Smith Mountain Lake - VA

[Newman12Fan]

I am going to a bachlor party over Labor Day weekend, and we are staying at a house in Smith Mountain Lake.  How is the fishing on this lake?  I will be mostly shore fishing, we have 200' water front, but there will also be a pontoon boat I can use.  

Thanks in advance for any info or suggestions

[Wayne P.]

The terms "fishing" and "Labor Day weekend on Smith Mountain Lake" are not compatable unless you are thinking about after dark. Even then the shore will be the safest place, but then again maybe not.

[Sam]

Newman,

Ever drive on Interstate 95 between Fredericksburg and DC?

It is bumper to bumper with cars and trucks; old and young; men and women; fast drivers; slow drivers; lost drivers; angry drivers; aggressive drivers; dumb drivers; old cars; new cars; big trucks; zig-zagging among the cars; breakdowns; and more.

Well, that is what you are looking at on SML with the pontoon boats, jet skis and ski boats.

If you want to fish away from the house you need to be aware of where you put in so you can get back.  Be sure to take a cell phone with you if you venture out as SML is big.  Like very, very, very, very big.  And you can get confused and lost easily.

And it is BIG lake that has white caps when the wind blows.

You can fish the shore line, docks, boathouses, piers and wood all over the place plus the creeks.

You can throw Carolina rigs; Texas rigs; split-shots; wacky worms; drop shots; mojo rigs; pitch; flip; skip under docks; finesse baits; creature baits; crankbaits; spinnerbaits; Chatterbaits; creature biats; tubes; frogs; topwaters; jigs; Senkos; anything ***; and anything else you want, including minnows and Nightcrawlers.

In fact, you can throw just about anything you want until the fish tell you what they want.

Start with Pop-Rs and other topwaters in the morning and then go with your Senkos and moving baits all over the lake depending on the cloud cover and water temperature, for the rest of the day.

Check with some locals to see what the fish are hitting.

Google Smith Mountain Lake to find the blogs and read about what they are using and their successes.

Fish from the shore or the pontoon boat or a dock. Just get the line in the water and be ready to catch bluegills, bass, pike and catfish.

Just be extra careful as you will have a lot of company and lots of wave action and lots of dumb people skiing and not watching what they are doing.

Plus the fact that the Conservation Officers will be out doing safety inspections and trying to keep the boaters within the speed limit.

The lake is so big that you can fish around your dock area and do well, or poorly, there as any other place on the lake.

Have fun; be safe; watch out for the jackasses; and let us know what you caught, etc.  

[Newman12Fan]

Yeah, I never thought about that, the boat traffic on holiday weeends is always a great pleasure to deal with!  I might stick to shore fishing around their dock.  I will let you know how it goes

Thanks for the tips

[Wayne P.]

Here is a local site that has fishing reports

http://www.smithmountaineagle.com/articles/2008/08/05/boating_fishing_and_outdoors/fish01.txt

Wind waves are not as bad as the wakes of boats that belong on the ocean instead of that lake. The area between the state park and the bridge is a nightmare to navigate during the warm months.  WOT bass boats at night is a thrill too.

[JShrock07]

Check with five_bass_limit He lives and fishes down there and he will more then likely help you out. 8-)

[smlbass]

I live and fish there as well.  Drop me a PM and maybe we can hook up over the weekend you are here.

I have a boat and am willing to make an overnight adventure on the lake if you have the time.  From past experience, the bigger fish are caught at night, but it really depends on where and what you are fishing.  I have also found that if the fish aren't biting, it can be a VERY long night out there.