SMITH MOUNTIAN LAKE FISHING REPORT
By: Captain Chad Green
https://www.lastcastguideservicesml.com/
April can offer some great fishing. All species come to the bank in April to get ready to spawn and feed on other spawning species. Get out on the water when you can and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. Practice catch and release as much as possible to preserve our great fisheries out there. As always, just make one more Last Cast as it could be the next trophy fish.
Visit Captains Quarters Marina at Hales Ford Bridge for any tackle that you may need and they will fix you up.
Visit https://missilebaits.store/and check out all they have to offer.
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the https://thebasscast.com/
Check out Smith Mountain Boat and Tackle Penhook for your boating needs https://www.smboats.com
PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON CITATION SIZE FISH
Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass
The bass are starting their spawning phase and will last 4-5 weeks. Look for spawning pockets with structure like stumps, rocks, docks and laydowns. Most of the larger fish will not stay shallow long especially with fronts coming in and out. Target pre and post spawn fish that are still out in deeper water near these areas for the larger fish. Most of your bedding fish seen are males and stay there to protect the fry as they hatch. Night fishing will start very soon as well as the shad spawn. Target rocky areas with shad imitating lures early and late in the day. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, Jigs, spinnerbaits, topwater and swimbaits can be productive. Bluegills will become a forage for the bass starting this month as well and some larger fish will feed on them until the fall. We will see a slight decrease in 8 lb fish this month as they tend to go into hiding usually in mid April. There will be plenty of quality 4 plus pound fish go around.
Striped Bass
The stripers have hit the banks in just about all parts of the lake. Try the late evenings and early mornings for feeding and surfacing fish. Use jerkbaits, bucktails, flukes, and jointed baits. Topwater can also be productive on warm evenings. Night time can be very productive as well with the same baits fished very slow and fishing lighted areas as well.
Crappie
Crappie will start to move shallow this month and can produce some trophy size fish as well. Try and release these fish as well if they are citation size to be caught another day. They can be found anywhere in the 5-15 ft range depending on water clarity. Look for brush piles and trees on both river arms of the lake. Use lightweight jigs or minnows and fish slow. Clean your skillet and have that ready as they are excellent meal.
Tournaments March
Fishers Of Men April 8th State Park
FLW BFL April 15th parkway
BassCast Crazy Horse April 22nd
SML CATT April 30th State Park
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.BassCast.com
