November has come in unseasonably warm this year and the lake is 8-10 degrees above average. This means we have fish scattered throughout the water column. You can find fish from 2 feet all the way down to 20 feet at the current time. The baitfish is still mostly on the main lake and has not even begun to push into the backs of creeks.
BASS-I have found bass up lake on shallow boat docks, grass and rocks to them still being on brush piles in the mid lake region to small pods of schoolers down lake. On bright sunny days, small creature baits pitched in the willow grass and boat docks will produce fish. You may have to cover a lot of water to catch a few fish, so do not get discouraged. If we have overcast skies, try spinnerbaits, flukes, lip less crankbaits and top water baits around the grass and docks.
Start looking for cooler water by mid month with a few cold fronts predicted to come in. This will fire up the fall feed in preparation for winter.
Mid lake and down lake, the fish have started to school in small pods. Look for them to be chasing bait, sometimes all day long. Just remember, they can be in an area one day and then seem to have disappeared the next. Smaller baits will produce more fish for you, baits like super fluke jr’s. pop-r’s & 1/4oz lipless crankbaits.
STRIPER- The linesides will start to make their move up into the rivers early this month. Look for them to be chasing shad and herring early and late in the day. A 4″ paddle tail swimbait rigged on a 1/4oz jig head is my bait of choice. Start looking for birds to give locations of the fish away. Be respectful of other anglers already fishing in an area, do not run all the way into them with the big engine, this will spook the fish and then you will be dealing with an angry angler!!! Once the heavy feed has ceased, locate them on your electronics and drop a Toothache Spoon down to them.
Towards the end of the month, you should be able to find them around the bridge in Terrys Run, the S-Turns to Little Florida in Pamunkey and around the 522 Bridge to the mouth of Goldmine Creek over on the North Anna arm of the lake. They should stay put in these areas all the way through mid December or until the water cools down to below 40 degrees or so.
CRAPPIE- The Specks will still be located on bridge pilings, deep boat docks (12-20 feet) and rock piles early in the month. As the water temps drop into the upper 60’s, look for them to make a move to shallow feeding ( 3-8 feet) areas up lake. Try skipping a 2″ Curly Tail Grub on a 1/16oz jig head under boat docks in the upper North Anna arm, same with Pamunkey and Terrys Run. Small minnows rigged on slip bobbers will also produce the best eating fish in the lake.
Lake Level- 4″ Low
Water Clarity
Up Lake- Stained
Mid Lake- Clear
Down Lake- Clear
Water Temps
Up Lake- 62-65
Mid Lake- 63-67
Down Lake- 66-70
Dike 3- 75
Chris Craft
Anna Point Marina
Fish Tales Tackle Manager
540-895-5900 Ext5
Collings said he spent the first two days of the event at a creek mouth in an Arkansas River tailwater, below the Dardanelle Lock & Dam.
“I found areas in the back of three different creeks during practice that had stained water, which is what I was looking for,” said Nixon, who earned his third win in FLW competition. “But, on the first day of the tournament the water in my first stop wasn’t stained any longer. It was clear, and I didn’t catch a single fish on it. I went to my second area and caught four fish, and then two more at my third.”