Smith Mountain Lake Info?

[Leon]

I'm heading down to Smith Mountain Lake in early May for a family reunion, and thought I'd bring my fly rod down (9' 6wt).  We're staying at a shoreside house.

Any local info or suggestions?

Thanks,  Leon.

[Eric Y.]

My folks live down there and I used to fish SML about 90 days/year. I keep a fishing boat there and still fish there plenty - indeed may be down there at the same time.

 

It is a very big lake, so if you can give me some more details, I can give you some better info. What part of the lake, what neighborhood, will you have a boat, etc.

[Leon]

I just got the details: it's at the end of Clubhouse Towers Drive, Moneta, VA (map).  Most likely I'll be shoreside, although I might look into renting a boat if convenient.

Leon.

Any local info would be appreciated.

[Eric Y.]

That's Bernard's Landing. My folks are directly across the lake from the other side of the peninsula you'll be on, so you picked an area I actually frequent. A boat would be preferable (a canoe will do), but you'll find LMB and tons of perch where you are anyway. I've also shot my fair share of geese off the point of the peninsula you're on, but that season is a long way off right now.

The rip-rapped shoreline you're on holds bass, especially around the points there. Go for clousers and other baitfish patterns in the 3-6" range. They don't need to be really heavy because right below the rip rap is a decently gentle slope (which you could probably wade). Also try throwing things like gurglers, poppers, and crease flies in the same spots at night. 

Walk across the peninsula and I've found good fish around the resort's docks in the evening and early morning and also at night. If you can fish there (and I don't know if you can without a boat of some kind), the next cove north of the resort is where SML Yacht Club is located and I have caught LOTS of big striper there. If you can rent a canoe or kayak, sit out in the middle of the Yacht Club cove around 11PM and drop a big (6-8") rattle trap down until it hits the bottom, then jig it up and down a foot or two, bouncing it off the bottom. Do this for about an hour and you'll catch at least a 24" fish. This is where my buddies and I go after waking up from a post-day-drinking nap. Great spot. You could probably also do it from the Bernard's Landing marina cove or even off the end of the dock at the end of Clubhouse Towers Dr., but I've had the best luck at the Yacht Club or across the lake in the middle of Parkway Marina's cove. The key is to be down at about 20'. If the weather hasn't reached into the mid-to-upper 80's yet or if the water is still 65-75 degrees, you will find striper on baitfish patterns around long, tapering points. SML striper are generally a lot bigger than the schoolies I see folks catching up here, so be gentle with that 6wt! I usually fish an 8 or 9. A leader about 5ft long built on 40-30-25 mono is what I mostly use, whether I'm using a sink tip for baitfish patterns or topwater. 

Really early in the morning or just after dusk, look into the backs of coves. If you see some commotion, it is a good bet that some striper are chasing a bait ball. Cast past the ball and strip right on through, short and jerky.

If you're decidedly not doing the boat thing, the state park is a good spot for LMB as well - it will be maybe a 10-15min drive from you. But whatever you do, if you go out in a boat at night, take a GPS. It is a confusing body of water, especially when it is dark out. 

And just for confirmation, the bite is definitely on right now for LMB. My mom texted me a picture of what was probably a 4lb LMB she caught on Saturday, sunning itself in the shallows by a dock piling. Sandy bottom, mid-day, on a Rapala fly. 

Note: I deleted my last post to note the depth to fish for striper at.

[Leon]

Wow, Thanks!  I have a small (7 foot) dinghy w/ oars that I make take along.

Cheers,  Leon.

On Wednesday, April 17, 2013 9:38:31 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:

[Eric Y.]

That will suit most of your needs out there just fine. Unless we're crossing some of the big water or putting out 8 or 10 planer boards with live alewives/shad, I could do all my fishing out there from a SUP board. Unfortunately, I don't have a SUP board. Yet.

[Eric Y.]

Hey, Leon, did you have any luck? I'm headed down on Wednesday to get a day or two of fishing in before all of the morons get on the water for the holiday weekend.

[Leon]

Hi Eric,

No bites: I could only get out for about  20-30 minutes off the docks, so I went out and threw a chartreuse clouser around the docks Saturday afternoon.  Saw a few perch (or maybe bluegill) at the surface, but they weren't interested.  Still, it was fun to practice a few false casts and show off a bit for the family.

Definitely a gorgeous lake.  Would love to get down there again for some quality fishing time.

Thanks for the tips.

Leon.