April 2014 Lake Anna Lake Rerport by Chris Craft

SONNY GLEASON, 6 POUNDS 2 OUNCES 

The coldest March that I can remember is finally gone, hopefully OLD MAN WINTER has lost his grip on us…….I HOPE!! With April comes warmer air temperatures, warmer water temperatures, longer days and spawning fish.

Fish Tales at Anna Point Marina is having their Big Fish Contest again this month. The angler that catches the largest bass, crappie and striper this month and weighs it in at Fish Tales will win $100 or a yearly ramp pass. ($125 value)

The rules are simple……………..

1- Must launch from Anna Point Marina/Fish Tales. Must be a yearly ramp pass
holder or pay the $8 ramp fee before your outing.

2- If fishing with a GUIDE or an EMPLOYEE, the $8 ramp fee must be paid before
your outing.

3- Artificial and Live Bait is allowed.

4- All fish must be weighed on the porch scales at Fish Tales.
Tournament caught fish are eligible, but they MUST be weighed on Fish Tales
porch scales!!!!!!

Last Months Winners Were……..
BASS- Terry Kestner  7 pounds 8 ounces
CRAPPIE- Justin Shafer  1 pound 10 ounces
STRIPER- Hunter Gatewood  12 pounds 3 ounces

BASS- The largemouth will be making their move to the shallows in full force this month. The full moon is on the 15th, look for water temps to be on the rise and the bass looking for an area to spawn.

Great places to look are areas with emerging willow grass (North Anna Arm) along the shoreline. Single bladed 1/4oz Dave’s Tournament Tackle Tiger Shad Spinnerbaits in the Purple Tiger pattern will produce several fish. North Anna Bait Co. CC MINNOW’s will also catch them in and around the emerging grass.
When fishing the grass, try and resemble a crappie the best you can with your bait selection, the bass are gorging on small crappie that have pulled up into the grassy areas!

Bost docks and rock piles over in the Pamunkey arm of the lake will start holding several fish as well. Squarebill crankbaits, Rat L Traps, Spinnerbaits and CC MINNOW’s will all produce fish for you.

The uplake areas are stained right now, so seeing a bass on the bed is going to be a difficult task. From the 208 bridge to the dam, they will be much easier to see. Look for them around boats docks, stumps, lay down trees and grassy areas. Try pitching a North Anna Bait Company 7″ Ring Shaker worm rigged on a Shakey Head to entice them into biting. The tail on the Ring Shaker will stand straight up and has lots of action with very little movement on your end.

PLEASE REMEMBER C-P-R………………….CATCH-PHOTO-RELEASE
The females are full of eggs right now and it is very important to release them back, for the future of out fishery!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

CRAPPIE- The Specks are making their move to shallow areas at the current time. They can still be found around the bridge pilings early in the month. As the water gets above 50 degrees, they will pull into 2-5 feet of water around the emerging willow grass, beaver huts, boat docks, brush piles, rock piles and beaver huts. My favorite way to catch them is by casting a 1/16oz NABC Sickle Hook jighead with a 2″ Kalin Curly Tail Grub. My three favorite color choices are John Dheere Green, Green Weenie and Wally World. Small minnows on slip bobbers will also work for those of that just want to kick back and relax!!!!

STRIPER- The Striper have made their move uplake and are shallow. Look for them on red clay banks on both arms of the lake early and late in the day. Sassy Shads, Sea Shads, NABC SWIM N MINNOWS and Hard Jerkbaits will all produce fish. In North Anna check out the mouth of Duck N Hole and Goldmine Creeks. The S Turns in Pamunkey has been the hot zone the past few weeks. There are still some diving birds on these fish, be sure not to run the outboard into them, you will shut the feed down!!!!

Water Temps
Dike 3- 56
Mid Lake- 48-52
Up Lake- 46-52

Downlake- Clear
Mid Lake- Slight Stain
Up Lake- Heavy Stain