SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
December 2021
DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO: 540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.us
Charles Burks from Lynchburg caught this 42.5 inch striper recently while fishing with Capt. Dale Wilson.
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Fishing will be good the next several weeks. The water temperature will be in the low 50s to upper 40s. Look for striper fishing to continue improving during the month of December. The bait fish are in shallow water in the back of the creeks and the upper sections of both rivers.
Largemouth bass
Fishing will be fair this month. December is a good month to catch bigger largemouth. Best lures will be jerk baits, drop shot rigs, crank baits, shaky heads, spoons, spinner baits, Carolina rigs, Alabama rigs and plastic worms. Most largemouth bass will be caught on points, rock piles, brush piles and docks. Best depths will be from the surface to 30 feet. Bass will be caught both deep and shallow this month. Practice catch and release.
Smallmouth bass
Fishing for smallmouth will be good this month. Best areas will be rocky areas, ledges, humps and main channel points. Best lures will be Ned rigs, hair jigs, drop shot rigs, crank baits, jerk baits, Alabama rigs and Carolina rigs. Best areas will be in the mid- to the lower sections of the lake. Smallmouth bass will feed heavily on crawfish this month. Light line will increase chances of catching a smallmouth. Night fishing will be fair.
Striped bass
Fishing has been good. Stripers will be caught in the mid- to upper sections of the lake and in the larger creeks. Best lures will be swim baits, jigging spoons, Alabama rigs and Zoom flukes fished on 1/2- to 3/4-ounce lead heads. The best depths will be from near the surface to 60 feet. Vertical jigging is a good method to catch striper this month. Look for areas with the greatest concentrations of baitfish. Some stripers will surface in the early morning or late afternoon this month. Live bait fished on planer boards and down lines are also good methods.
Crappie
Fishing for crappie will be good this month. They will be found 5 to 20 feet, and the best areas will be in the main creeks around docks, fallen trees, stumps and brush piles in the mid- to upper parts of the lake. Small live minnows and 1½- to 2-inch tubes or shad-shaped plastic lures fished on 1/32 to 1/16 ounce lead heads will work best to catch them.
Tips of the month
Fishing should be good as the water temperature cools. Fishing in the early morning, late afternoon and at night are usually the best times to fish for striper. Wear a life jacket and never fish alone at night or in cold weather. Also, keep running lights on after dark. Remember to practice catch and release and take a kid fishing.