and it’s going to be a lot of fish movements. After having a strange weather month for May with two really big cold fronts the heat is finally here. Our fish have been in a long holding pattern of protecting fry, chasing shad and believe it or not still spawning. Our water temps are hovering around the low to mid 70’s which is a few degrees behind normal. Be prepared for fish to move a lot this month as the water temp will most likely move very quickly up and could make for some interesting patterns.
Largemouth are still holding tight to docks. Focus on the first 1-5 docks going into pockets as these fish are moving out to the main lake. Dock post are a great area for the bass to hold their fry. A dropshot, neko rig or texas rig are great options to get them to bite. I also recommend fishing a sqarebill crankbait around the docks as some times the bass are higher in the water column.
Smallmouth are roaming out on the flats on the lower end of the lake looking for shad all hours of the day and even in bite sunny conditions. A fluke is your best friend right now to create a reaction strike. Check areas in Craddock, Witchers and the mountain.
Stripers are everyone on main lake points and shoal humps. A fluke, topwater or 3.3 swimbait are killing it right now. Low light hours seem to be the best for targeting those fish.
Crappie are finally starting to make it out to the brush in 10-20 feet of water. I am seeing large schools getting together and make for easy fishing when you find a pile loaded up. Focus on the river areas with little guts or large laydowns near the main river channel. Small grubs or minnows will always work.
The shad spawn is in full swing now with most bait coming up around 10:30pm and the fish getting up on the bait around 12:30pm. Topwater baits and large worms towards the bank are all you need. Please be safe out there and use your navigation lights. The morning bite from 5:00-8:00 am can fish a little slow because the fish have been eating all night.
Always check local fishing regulations and obtain any necessary permits before fishing. Pay attention to weather forecasts and adjust your techniques accordingly. Good luck fishing at Smith Mountain Lake!
Smith Mountain Lake May Fishing Report - Fry guarding, shad spawning and topwater time!!!
May is an exciting time to fish at Smith Mountain Lake, as many species of fish become more active as the water temperature continues to warm up. One phenomenon that occurs in May is the shad spawn, which can make for some great fishing opportunities.
The shad spawn usually occurs in May when the water temperature reaches around 65-70 degrees. During this time, shad will spawn in shallow areas, such as around rocks, riprap and points. This will attract predatory fish, such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, stripers, and catfish. You can use lures that mimic shad, such as swimbaits, topwater lures and crankbaits. Getting up early or staying out past dark will increase the number and size of fish you will catch. Remember to be safe driving during those times and have the correct lights working on your boats.
Largemouth bass can be found in shallow water moving back out to deeper water as they start their post spawn movements. We will still have fish coming up to spawn but the majority of the population will be moving around. The topwater bite is about to start heavy as you have post spawn females that are looking for larger meals after the stress of laying their eggs. Start to look at water that is close to main creek channel swings or high spots near secondary points. The fish will also use docks heavily at this time as cover and ambush areas. Once the topwater bite stops for the day this is a great time to focus on dragging. A Carolina rig, dropshot and heavier shaky head shine this month. Focus on smaller profile baits like 4-6” worms to catch numbers and size.
Smallmouth bass can be found in clear and rocky areas, such as points, ledges, and drop-offs. These fish will be the first to really start moving out deeper towards the main lake. These fish will be very aggressive this month so keep trying different baits until you find what they seem to want on each day. A small swimbait is about all you need on a cloudy or windy day on the lower end.
Stripers are about on every point up and down the lake and are eating heavy now. Keep an eye as you’re riding around on your big motor for massive schools of fish blowing up on top. Its a good idea to have a swimbait, fluke or topwater at the ready so you can zoom your boat right over to the active school. These fish are chasing the shad spawn around after the sun comes up. You will be surprise how shallow some of the bigger fish get to find the food.
Crappie fishing will also be great this month. Most of the schools have spawned and are on the move back out to deeper water. They are hungry and grouped together. Look for brush piles in the 8-15 foot ranger outside of flat spawning pockets.
In May, the water temperature at Smith Mountain Lake is usually in the mid-60s to low 70s, making it an excellent time to fish for all of these species. Be sure to take advantage of the shad spawn by using lures that mimic shad, and always follow local fishing regulations and properly release fish back into the water to ensure the sustainability of the fishery.
Smith Mountain Lake April Fishing Report - Bed Fishing and Shad Spawn
April is an excellent month for fishing at Smith Mountain Lake. The water temperature starts to warm up, and many species of fish become more active. Nature will show you signs of when the fish are going to start moving like dogwoods blooming, grass growing and trees starting to bud. The weather will start to be stable for long stretches with random thunderstorms popping up. The bite will tend to be better in the afternoons and after a few days of sunny weather.
Largemouth bass can be found in shallow water this month as they prepare to spawn. The full moon in April will have a wave of fish move up to make beds and spawn. Look for pockets that are getting the most sun throughout the day. They become more active as the water temperature reaches 60-65 degrees. Look for bedding bass around shallow dock post or near lay downs as they make their beds in the most protected areas. In mornings skipping a senko under docks is a great way to catch. A light shaky head worm set up is also a top choice. If you fish on a cloudy day focus on deep points with a smaller swimbait for fish that are still pre-spawn. Topwater lures can also be effective early in the morning and late in the evening.
Smallmouth bass can be found in clear and rocky areas, such as points, ledges, and drop-offs on the lower end of the year. Smallmouth will tend to bed on main lake points and will spawn deeper than largemouth will. A ned rig is a great choice for bedding smallmouth as they are more aggressive. Again, a swimbait is a key search bait this time of year for fish moving up and down to spawn.
Stripers can be found on most main lake pockets back in the main creek arms. Most days a fluke rigged on a 1/4 or 1/2 oz head will always get it done. You can also try fishing dock lights at night for a chance at a monster. If you can net shad you can use live bait over tree tops in main creeks like Craddock or Strawberry Banks.
Crappie can be caught in a variety of habitats, such as around brush piles, trees, and docks. Look for them moving shallow towards the middle of the month to start spawning.
The shad spawn will be starting soon with the water getting into the mid 60’s towards the end of the month. Focus on main lake riprap as early as an hour before sunrise and a few hours after sunset. Please use your running lights if you do decide to go out in the dark. A topwater wake bait like a thunderstick is a great choice for the shad spawn.
In April, the water temperature at Smith Mountain Lake is usually in the mid-50s to low 60s, making it an excellent time to fish for all of these species. Please practice catch and release on bedding fish so they can lay their eggs to keep this lake a special place forever. Tight lines and be safe!
Smith Mountain Lake February Fishing Report - Fish are on the move!
Smith Mountain Lake is a great place for fishing, especially for those looking to catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, stripers and crappie. With already warming temperatures in early February you are going to see all species of fish be on the move to shallower water.
Largemouth Bass are usually found in areas near drop-offs where flats meet on the topography map. Learning to use your electronics and how to read the map can really help you cut down on what areas to focus on. Windy and cloudy days will be better with more active fish. Jerkbaits, swimbaits, crankbaits and jigs will be your best bet or slug around an A rig. Look for stained water this time of year since it tends to warm up faster.
Smallmouth Bass can be found in clear and rocky areas, such as points, ledges, and drop-offs. The best baits for smallmouth bass include Jerkbait and jigs. Don’t be afraid to try some wacky colors around smallies as they tend to be sight eaters. A clown jerkbait is a killer this time of year. These fish also tend to like sunny windy days on the lower end of the lake.
Stripers are typically found in deeper waters, such as near the main channel, where they can be caught using live bait, like shad, or artificial lures like jigheads and flukes or spoons. The best time to fish for stripers is during the early morning and late afternoon. Also take the time to find the bait balls and the fish will be near.
Crappie can be caught in a variety of habitats, such as around brush piles, trees, and docks. Live minnows and jigs tipped with minnows are a good choice for luring crappie. These fish are most active when the water temperature is between 40-50 degrees.
In February, the water temperature at Smith Mountain Lake is usually around the low to mid-50s, making it a good time to catch all four of these species. It is important to remember to always follow local fishing regulations and to properly release fish back into the water to ensure the sustainability of the fishery. Good Luck!