Lake Anna – July – Lake Report by Chris Craft

After the feed is over and the sun is well above the tree line, it is time to start probing deeper water. Shakey head rigged plastics like the Power Team Lures Finicky Tickler in five and seven inch sizes, Zoom Trick Worms and Deep Creek Lures six inch floating MT Worm are all great choices. Try to keep your colors natural…….Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Seed, Watermelon Candy and Watermelon Red are my go to colors. I rig these on a 3/16oz Dave’s Tournament Tackle Screwball Shakey Head. 

Deep Diving crank baits are also catching their fair share of fish. Bill Norman DD22’s, XPS LEC 15’s, Luck E Strike’s FREAK and the new Strike King 10XD are all great choices. You want to bump into the cover of a brush pile or make that bait dig into the lake bottom in order to get reaction strikes. My color choices are Chart/Blue, Gizzard Shad, Blue Back Herring and Sexy Shad. 

Jig & Pig combinations also work very well during the summer months, especially if you venture to the up lake region. Pitch jigs under boat docks and make sure you put it right up against every pole on the dock. Willow grass will also hold fish. Put you jig into open pockets of grass and hop it a few time after it settles to the bottom. Be very careful to watch your line, sometimes these fish will inhale the jig and not move and inch. 
The only jigs that I throw are ARSON JIGS, Black & Blue and Green Pumpkin-Black-Brown are my 2 color choices. Tip them with a Power Team Lures Craw D’ourve and hold on!!!

STRIPER- With the water warming into the mid to upper 80’s, the striper are actively chasing baitfish at first light and aggressively taking trolling baits after sun up. If you see schooling fish, nothing beats a top water strike!!!!!!! Pop R’s, Zara Spooks and Torpedos all are great choices. If they are playing volley ball with your bait, it is hard to pass up a Cotton Cordell Broken Back Redfin. Just wake the bait under the surface to create a disturbance they cannot resist!!!! 

After the top water feed evaporates, stay on the school with your depth find and drop Toothache Spoons down to them. If trolling is more your speed, Deep Diving Red Fins trailed with a 1/4 or 3/8 bucktail will provide all day action for you. DD22’s, XPS LEC 15’s and Luck E Strike Freak baits all work well. Colors should be Chart/Blue or a Natural Shad for best results.

CRAPPIE- The Specks are a little more challenging at this time of year. They go to deep water and can get finicky. Bridge pilings, deep boat docks and brush piles will all hold fish. Small minnows rigged either on a slip bobber or a jig head will produce the best results. 

LAKE LEVEL- FULL POOL

WATER TEMPS
UP LAKE- 85-88
MID LAKE- 82-87
DOWN LAKE- 85-90