Smith Mountain Lake July Fishing Report - Fireworks, Friends and Fishing

The heat of summer is here and the fishing is just as hot at Smith Mountain Lake. We are catching some good numbers of fish that are moving out to deeper water for the next few months and still catching a few big bass up shallow eating bream. Stripers are starting to school up super well and eating a ton. It’s a green time to get the kids our fishing off the docks for bluegills and catfish to introduce them to fishing.

Largemouth and Smallmouth bass are starting to move out of the creak channels and out onto main lake points and deeper docks. The mid section down to the dam is a great place to fish this time of year with the river channel close by. On cloudy and windy days a 2.8, 3.3 and 3.8 Kaitech swimbaits on very sizes of 1/4oz up to 3/8oz Guppy Head and Dobyns Swimbait Heads work well. Throwing them on spinning rods with lighter line with get you more and bigger bites. A Dobyns Champion XP 703SF is a perfect rod for all of those sizes. On sunny post front or sunny afternoons its time to start dragging around jigs and large profile plastics. A Dobyns football head jig in 1/2-3/4oz is perfect to keep bottom contact. Texas rigging a Zoom Ole Monster is key for a big bite or Carolina rigging a creature bait on a 1oz with a leader will get you those post spawn summer time female fish. Check out the Man Bear Pig from Reaction Innovations.

Another technique that is over looked this time of year is the bream eating fish that are up shallow. This will almost exclusively be largemouth and it is not for targeting numbers but rather single giant fish. This requires time on the water to find those honeycomb bream beds in the backs of pockets. Find the bream beds and fish whatever targets are close by like laydowns or docks. This bite seems to be best during the hottest part of the day. Use a prop bait or popper for topwater or a senko or flipping bait like a missile baits D bomb or Spicy Beaver.

Lastly is focusing on the finesse side of deep fishing. A Dropshot is hard to beat this time of year. A 6” roboworm is my go to 90% of the time on a Dropshot and in the summer it really shines. Focus on deep dock post on the main lake on the sunny side. Be careful of the heavy boat traffic. If you use a Gamakatsu re-barb hook you can also target heavy brush piles to big bass.

Stripers are starting to school up together on main lake points, ditches and humps. A spoon is your best friend this time of year to get the school activated. A simple hopkins 3/8 or 1/2 spoon on 15lb line is all you need. Find your schools of fish and rip that bait through them. Once one commits to the bait the rest of the school will follow. It’s also worth having a topwater at the ready when they bust the surface. A fluke can also be good.

If you’re down here with the kids it’s still a fantastic time to go bream fishing. Live bait from the tackle shops and a bobber are you best friend off the docks.

CLICK THIS LINK TO PURCHASE MY JULY SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE BAITS FROM OMINA TACKLE!

Smith Mountain Lake June Fishing Report - fish on beds, fish on points, fish shallow

This June has been an interesting one for me with guiding. The weather this spring was very up and down with a few times of 8-10 degree swings. Our spawn started early then stopped then came back and stopped again. We hit 80 degree water in May and dropped back down to low 70’s in early June. This has the fish kind of all over the lake. The smallmouth seem to be onto their summer time schooling pattern on longer points chasing bait. The largemouth are either in brush, still shallow looking to chase bream around and I have even found a few bass that are still on beds. Stripers are schooling on the lower end and up the rivers pretty well. Bream and loaded in most back pockets on the last few docks spawning and are easy to target and crappies are on the main river channels in brush!

Largemouth fishing is a two fold approach this time of year. I normally like to target shallow fish first thing in the morning that are still doing the shad spawn deal and some bream eaters, but once the sun is high in the sky I am out off shore with a big jig, big worm or bigger swimbait. This is the time of year to be spending sometime behind the driver seat finding those off shore juicy spots. Although the bass are “deep” they are not super deep. I focus on depths from 12-20 feet. Be sure you have some spinning rods ready with a Dropshot with lighter line and a Neko or Shaky head. A topwater hanging off the side of the boat is a must for schooling smallmouth.

The stripers are eating shad that is now schooled up on longer points both down lake and up the rivers. Look for fish blowing up early in the morning and get your boat as close as you can to make a super long cast. A 3.3 or 3.8 swimbait on a Dobyns 1/4 or 3/8 head is the best option to get close and get bites.

Catching bream this time of year is super easy. Grab a thing of nightcrawler from Captains Quarters at the bridge and a bobber set up and hit those spawning areas.

Crappie are biting small jigs and minnows on bobber rigs in any brush you can find in 15-20 feet on the main channel of either the Roanoke or Blackwater rivers.

Smith Mountain Lake May Fishing Report - Topwater and the shad spawn

If you’ve never experienced the biggest topwater bites you could think of, then its time to hit the water! The shad spawn is here and the most aggressive topwater bites are about to go down. This is one of the most fun ways to catch all types of fish. The lake is just alive from top to bottom.

The stripers are chasing bait on the main lake points in the morning. If you can get up before the sun comes up you can have some of the best mornings of the entire year. A fluke is a great secondary bait after the sun comes up. Work it as fast as you can.

The largemouth and smallmouth are on the secondary points on the way back out to the main water! A buzzbait, walking topwater are key to getting those bites along the rip rap. There is another bite going on we refer to as the bluegill spawn eaters. As the bass finish spawning the bluegills will move up super shallow for their chance to spawn. Some largemouth will stay behind to chew on them. A senko on the last drops before a big flat or fishing a popper super slow can get you some true giants. By the end of May the fish will be near the main lake and it’s hard to beat a dropshot on long points and brush piles.

A quick deal on the shad spawn… Night fishing becomes king in late May. Getting out around dark until 1am-3am throwing wake baits, thunder sticks and jointed topwaters is something everyone should experience once in their life. Focus on main lake riprap that has some deep (3-5 feet) water close and go very slow on the trolling motor. Stay silent and listen for shad splashing on the banks. Once you start to hear them spawning just wait and make repeated cast near them. You have the chance to catch a giant bass, striper and catfish. Also be safe out there and have your navigation lights on. Tight lines!

Smith Mountain Lake April Fishing Report - Fish are biting!!!

It’s time to catch um. What felt like a super long winter that never seemed to end with the up and down weather has finally worked itself out. Bass are shallow and all over the beds. Stripers are loaded on points and the bluegill and crappie are on the move.

Striper fishing is lights out on the lower end of the lake on most secondary points in the backs of pockets. Craddock has a lot of fish as well as bull run area. Swimbaits are still the best for bites but the topwater is just around the corner. Use your electronics to locate the bait and be ready for some fast action.

Largemouth are in full on spawn mode. The full moon in the middle of the month is making for a huge wave of fish that are moving onto the beds. We know that bed fishing is extremely fun and addicting but please practice care with these fish when you catch them. The next generations of bass are being laid. If bed fishing is the way you want to catch them please put the fish right back near the bed so they can do their thing.

If you don’t want to catch them off beds there are TONS of fish under docks near spawning pockets. A floating worm, senko, neko or jig are a great choice. Focus on the shallowest part of the docks.

Smallmouth are spawning and going into post spawn. The topwater bite around rocky points should be starting late April. A walking bait is all you need to have some explosive action. You can also slow down on those calm days and fish a light shaky head or dropshot to get those fish to bite.

Crappie are in the brush piles in 10-20 feet and are loaded up together. Live minnows are a no brainer or a small crappie jig. If you have front facing sonar just use it to target the perfect cast.

Bluegills are moving up. If you are coming to the lake for a family vacation it’s a great time to introduce the young ones to fishing. Corn or a worm off the dock should get you plenty of bites. Head to any of the local marinas for bait and bobber set ups.

Smith Mountain Lake March Fishing Report - Fish are on the move shallow

Spring is here and it’s coming quick. After a little break I took to Florida I am back and rocking and rolling on the home waters and my lord I am glad I am back home. The water temp was so strange this winter with it staying warm well into January and then fall off for most of the last two months. Well nature is looking for do about the same. Water temps are jumping back up super quick and the fish are moving around. We are catching bass in both a late winter stage on main lake points as well as some that have already moved back on flats. The stripers are pulling off their standing timber spots and heading to the bait that is quickly moving to the backs of pockets to warm up. Keep an eye on your extended forecast for 2-4 days of warming trends and get to the water they will be chewing.

Smallmouth bass are already pulling into pockets to start thinking about spawning. Look around the lower end of the lake around main and secondary rocky points. These fish will be the first to pull up into flats to spawn. These fish are super aggressive right now and will be hitting jerkbaits and swim baits on windy days and ned rigs on those slow no wind days.

Largemouth are chewing. It’s cranking time!!! Start focusing on any rock you can find on the lake. It warms faster and will hold some giants this time of year. Grab a DT4-DT6 and put the trolling motor on high. If you find yourself in some stained water its also spinnerbait time! Laydowns in the back half of pockets will hold some true large females. Once you get a bite slow down with a big jig around those same types of cover.

Stripers are schooled up big time. It’s a great time to get a kid out fishing as it will be a big striper run up the river in the next 30 days. Keep an eye out for the other striper boats and focus on finding the bait. Main lake still seems to the best area but you can find bait running to the back of pockets!

Enjoy the amazing weather we are about to have and tight lines!

Smith Mountain Lake January Fishing Report - Chew time!

It’s finally here! After another year of a mild early winter we have finally turned the corner and have true winter air temperature and water temperatures. We have had a few snow storms and some very cold evenings that has dropped the water temp from 52 in December to 43 degrees as of January 13th. That snaps was all we needed to get these fish to start putting on the feed bag. Some of the bass tournaments are starting to show bags over 20lbs like we expect and a few giants and the striper guys are reporting good size and numbers now.

Smallmouth and Largemouth are showing up like a normal winter pattern on the lake. A jerkbait, A rig, Damiki Rig and spoon are about all you need on the deck of the boat. The upper rivers bluff walls are a great place to start this time of year to find the bait that has left the backs of the pockets and moved out deeper. If we are closer to the full moon slowly dragging a football jig can also get you a big bite. Keep an eye out for the shad to be stunned and fish around those areas. Fish are eating a lot right now. If you can bare getting out there on a windy day or pre-frontal before a snow or rain storm you can be rewarded with some of the biggest fish of the year.

Stripers are hanging deep right now 20-60ft chasing around bait. You’d have a tough time not having a spoon in your hand for the next month out there. Spend some time on long points dumping into the river channel on the main lake or steep river bends. Using your electronics this time of year is key to finding the mega schools.

Crappies are loaded in most brush down to 30ft. Live bait will get you a limit in no time and small crappie jigs will do about the same. Look up the river in some protected pockets that have depth for brush and rock piles. The fish should be large right now with a good harvest right at your finger tips.

Smith Mountain Lake December Fishing Report - Lock jaw

Wow fishing has been super tough this year. With the lack of rain, low water and unusually warm air temps we are still stuck in a late fall pattern of fishing. The stripers are FINALLY stacked up and can be pretty easy to catch on points and super deep chasing bait but the largemouth and smallmouth are harder to convince. With the extended forecast calling for no rain or snow and warming weather this month could be a hit or miss for bass fishermen.

Stripers are grouping up on most main lake points in schools of 15-30 fish. A ball head with a fluke, a jerk bait or a smaller Swimbaits are great choices for getting the schools to react. If you have front facing sonar just take the time to find the schools and rotate your spots. Your other option for stripers is fishing deep above the bride on the Roanoke side. Bait seemed to skip heading to the backs of the pockets this year and decided to stack up in 60-100 feet of water. A spoon is about the only thing you can toss at those fish but you can get some bigger bites.

The crappie are all over brush in 12-20 feet. If you have piles on the main river on either side they should be holding good fish right now. Live bait is always easiest or just a smaller gulp minnow can make it happen.

Smallmouth seem to be eating better then largemouth right now with a lot of tournaments have at least one smallie over 3lbs in a limit. On windy or cloudy days head to the lower end and focus on natural rock or long points. A jerkbait is your best bet until that water gets into the mid 40’s.

Largemouth are either eating a Crankbait or jerk bait great or not at all. Having a shaky head ready is key to getting some bites. A smaller jig is also an option. Fish very very slow in the rocks. Some bigger fish are coming off deeper docks on the main channel but you are having to cover a lot of water and fish slow which makes it tough.

This lake is an amazing fishery and with the fish being lock jawed for most of December it’s only a matter of time before pandoras box is opened. Keep an eye on the weather and if we get a 3-4 below freezing nights that may kick the fish into eating.

Smith Mountain Lake November Fishing Report - Pray for colder weather

Wow did that weather take a turn from October to November. We were on a path to have another great fall bite with some super cold nights in October that sent the water temp into a free fall but that all changed when 60-70’s decided to show up for a few weeks. Fishing is a little more tough right now. Bass and Stripers are still up chasing bait but the bait is a little confused on if it should head shallow or stay out suspended over the main and secondary points. Covering water is key right now to find the large groups of bait and those active eating fish. You can catch some good ones on a lot of different baits but when that water temp keeps rising mid day the fish seem to be getting lock jaw pretty bad.

Stripers are starting to make their way up both the rivers and into the pockets where bait is going. Take time to use your electronics and find bait or drive around looking for surface activity. I’ve seen some reports of stripers eating very large bait so don’t be afraid to up your lure size. A spoon is also a great option right now. Find the bait balls and let the spoon fall underneath the school. It’s only a matter of time before they are all stacked in the shallows of back pockets I just don’t see it happening yet.

Largemouth and Smallmouth are scattered and big fish are somewhat hard to come by. It’s taking around 17-19 lbs to win tournaments with teams only having one big kicker. With the colder weather our bags are much bigger. Bass are suspended on the bait and have a short bite window until the weather is blowing and cloudy. Covering water with a buzz bait, tossing a jig around or throwing a drop shot seem to be getting bites but you have to fish a lot of water to find a big one. Again, colder weather will bring a MASSIVE wave of big ones as I think they are just staged and waiting.

Crappie are loaded in brush from 14-25 feet in most pockets. LiveScope of course makes crappie fishing fun and much easier, but traditional sonar can still find the same structure. a bobber and a minnow make for endless bites or a small spoon or jig. The size is pretty good right now in the upper blackwater river.

Whatever your faith, just do us all a favor and start praying for some colder weather so we can knock the fins off these fish that are just patiently waiting to put the feedbag on.

Smith Mountain Lake October Fishing Report - Fall is here!!!

Bring on the big fish! It’s about to get very good out on Smith Mountain Lake as we turn from late summer into early fall for the region. Fish are starting to move around a lot more, the bait is moving shallower and the cold nights are driving the fish to be more active and start feeding. Early October is completely different then late October so going into the month be prepared for some slower days and having to cover a lot of water. However, after we have a few days in a row of colder nights (anything 40-50 degrees) those temperatures will cause the fish to start eating quickly. Keep power baits on the deck like a jerk bait, Crankbait, topwater or spoon to cover water and see where the fish are located.

This is the time of year where you will have to start breaking down how far along the fish are in their fall transitions. A great tip is to start in the mouth of a pocket and work each point going back until you either catch a few or see signs of life such as bluegills or shad on the surface. The predatory fish will be moving with those bait fish for food. Using a lure that covers water is key to finding those active eating fish.

Once you’ve located fish its a good idea to slow down and focus on what they are eating. Stripers will be chasing bait so keep a Swimbait and spoon close to mimic the small fall bait fish. a Kietech 2.8 is hard to beat.

Largemouth and Smallmouth will also be chasing the shad around but will also be heavily eating crawfish that are moving shallow to burrow for the winter. Riprap banks and rock are a great place to toss around a jig or Shakey head for some big bites. These bass will also be roaming the banks looking for bluegills to eat. A buzz bait or whopper Plopper are a great cover water lure that allows you to find those big single fish moving around shallow.

Crappie are starting to stack up on brush up the rivers in 15-25 feet and will be moving into shallower brush as the bait fish move back into the pockets.

Stripers can be found on main lake humps, points and will be in the backs of the pockets by late October. A topwater, spoon and hair jig are great tools to catch numbers and size. Look for birds chasing bait and the stripers won’t be far behind.

Smith Mountain Lake September Fishing Report - Small bait, schooling fish and covering water

Chilly mornings, lots of fog and cooling water temps are going to get things moving this September. Each year is different with how the weather will advance the move to the shallows, but this year is getting a kick start with lows in the 50’s right at the start of the month. The fish are going to be schooling for the next few weeks before moving to the backs of creeks and into the riprap to chase crawfish.

Striper fishing should be great this month. The fish are already schooling, but now will get even tighter together as they make their way from the main deep channel to the main lake points and secondary points in the pockets. The bait has been high in the water column for a few weeks now and that has made for some great fishing. Keep a topwater or fluke handy for when the fish decide to start coming up.

The largemouth are a little scattered in September on Smith Mountain Lake. You can catch them from 2 feet on a buzz bait to 30 feet on a jig and everywhere in between. Take your pick on how you want to target them. It’s fairly easy to find schooling fish similarly to the stripers but harder to find the size you may be looking for doing that. I always have a shaky head ready this time of year for dragging around stumps and brush on transition spots to the backs of the pockets. Also, its super fun to run around with a buzz bait. It can produce a large fish, but you must cover water quickly and a good amount of it. Look for rocky shallow banks where bluegills may be hiding.

The smallmouth should start chewing this month on the lower end. Like every fishing report I write a small Swimbait is key on this lake and September is no different. Look for long rocky points on the lower end or choke points where the fish have to travel through. Topwater can be great on the lower end of the lake this time of year.

Panfish are back on the banks and some docks with brush can hold some giants this time of year as they start to feed up.

Crappie are starting to move from the main channel back to under the docks and on brush as well.

Smith Mountain Lake August Fishing Report - It’s hot and the fishing can be too.

August is here. It’s going to be HOT and the fishing can be hot as well….. if you spend the time looking for them. School is out for the kids but the fish are all about hanging out together. Schooling is when the fish bunch together based on their species and size. There are exceptions of course but this is the time of year where if you catch a good one from a school they are all generally the same size.

Using your electronics is key this time of year. You have to spend the time to find the bait, the schools and the locations they are holding too and you have to stay on the move. The fish are actively chasing the bait and that means they can be somewhere at the start of the day and an hour later be gone. Do yourself a favor and scan main lake points and humps until you see bait and fish together. Once you have found your school back the boat off the area and make super long cast. The fish can be spooked easy this time of year so distance away is a good idea.

Stripers are schooled up and eating like crazy. Just like last month a spoon is a great tool if you plan to throw artificial. 3/8oz and 1/2oz on 15lb line is a great set up to get bites and still hold the bigger fish on. Also, have a swimbait with a smaller bait on it 3.3” or smaller. The shad they are chasing is smaller this time of year so tricking them into biting requires smaller baits. Have a topwater ready for when they decided to bust the shad at the surface.

Smallmouth are harder to find this time of year. Yes they are schooled but with bluebacks being in the lake they are harder to target. Keep an eye for busting fish WAY off longer points into the main river channel. Sometimes these fish can be suspended over 60-80ft of water. Front facing sonar like Livescope is really the best way to target these fish.

Largemouth are chewing this time year. A Carolina rig with a large bait on it can get you some monster bites. Try throwing a Missile Baits Destroyer or large brushhog. It’s also big worm season. 10-14” worms Texas rigged or rigged on a shaky head worked down the points is a great way to catch a giant. If you have good electronics I would try to focus on the 20+ ft range and find some rock or brush. This is also the best time to be night fishing on the lake.

If you do plan to night fish please be extremely careful. always have a life jacket on at night and know what the lights mean. Also, if you plan to catch fish deeper grab a fizz needle from Dewayne at Captains Quarters and learn how to fizz a fish. This happens when you catch a fish deep and bring they up too fast. If you do this it will kill our bass. If you have questions on how to fizz check out this video link. Being a good conservationist to our waters is what makes this lake great so learn how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2jls62ZG8Q

Smith Mountain Lake July Fishing Report - Smaller bite windows but lots of fish

July is a funky month some years. The fish are moving out to the summer holding patterns and can be finicky when and what they want to eat. Most fish are chasing shad style baits as the smaller fish are also moving out to the deeper oxygen rich waters. However, it’s always worth a look up super shallow for those bluegill eating largemouth and smallmouth.

Stripers are starting to school up together on main lake points, ditches and humps. A spoon is your best friend this time of year to get the school activated. A simple hopkins 3/8 or 1/2 spoon on 15lb line is all you need. Find your schools of fish and rip that bait through them. Once one commits to the bait the rest of the school will follow. It’s also worth having a topwater at the ready when they bust the surface. A fluke can also be good.

Smallmouth are also schooling very similarly to the stripers. A walking topwater is key to catching them when they decide to come up. A smaller swimbait like a Kietech 2.8” or 3.3” in a light hitch or shad pattern on a Dobyns 1/4 or 3/8oz head on super light line (7lb sunline sniper) can get any fish to bite. Remember most the bait is going to be rather small for the next few months from the shad spawn that happened earlier this year.

Largemouth are both deep and shallow. The larger numbers of fish will be out deeper on the main lake. Check depths of 20-35ft. A dropshot, Carolina Rig and a big worm get it done this time of year. Work your baits SLOW. The fish are active, but can be funny about biting. There are still some good sized largemouth up shallow that a lot of people over look. Its few and far between but they can be giants. These bass are eating bluegills that are wrapping up their spawn. Look for super shallow pockets and honeycomb bluegill nest. Throwing a popper, propbait or flip a beaver can be a great way to get the bite.

If you’re down here with the kids it’s still a fantastic time to go bream fishing. Live bait from the tackle shops and a bobber are you best friend off the docks.

Smith Mountain Lake June Fishing Report - Topwater or bottom baits? You choose

The weather is out of this world nice right now in south west Virginia. Lows in the 50-60’s each morning and highs in the mid 80’s is keeping the fishing exciting and fast paced. If you can get up early enough the topwater bite for both largemouth and smallmouth is fantastic and the stripers are almost everywhere. The water temperatures are going to jump up quick so getting out this month is key to having some good numbers and size for your catch. If topwater isn’t your thing than grab a shaky head, dropshot or carolina rig and drag bottom. Fish are moving out to their deeper summer spots and cutting them off on the points is the best way to catch them.

The stripped bass are all over the points on the lower end of the lake. Pick up a fluke, walking topwater or a popper and work it as fast as you can. If you’re lucky to have a boat to get out sit the boat off the ends of longer points near the dam and Witcher creek. The shoals around Craddock Creek are also great places to start. Once the sun is up grab a smaller swimbait like a 2.8 or 3.8 keitech on a dobyns 1/4oz head and go to town on them. These fish won’t move off the points as the bait is stuck there for now. Keep you rod ready for schoolers that decide to come up within a casting distance and hang on.

The largemouth are starting to be STACKED in the brush anywhere from 6-15 feet. Take the time to use your electronics on secondary points and find their stopping spots. A big worm is a great choice to get a bigger bite right now. 10”-13” worms are big but these monster largemouth can eat that easily. If the bigger bait is not your thing pick up a shaky head or a dropshot and target those same piles. If you are out early enough you can also throw a topwater over the shallow piles and get some big fish to commit. Secondly, there are still plenty of largemouth up super shallow eating bluegills that are spawning. Tossing around a prop bait or popper on the hard shad lines is a great choice if you can stay quite and sneaky. If you think your shallow…. go shallower. There are giant bass that will be in 6” of water right now waiting for their moment to nab a fat bluegill.

The smallmouth are super post spawn right now but are eating up like crazy. It’s hard to beat a 2.8 swimbait. These fish will chase down a bait from very far away right now. The lower end holds most of the smallmouth so take the time to point hop until you find some. The schools are around 3-8 fish together so don’t be looking for massive groups.

The bluegill are still in a full spawn and taking a kid out there is super easy to catch some. A bobber with a wax or nightcrawler worm is a 100% change at catching. Remember to put the bluegill back so they can do their business and keep the population up for our bass to eat.

Crappie are starting to be in the brush in deeper water. Small jigs or live bait are the go to.

Smith Mountain Lake May Fishing Report - Pre-spawn, Spawn and Post-spawn

What a great time to be at Smith Mountain Lake. The fish are biting, the birds are signing and everyone is out enjoy what this amazing place has to offer. The fish has been great with good numbers and a few big fish per trip. The lake is still a bit stain from the bad pollen we had earlier this month but it turning the corner to clearing up. Quick tip: If you are coming down to visit and thinking of renting a boat from one of the great marinas on the lake do it soon since they tend to book up quick.

The largemouth and smallmouth are in all three stages of the spawn and it’s really dependent on the area of the lake you choose to fish. The upper Roanoke River above the bridge and above Gills creek on the Blackwater side seem to be mostly post spawn at this time. The topwater bite is great right now. My go to bait in the mornings is a Tackle HD world wide buzzer and can catch some giants. Also toss around a walking bait on the points for the fish that are on their way back out to deeper water.

The middle sections of the lake are spawning and quickly turning over to post spawn. A shaky head is a great bait for this area. Drag it around rock and near stumps for bedding fish. Remember to be quick on your hook set since most fish will be moving your bait away from their beds.

The lower end of the lake is pre-spawn and spawning. A swimbait 2.8, 3.3 or up to a 3.8 is a great choice to cover water and see what pockets are fish around. The shaky head still does really well in that area. This is also the best time to catch spawning smallmouth. Focus on rock points on the main lake and hold on they are super aggressive when baits get near their beds.

The bluegill are everywhere so its a great time to get the kids out on the dock. Night-crawlers and a bobber are impossible to beat.

The stripers are starting to school over main lake points all over the lake. A fluke is a great choice to get the school to rise. Keep an eye out for massive schools of fish over deep water that come up if you are close enough cast into the blowing up schools and enjoy the fight.

Lastly, the shad are in full spawn so if night fishing is your deal its now or never. Fish are biting from 11:00pm-2:00am and again from 3:30am-sunrise. Thundersticks is all you need.

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.

Smith Mountain Lake March Fishing Report - Change is here!

This lake is insanity. I spent a a week in AZ fishing with a few friends since the home waters was fishing tough for most and man was that a mistake. Now, for the second weekend in a row Smith Mountain Lake has kicked out a 28lb bag of largemouth to win a tournament. This lake may see a 30lb bag this year! On top of that the stripers are everywhere right now and BIG. It’s one if not the best time of the year to get out for a chance at a true giant. The crappies are loaded on lots of deep docks too. It’s just an exciting time at the lake.

The lakes water temperature is actually still a little behind with the upper Black Water and Roanoke Rivers getting to about 53 on a warm day. The lower end is still 45 in the mornings. This is very different then last year.

The Largemouth and Smallmouth are on the move and you can find fish much fast in the 8-15 foot range. An A-rig is still catching monster bags up lake, but if that’s not your thing a jerkbait is a quick second. Working the bait in different cadences is the key to success. Try fast with little pauses but also short movements with longer pauses (4-10 seconds). Lastly, the crankbait bite is starting to heat back up. Focus on that depth range mentioned above and hold on.

The stripers are chasing whats left of the smaller bait fish and are being found on main lake points as well as all the way in the back of the pockets if the bait is present. Jerkbaits, A-rigs, bucktails and spoons are great baits to get the school activated and eating.

Crappie are LOADED on deeper docks right now. If you have front facing sonar like Garmin Livescope they are easy to find. Look for schools of fish that are stacked vertically under docks and don’t move very much. To catch crappie drop a very small jig down with a Gulp Alive shad or dropshot nose hook the same bait. No joke some docks have 50+ fish under them.

Things are changing and changing quick here. The lake is easily the best lake in all of Virginia, but I think we are close to being considered a national powerhouse for large bags of tournament fish with how consistent these giant bags are.

Smith Mountain Lake February Fishing Report - Tough bite

Sorry for the delay on this report everyone, I took a long needed vacation after the busy year of guiding. I didn’t get to spend a ton of time on the water but what I did was down right tough. I’ll shoot you straight on these reports with what I experience and it was one of the hardest months of fishing I have experienced.

The bass tend to be bunched up this time of year and it takes some moving around to find them. Covering water is your best friend, but can be tough to do when its below freezing at dawn. Remember to focus on main lake structure like rocks, docks and lay downs, but don’t spend to much time on dead banks. Good bait choices are a jerkbait, a rig and a swimbait. Keep a jig handy to drag if the fish seem to be sticking close to the bottom.

The crappie fishing reports have been great with lots of fish being caught up lake on the Roanoke side near docks and lay downs in 10-20 ft. A gulp minnow on a light jig head is all you need to bring home some slabs.

Stripers seemed to be stacked on main lake humps with standing timber and rock. Throwing an A rig through the school is almost a guarantee for a strike.

Smith Mountain Lake January Fishing Report - Please get colder

Well just like in 2020 the start to 2021 is not shaping up like it should be. Virginia is experiencing another super mild winter with nightly temperatures barely tapping on the freezing mark. This has kept the shad alive for much longer and it’s keeping some of the bigger fish from being caught as they have SO much food to eat at their fin tips. Most of the water temperatures in the lake are varying from the low 40’s in the upper ends of both the rivers to almost 50 degrees on the lower end of the lake. This can make it challenging to know how reactive fish will be in both areas and can require an angler to switch baits and presentations based on the area they choose to fish. Pray we get some big cold snaps in the next few weeks because spring time will be here before you know it.

Bass fishing has been a little tough. Most the tournament weights are in the mid to high teens (which is still an awesome day of fishing) but not as big as some winter bags could be. Weather plays a big role in a monster bag of winter bass, but more important is a shad stun event. This happens when the water temp snaps and the smaller shad that were born this year start to die. That is the dinner bell to large fish of call kinds. Most all of our fish are coming on either a 2.8-3.3 swimbait on a very light Dobyns lightwire swimbait head (1/8,3/16,1/4) or an Alabama rig rigged with 1/8 heads and 2.8 swimmers. Take the time to find the bait in the pockets before casting it will pay off.

Striper fishing is great right now. I am finding most of my fish in the standing timber along points that start at the mouth of most creeks. Again, a swimbait, Alabama rig or a spoon are killer for getting them to react. Look for fish in the 25-60 foot range hiding in the standing timber and either cast and count it down or drop the spoon right on their head. This is where knowing how to use your electronics is key. Front facing sonar like Garmin Livescope is a great tool when fishing that deep and for schooling fish, but also being able to use traditional 2D sonar with the A-scope is great. If you’re looking to learn more about your electronics book an electronics training class with me here.

Crappie fishing is also lights out right now. I am finding massive schools of them in 14-25 feet of water in most boat marinas. Again if you find the bait check most the marina areas for dock slips that are stack. Get right on top of them with a small shad bait and have a blast!

Like always if you’re heading out alone please let someone know the area you are going and always wear a lifejacket.

Smith Mountain Lake December Fishing Report- It’s Game Time

Winter is finally here showing up a few days before Christmas. The bigger fish are finally starting to eat to fatten up and our water temperatures are falling. Currently most of the lake is in the high 40 to low 50’s with some of the upper parts of the Roanoke and Blackwater rivers being close to low 40’s. This can allow an angler to fish a few different ways to their strengths but can also help get the fish stacked up in certain areas. Paying attention to bait fish movements and if the shad are stunned/dying is the key to have a great day on the water. If you can bare the cold, getting out right after a super cold night usually will cause a shad stunning event and lead to a great day on the water.

Bass Fishing is still really good right now. Believe it or not there are still fish shallow on the main lake. If you get out on a windy day don’t over look main lake rock in 2-8 ft of water with a crankbait, shallow jerkbait or a swimbait. You may not be around numbers but big fish are roaming looking for a solid meal. If shallow doesn’t feel right focus on much deeper water. The 18-30 foot range can hold large schools of bass chasing shad. Throwing a deep diving jerkbait, a blade bait, spoon, hairjig or damiki rig can make for one hell of a day out deep. Keep on the move with the bait because the bass will follow.

Striper fishing is on fire this month. The same as the largemouth and smallmouth, the stripers are following the massive schools of bait over deep water. Use your boat electronics to scan long points that lead into the river channel. Scan enough points until you find a good amount of bait. A great go to winter bait is a heavier blade bait like a 3/4-1 oz. Another good option is a 1/2 ball head with a zoom fluke. Let the bait sink to the bottom and just slow reel the lure back through the school of bait fish. Those stripers are looking for the single fish out of the school to eat up.

Crappies are loaded in the brush. Focus on brush in 10-18 ft. Small jigs or live bait are a great call. Fishing can start slow but once you get the school fired up in can be fish after fish.

Yellow perch…. I have caught more yellow perch this year than any other year I can remember. Also, like the crappies they can be loaded in the brush, but even better is finding deeper rock. The schools are holding tight to the deep cover and waiting for schools of shad to come by.

DRESS WARM: Don’t forget your hand warmers, wear you life jacket and have your throwable life jacket close incase an emergency happens. Stay safe as the water temps drop.

Smith Mountain Lake November Fishing Report - Things are starting to happen

November is already half over and the weather just decided to change. We have had yet another fall of warm temperatures well into the mid days of November. This has caused a big delay in the water temps dropping and it seems to be holding the fish off from moving into the backs of the pockets to feed up. A few times throughout the day you can find that pocket full of bait and full of fish, but it seems to be every 4-6 pockets not every 1-3 like a true mid fall pattern. However, this week is calling for very low overnight temps and good wind to shake things up. I’m hopeful the fish will really start to stack up mid to late this week.

On another note - we just had our 3rd major flood event at the lake this year, this one being the highest and longest lasting. I know lake homeowners get frustrated by the management from AEP and of course there is always a better way to handle things after the fact, but a lot goes into how the lake level is managed. On the fishing side i’m A-ok with some rising water, color stain and the post flood water pull that will happen. The fish will be super active this week while AEP pulls water through the dam. Keep an eye on the leaves to see if they are pulling current or run down to the dam to check with you own eyes.

If I was coming to the lake for a day trip I would approach the lake as a late summer early fall pattern, The majority of the fish are still on main lake points, and secondaries. It’s hard to find large numbers of fish in the way backs of the pockets. Largemouth and smallmouth are eating a lot of shad and crawdads so a Dobyns 3/8oz swimbait head matched with a shad swimbait 3.3” - 4.5” are a great choice for covering water. If you’re a jig fishermen hitting the rocks with a Missile Headbanger jig in green pumpkin orange it’s a great choice. The topwater bite doesn’t seem to be great just yet but this week could change things.

The stripers are still stacked up the river and the guides and fun fishermen seem to be catching! If you’re a bass guy and wanting to give it a try its hard to beat reeling in a fluke or throwing a topwater up the river for some fun.

Crappies are stacked in brush 10-20 ft on the river sides and up both ends. Bobbers and minnows are always a go to.

Please be safe if you head out this week since there will still be logs and junk floating down from the floods.