1st trip to Lake Moomaw in VA - anyone been lately?

[Dan B.]

I'm heading to Moomaw for the first time on Friday. I've read the historical posts about this lake, but they're from a while ago. Anyone been there lately and know recent water temps, whether spawn is over, etc.?

 

I haven't found info on whether or which boat ramps ever close or have fees to use them. Does anyone know or have a preferred ramp?

 

I might want to look for smallmouth, since I don't usually get to target them. I've read that the smallmouth fishing up the north end creek arm can be good. Can anyone confirm good smallmouth spots? I'd also welcome any tips on good spots for largemouth, although if they're still spawning or recently post-spawn, I assume they'll be on or near the flats around the mid-lake islands or what look like flats near shore to the north and west of those islands?

 

Thanks for any tips!

[Sam]

Dan, seems not many guys or gals on the Forum fish Moomaw.

 

With the rains we will be enjoying Thursday evening through Friday, the water depth may be high which means the water will be over the normal bank level.

 

I have not been on Moomaw in ages so I am of no help. Won't be visiting the place as I hate I-81 on a good day.

 

Just go out and if the water is over the normal bank hit the shoreline any any wood you can find.

 

Good luck and let us all know how you did.

[Dan B.]

Thanks Sam. My post was from last week, so it was actually last weekend that I went. I didn't have much luck. Even so, I'll provide some detail here in case it's helpful to others. 

 

I was surprised by the amount of fishing pressure. Everywhere I went on the lake and river both days, I encountered other bass fishermen. Water temps were about 66-67, and there were moderately strong winds both days. Water clarity ranged from clear to muddy (the muddy areas were in shallow water due to substantial wind and boat traffic on Saturday). 

 

I arrived Friday afternoon and launched at Bolar Marina (there's a $5 fee). I decided to fish up the Jackson River thinking I might find some current that would help me figure out where the smallmouths were. As it turned out, the wind from the south was so strong that it essentially negated any current from the river (I'm not sure there's ever much current from the river below the bridge anyway). I caught one 13" smallmouth on a swimbait near a laydown that day. I went all the way up to the bridge and fished shallow flats, as well as deeper in the river channel, and couldn't get another bite. 

 

The next day I launched from Coles Point (also a $5 fee). I went up the Big Lick creek arm first and fished some deeper water off main and secondary points, as well as shallow structure and flats. With no luck, I made my way towards the main lake basin and fished the shallow water around the two large islands. Some of it was muddy, but some of what I could see looked like good spawning habitat (although I didn't see any beds). No luck there either, although multiple bass boats were hammering the water around those islands (didn't see anyone catch anything though). I moved again to a flat that extended off a main lake point and saw some submerged vegetation on the sonar. I fished there for a while and picked up one 16" largemouth on a squarebill. I couldn't get another bite though, so I moved to another similar area. No luck there either. I went back up the river, and caught a bluegill that thought it could eat a squarebill. Wasn't having luck in the river, and after hearing thunder I started running back towards the launch. I fished another island along the way without luck. 

 

I would go again, although probably only if I could stay for several days and spend a lot of time looking for and fishing deep structure. In retrospect, I think most of the smallmouth were probably in water deeper than I was fishing. I think the largemouth may have been on flats off the shore like where I caught that one, but I didn't concentrate on that pattern long enough to confirm it. It's a beautiful setting, but I wasn't smart enough to figure it out in two half-days of fishing.