Smih Mountain Lake

[Ldavis]

I plan on going to Smith Mountain Lake on Oct.18-19. Anyone have any tips or help on that lake?  Being a big lake would like to have a idea of where to start.I have not been there since 2004. Thanks for any help/tips. I can help on Anna if needed.

[Ldavis]

Post should read Smith Mountain Lake!!

[Sam]

L,

There are guys on the site who fish it and can tell you about it.

I have not visited the lake in two years and have no plans to return for the near future.

Have a fun time when you go.  

[basspro48]

I aint been there in a couple years either. I have never fished it in the fall but I know in the summer skipping docks with 4" finesse worms and working points with drop-shot and football jigs is effective. What drove me crazy was seeing the hundreds of bass schooled up under each dock and watching them ignore everything I threw at em.

[JCrzy4Bass]

Yea from what I hear the water can be very clear here too. I remember back two years ago to the Blue Ridge Brawl where boat positioning on the docks was really key because the fish were so easily spooked. Aside from Omori and Casey Ashley lol.  They seemed to jump in their boat.  Haha.

I don't fish here because the distance but some of the guys you may want to check with have changed their names recently a few times, one used to be Burley. Not sure of the other, but I think it was one of the mods on the site.

[Pitchinkid]

Boat docks and transition points. Shad die off should be soon. Striper there get most of the attention, should be a good trip.

[osbornj2]

I don't fish here because the distance but some of the guys you may want to check with have changed their names recently a few times, one used to be Burley. Not sure of the other, but I think it was one of the mods on the site.

Well, I'm not positive that Burley even KNOWS how to fish, but don't tell him that I said so!!   ;D

The other gentleman that you referenced was Five.Bass.Limit, and yes, he is a moderator.  He fishes SML quite a bit, and I consider him an expert.  Send him a PM, and I know that he will reply to you.

Best of luck to you, and be safe on the lake as it can get crowded sometimes.

[Ldavis]

Thanks guys for all the help.

[burleytog]

Well, I'm not positive that Burley even KNOWS how to fish, but don't tell him that I said so!! ;D

Sad but true.   :'(

[5bass]

Well, I'm not positive that Burley even KNOWS how to fish, but don't tell him that I said so!! ;D

Sad but true. :'(

Come on Burley, you're being a little hard on yourself. You didnt get slapped with the title of DinkMaster for no reason.

[RobbyZ5001]

Scott (5bass) KNOWS That lake. He helped me and my partner for Penn State. He would be my go to guy again.

[Sam]

Here is the DGIF report I just had e-mailed to me on SML.

Smith Mountain Lake By Mike Snead: Cooler weather will move into our area for the next couple of weeks. This week the forecast is for daytime high temperatures to be in the 70's and the low temperatures to be in the 50's. Next week the forecast is for even cooler temperatures with high temperatures only expected to be in the 60's and lows at night projected in the 40's, almost ten degrees colder than normal for this time of year. These temperatures will undoubtedly lower the water temperature even further and may trigger changes to fishing patterns. Lake access continues to be an issue as the result of continuing low water levels. The lake water level continues to be about four feet below full pond and there is little relief in sight. While we will scattered showers over the next two weeks, sustained periods of heavy precipitation are not expected. This will continue to pose problems at selected boat ramps and increases the risk of running aground on shal! low points and shoals around the lake. Visibility at night will improve over the next couple of weeks with a first quarter moon will be on October 7th and a full moon on Tuesday, October 14th. [see the sidebar for moon phases for next three months]

Both bass and stripers continue to feed on baitfish. Schools of stripers have been running shad to the surface in many locations and last weekend, when we had overcast conditions; they stayed up for several hours. There are a number of good lures for schooling fish. For bass, spinner and buzz baits, like those by Pulsator, are good choices, especially if it is windy. Topwater lures including the RICO, Pop'R, Super Spook, Spook Junior, Sammy and small gunfish are also good choices when it is relatively calm. Larger topwater lures like the Super Spook, large Rebel Pop'R, Gunfish, Striper Strike and large Chugbug are good lures for schooling stripers. Flukes rigged on belly weighted Falcon hooks, ¼ ounce jigheads and wide gap Superline hooks are also good choices for both schooling bass and stripers. When the schools are found deep, jigging flukes rigged on a ½ ounce jigheads and spoons (Crippled Herring, Cotton Cordell, Hopkins Shorty, Hopkins Smoothie and Kastmaster) is ! an effective technique.

When not schooling, bass do not appear to be in any pronounced pattern and are being caught in a number of different places. Some are being found deep and others in shallow water where jigs (Dave's, Easterly Custom Jigs, Eakin's) rigged with trailers by Deep Creek, Netbait and ZOOM are working. Bass are also being caught around docks in shallow water using pig and jigs as well as shaky head jigs with small craw and worm trailers. Wacky rigged Yamasenko worms are also producing on bass suspended near pilings, bridge abutments and other vertical structure. Rigged worms and creature baits are working in deeper water off points and in submerged brush. Crankbaits are producing an occasional bass along the tops of submerged grass beds and brush.

Striped bass are still being found in large schools from 20 to 45 feet below the surface. There have been a number of nice stripers caught in the lower lake by anglers trolling Captain Mack's Umbrella rigs and three way rigs with Sutton spoons, bucktail jigs and swimbaits. When schools are located suspended in submerged timber, live bait presented on downlines, jigging spoons and flukes are also producing good results.

Crappie fishing is starting to pick up with several anglers reporting that good numbers are being caught on small minnows. Small jigs and plastic trailers are also working on crappie suspended in submerged brush and under docks, but increasingly anglers are complaining that the white perch are making it difficult to get lures and bait down to the crappie suspended below them. Panfish are being caught around most docks on "red wiggler" worms rigged on small hooks below a split shot on light line. A small bobber can also be used to keep the worm in the strike zone or to help reduce snags. Small, live shiners rigged on hooks and light jigheads are also great baits for panfish, bluegill, crappie and white perch.

Flathead catfish are still hitting nightcrawlers, live shad and small panfish including bluegills, especially near the banks at night. Channel catfish continue to be caught using Magic prepared baits fished on a bottom rig and springhook as well as on cut bait and nightcrawlers.

The Smith Mountain Striper Club Tournament was won by Carlos Brown and his son CD. This Sunday, the SMLBass Tournament was won by the team of Anthony Brooks and Chase Blankenship with a weight of 10 pounds 4 ounces. Second place went to Greg Byrd and Philip Wood with a bag weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces. The big fish this past Sunday weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces and was brought to the scales by the team of Dan Jessee and Kenny Newton. The proceeding weeks SMLBass Tournament was won by the team of Terry Jones and Bob Peaslee with a combined weight of 9 pounds 4 ounces.

Water Temperature: 71 degrees

Water Clarity: Good

[smlbass]

Since the post above has a reference to me, I think I will chime in.

Depending on weather, topwater can be extremely hot in the mornings until around 9.  Spinnerbaits are working also but the go to presentation has been the jig when the bite slows down.

Been catching quality fish on a carolina rig on secondary points during the slow times also.

I fish mostly in the northern part of the lake, so it might not translate to the clearer water downstream.