SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
May 2021
DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO: 540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.us
[print_link]
Fishing should be good this month. The best fishing will be at night and early in the morning. Most species of fish will be spawning or have spawned by the end of this month.
Baitfish will be spawning mainly at night for the next few weeks. Water temperature will be in the upper 60s to low 70s.
Largemouth bass
Fishing will be best at night. Some fish will continue to spawn during the month of May. The best lures will be drop shots, shaky heads, Ned rigs, Carolina rigs, plastic worms and top water lures. Wake baits work best at night. Most largemouth bass will be caught on points, stumps shallow docks and rip rap shorelines. Please practice catch and release during the spawning season.
Smallmouth bass
Fishing will be good. The best areas will be humps, stumps and shallow rocky points. The best lures will be Ned rigs, hair jigs, drop shot rigs, top water and Carolina rigs. The best areas will be in the mid- to the lower sections of the lake. Most smallmouth bass will continue to spawn this month. Cloudy days are good times to try your luck. Light line will increase the chances to catch smallmouth bass. Night fishing will be fair.
Striped bass
Fishing will improve after they spawn. Stripers will be caught in the mid- to lower sections of the lake and in the larger creeks. The best lures will be swim baits, top water lures and Zoom flukes fished on 3/8- to 3/4- ounce lead heads. Fish will start to school during the month of May. They can be caught as deep as 40 feet.
Fishing at night will be good this month. Live bait fished on planer boards and down lines are also good methods this month.
Crappie
Crappie fishing has been excellent this past month. Most fish will have spawned by the end of this month. They will be found at depths of 2 to 12 feet. 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 crappie this month.
Tips of the month
Most larger fish will be caught at night during the month of May. Continue to look for spawning baitfish on rocky shorelines. Wear a life jacket and never fish alone at night. Make sure running lights are on after dark. Remember to practice catch and release and take a kid fishing.