May / June 2014 Newsletter
In This Edition
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
June Club Meeting - 6/6/14
Where's the Fish? - This meeting will focus on a discussion of the seasonal patterns of stripers across SML. It will also be a group-led activity in which a map of the lake will be provided, and members will mark up the map with areas where they see fish at different periods of the year. We will revisit this again later in the year.
In-Water Boat Show - 6/14/14
To be held at the docks bedside Bridgewater Point Condos. Members will bring their fishing boats to show off to other members and the general community how we fish for striper. Exchange boat & gear rigging tips & techniques. We will be on station from 10-2, but come around 9 or 9:30 to secure a slip and setup.
July Club Meeting - 7/11/14 - (note the change in our usual date due to the July 4th Holiday)
Reels - Learn about all you ever wanted to know about reels from our own "The Reel Guy", Joel Janecek. Joel will talk about different reel technologies and how to maintain them to ensure they last.
July Member/Guest Tournament - 7/11/14 - 7/12/14
Registration dead-line is Friday, July 4th. This is one of our two designated harvest tournaments and check-in will be held at Captain's Quarters - submissions will still be via photo & length, but due to lower release probability in the warm summer waters we will be harvesting and collecting fish for a fish-fry in August.
August Club Meeting - 8/1/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - Capt. Dale Wilson will visit the Club and talk about using artificals to catch striper and the techniques & tactics us uses at different times of the year.
All Club Meetings are held at the Moneta Community Center on Rucker Rd. unless otherwise noted above. You can always check the latest calendar of Club events on the Club Website.
Where's the Fish? - This meeting will focus on a discussion of the seasonal patterns of stripers across SML. It will also be a group-led activity in which a map of the lake will be provided, and members will mark up the map with areas where they see fish at different periods of the year. We will revisit this again later in the year.
In-Water Boat Show - 6/14/14
To be held at the docks bedside Bridgewater Point Condos. Members will bring their fishing boats to show off to other members and the general community how we fish for striper. Exchange boat & gear rigging tips & techniques. We will be on station from 10-2, but come around 9 or 9:30 to secure a slip and setup.
July Club Meeting - 7/11/14 - (note the change in our usual date due to the July 4th Holiday)
Reels - Learn about all you ever wanted to know about reels from our own "The Reel Guy", Joel Janecek. Joel will talk about different reel technologies and how to maintain them to ensure they last.
July Member/Guest Tournament - 7/11/14 - 7/12/14
Registration dead-line is Friday, July 4th. This is one of our two designated harvest tournaments and check-in will be held at Captain's Quarters - submissions will still be via photo & length, but due to lower release probability in the warm summer waters we will be harvesting and collecting fish for a fish-fry in August.
August Club Meeting - 8/1/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - Capt. Dale Wilson will visit the Club and talk about using artificals to catch striper and the techniques & tactics us uses at different times of the year.
All Club Meetings are held at the Moneta Community Center on Rucker Rd. unless otherwise noted above. You can always check the latest calendar of Club events on the Club Website.
Club Board Members
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Committee Chairs
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From the Editor
Whoops..... June is here and you are just now reading the May / June Newsletter. Where did Spring go? It seems as if it took forever to arrive and then was gone in a blink. Apologies that this newsletter is about a month late in finding its way to you - while Spring was short, it was busy for me on a number of fronts - including Club activities such as our Freedom Alliance event, preparing for our May meeting topic, and our May Member-Guest tournament. If there is anyone out there that would like to help out in creating content for the newsletter or editing it, please let me know. The Club itself has also been busy participating in Lake Clean-Up Day as well as planning a number of other up-coming summer activities. Make sure you check out the details of upcoming meetings & events in the sections above.
I hope you will take a moment to read the "short story" later in this newsletter entitled "A Tale of One Fish". This story captures one of those precious moments that happen out on the water - and one that would not have happened had it not been for our focus on catch & release when conditions warrant. A number of anglers, including myself, are becoming increasingly concerned about our overall striper population - perhaps we are just seeing a change in patterns or the effects of some "weird" weather - but there is no question that fishing pressure has increased a lot in the last few years and perhaps this is taking a toll. At the moment the comment period is open for public comment on the proposed regulation changes regarding our slot (more information later in this newsletter) - these proposed changes were made in consultation with the Club's Preservation Committee as well as other anglers based on data available at the time. Since that time almost a year ago, there have been a an increasing number of reports regarding an alarming decrease in catch numbers as well as less frequent marking of large schools. Are we experiencing a shift in our overall striper population? Unknown - but it does raise something that as a Club we must monitor - and we also must each be cognizant of this in our fishing - keeping in mind our own potential impact to the fishery. As we come into the warmer summer months it is important to remember that striper survival drops significantly as the water warms - and it is important to consider than when making a decision on releasing or harvesting a fish. We'll touch on this more in our upcoming July / August newsletter. Until then.....
Fish On! - Mike Ward
I hope you will take a moment to read the "short story" later in this newsletter entitled "A Tale of One Fish". This story captures one of those precious moments that happen out on the water - and one that would not have happened had it not been for our focus on catch & release when conditions warrant. A number of anglers, including myself, are becoming increasingly concerned about our overall striper population - perhaps we are just seeing a change in patterns or the effects of some "weird" weather - but there is no question that fishing pressure has increased a lot in the last few years and perhaps this is taking a toll. At the moment the comment period is open for public comment on the proposed regulation changes regarding our slot (more information later in this newsletter) - these proposed changes were made in consultation with the Club's Preservation Committee as well as other anglers based on data available at the time. Since that time almost a year ago, there have been a an increasing number of reports regarding an alarming decrease in catch numbers as well as less frequent marking of large schools. Are we experiencing a shift in our overall striper population? Unknown - but it does raise something that as a Club we must monitor - and we also must each be cognizant of this in our fishing - keeping in mind our own potential impact to the fishery. As we come into the warmer summer months it is important to remember that striper survival drops significantly as the water warms - and it is important to consider than when making a decision on releasing or harvesting a fish. We'll touch on this more in our upcoming July / August newsletter. Until then.....
Fish On! - Mike Ward
March / April / May Meeting Overviews
March's meeting was our annual Swap Meet & Hot-Dog supper. A big thanks to Andre' Peery for taking his time to go and gather all the necessary items for our meal, as well as sweating over the stove to prepare the food. Pepper Ailor from the Freedom Alliance visited with us to update us on what's going on with their organization, talk about the event we were hosting in April, and present the Club with a plaque thanking us for our support in 2013.
The topic for April's meeting was "Home Bait Tanks" and several members presented the setups which they have put together to keep bait at the ready at home. Several members even brought their tanks in for a hands-on show & tell. You can find a copy of the slides and some notes on the presentation on the Club Website on the Meetings & Events page - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting--events.html. Thanks to Mark Melius, Bruce Brenholdt, Macky May, Tyler Early and Mike Ward for sharing their setups.
In May, we had a presentation by Mike Ward on the use of charts to improve your fishing success. Topics included how to use topograpic charts or those in your fish finder to identify "fishy structure" along with a number of examples of such structure. A copy of the slides used in the meeting can be found on the Club Website as well. Bruce Brenholdt then shared some work he has done on capturing key "landmarks" on the lake into a "Google Map" that can be accessed, helping new members learn were locations such as "Tennis Courts", "S-Curves", "Three Islands" and such are located - look for more information in our next newsletter.
The topic for April's meeting was "Home Bait Tanks" and several members presented the setups which they have put together to keep bait at the ready at home. Several members even brought their tanks in for a hands-on show & tell. You can find a copy of the slides and some notes on the presentation on the Club Website on the Meetings & Events page - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting--events.html. Thanks to Mark Melius, Bruce Brenholdt, Macky May, Tyler Early and Mike Ward for sharing their setups.
In May, we had a presentation by Mike Ward on the use of charts to improve your fishing success. Topics included how to use topograpic charts or those in your fish finder to identify "fishy structure" along with a number of examples of such structure. A copy of the slides used in the meeting can be found on the Club Website as well. Bruce Brenholdt then shared some work he has done on capturing key "landmarks" on the lake into a "Google Map" that can be accessed, helping new members learn were locations such as "Tennis Courts", "S-Curves", "Three Islands" and such are located - look for more information in our next newsletter.
March & May Member/Guest Results
We are doubling up in this newsletter since we're late in pushing out the May / June issue. We had two good events in March & May, and unlike our January event, overall nice weather - though I expect most would agree we could have done with a little less wind in both March & May.
It was a tale of two ends of the lake - with many anglers fishing up-lake in March, and then down-lake in May - as would be expected for the times of year. 17 of the 26 registered participants checked in fish for the March event
In May, 7 of 14 registered participants checked in fish - and James Gray was a shoe-in for the Big Fish pool as he was the only one that entered this time..... come on guys - you never know when you're going to hook into that big one...... Hope to see more of you come out for our next tournament in July.
Our next tournament is July 11 & 12 - check-in will be 3-4 pm at Captain's Quarters. This tournament is desigated a "harvest tournament" given the water temperatures are not conducive to Catch & Release. The registration deadline for this tournament is Friday, July 4th.
It was a tale of two ends of the lake - with many anglers fishing up-lake in March, and then down-lake in May - as would be expected for the times of year. 17 of the 26 registered participants checked in fish for the March event
In May, 7 of 14 registered participants checked in fish - and James Gray was a shoe-in for the Big Fish pool as he was the only one that entered this time..... come on guys - you never know when you're going to hook into that big one...... Hope to see more of you come out for our next tournament in July.
Our next tournament is July 11 & 12 - check-in will be 3-4 pm at Captain's Quarters. This tournament is desigated a "harvest tournament" given the water temperatures are not conducive to Catch & Release. The registration deadline for this tournament is Friday, July 4th.
March Member / Guest Tournament Results
Open Class
1st - Tyler Early - 64.5" total length 2nd - Nathan Blankenship (guest of Tyler Early) - 60.75" total length 3rd - Gary Disbrow - 51.75" total length |
Artificial-Only Class
1st - Don Hutchinson - 56.5" total length 2nd - Jared Key - 56" total length 3rd - Joel Janecek - 52.5" |
Youth Class
1st - Noah Quinn (grandson of Frank Schmitt) - 20.25" |
Big Fish Pot Winner
Tyler Early - 32.5"
Tyler Early - 32.5"
May Member / Guest Tournament Results
Open Class
1st - Mike Ward - 63" total length 2nd - James Gray - 24.25" total length 3rd - Greg Bartnett - 44" total length |
Artificial-Only Class
1st - Don Hutchinson - 53.5" total length 2nd - Steve Nagel - 52.5" total length 3rd - Joel Janecek - 45.5" total length |
Youth Class
No Entries |
Big Fish Pot Winner
James Gray - 25.25"
James Gray - 25.25"
President's Corner
Spring at last, Spring at last…. I am overjoyed that the winter is over and spring has finally sprung. It’s still a bit chilly some mornings but I can get by that just fine. I haven’t been out a whole lot lately but I know the fish are out there somewhere. They’re a little hard to find sometimes but I am still getting a few. I also get to try all the new “toys” I’ve accumulated over the winter.Spring is also a time of renewal and a good time to renew commitments to our club. The club still needs some help on several committees and activities. If you want to be entertained, then buy a movie ticket. If you want a club that is dynamic, informative and productive, then join in the fun. Most activities take little effort so helping in more than one is no problem since they are spread out through the year.Speaking of fun activities, if you missed this year’s Freedom Alliance event you missed a good time. Everyone I know of caught some fish and our veterans had a great time. See Mike’s summary elsewhere in this issue. I was helping with Rudy Fry and our vets caught fish both days with the second day topped off with a plump 34” caught on a small pistol-grip bass rod. That was a riot with the line tangled under the boat, another line snagged on the bottom and two other board lines and a down line to clear. Real chaos.
See you out on the water - Joel (Editor's Note: The above was authored in early late April... sorry for the delayed printing...)
See you out on the water - Joel (Editor's Note: The above was authored in early late April... sorry for the delayed printing...)
Member Catches
Below are some pictures of Member Catches over the last few months. We all love pics, so please submit yours - you can post them to the Club Facebook page, or send them to [email protected].
Water Temperature- 5/30/14
Lake Clean-Up Day
Once again the Club staffed the Indian Point collection location - lots of wood debris and other trash were collected - with the high water levels this spring there was a good bit to be removed. Thanks to all the Club volunteers for their efforts as well as Cindy Turlington for her coordination efforts.
Check out the crew in "live action": http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/smllaker/media/2014%20Lake%20Clean-Up/Joelatthewheel_zps2f5e912e.mp4.html
You can check out more photos of the event on the Club Website: http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/2014-lake-clean-up-day.html
Check out the crew in "live action": http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/smllaker/media/2014%20Lake%20Clean-Up/Joelatthewheel_zps2f5e912e.mp4.html
You can check out more photos of the event on the Club Website: http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/2014-lake-clean-up-day.html
Comment Period Open for Proposed Slot Change
As you may recall from previous meeting discussion, there is a proposed change to the fishing regulations that would change the slot limit for striped bass that is currently under review & comment. This proposal is to "slide" the slot up - from the current 26"-36" slot, to a 30" - 40" slot. Note that this proposal does not change the current start or end dates of the slot period. This catalyst for this change came from a review of growth data performed by our DGIF Biologist, Dan Wilson, based on oolith measurements and other data submitted by fishermen and women. There was a concern that our fish were not growing at "normal" rates when they hit the lower end of the existing slot, and the theory was that we had too many fish in this range.
Mr. Wilson consulted with a number of anglers as as as the Club's Preservation Committee to discuss potential strategies and options. These included lowering the stocking rate, increasing the daily creel limit and changing the slot. The Club's Preservation committee felt strongly against reducing stocking or increasing the creel limit for fear that reducing stocking could have serious impacts to the population if we had one or two bad years of stocking, and that increasing the creel limit would "ring the dinner bell" across multiple states and greatly increase the fishing pressure as well as the number of fish harvested from Smith Mountain Lake. The committee felt that the option of increasing the slot was a positive move in that if there is over crowding of the fish population in the mid-20" range this could ease that a bit, while providing additional protection to our limited number of larger, older fish.
The Preservation Committee presented their recommendation of supporting the slot "shift" to the Board at a previous meeting and it was accepted and endorsed by the Club's Board of Directors. However, your individual thoughts and opinions are important and we urge you to submit your thoughts. The comment period on the proposed changes is open until June 20th and you can do so at the following DGIF Website: https://www3.dgif.virginia.gov/web/comment-fnwb/display.asp
The Preservation Committee presented their recommendation of supporting the slot "shift" to the Board at a previous meeting and it was accepted and endorsed by the Club's Board of Directors. However, your individual thoughts and opinions are important and we urge you to submit your thoughts. The comment period on the proposed changes is open until June 20th and you can do so at the following DGIF Website: https://www3.dgif.virginia.gov/web/comment-fnwb/display.asp
2014 Freedom Alliance Event
For the 4th year the Striper Club has had the honor of hosting a group of soldiers that are in various stages of recovering from injuries they received while serving us overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. 9 soldiers, all Marines plus Pepper from the Freedom Alliance made the trip this year and 5 boats from the Club participated - thanks to all the guys that Captain'ed, Mated or helped in other ways (ferrying some of the guys between marinas or fixing cookies/brownies). We had numerous positive and thankful comments provided from the participants after their departure from Smith Mountain. If you've not had a chance to participate in this event, please consider doing so in the future - it is a very rewarding time as we give back in such a small way, but one that is very well appreciated.
You can check out more photos of the event on the Club Website:
You can check out more photos of the event on the Club Website:
A Tale of One Fish
It was a cloudy morning on Saturday, April 19, 2014 around 9 am when Tyler Early guided the EarlyRiser into a creek on the Roanoke side of Smith Mountain Lake. With the help of Nathan Blankenship they began to deploy free-lines with gizzard shad behind planer boards, setting up to pull over several secondary points inside the creek. All the while ten-year old Ethan, Nathan’s son looked on with anticipation. No sooner than the three rods on the bank-side had been deployed and the planer boards pulled tight the middle rod started shaking from a very nervous bait - a bait which likely was now being pursued by the species to which the EarlyRiser was in search - the striped bass.
But our story does not begin here. This story begins almost three years and one month to the day - March 20, 2011. It begins on another overcast day, with another fisherman, Mike Ward, who was targeting some main channel points also along the Roanoke side of the lake with in search of striped bass. The day had yielded a few fish in the 6-8 lb range - always fun to catch but certainly not the size fish stories are written of. Mid-day had come and gone and there was a promise to take his son crappie fishing in the afternoon to uphold. So one last pass over a promising point into the mouth of a cove was made.
But our story does not begin here. This story begins almost three years and one month to the day - March 20, 2011. It begins on another overcast day, with another fisherman, Mike Ward, who was targeting some main channel points also along the Roanoke side of the lake with in search of striped bass. The day had yielded a few fish in the 6-8 lb range - always fun to catch but certainly not the size fish stories are written of. Mid-day had come and gone and there was a promise to take his son crappie fishing in the afternoon to uphold. So one last pass over a promising point into the mouth of a cove was made.
As fortune would have it, the tell-tale sound of a fish rolling on a gizzard shad broke the calm, the planer board shot backwards and into the depths of Smith Mountain Lake. With a quick grab of the rod and a swift but solid set of the hook a better class of fish than had been met with yet that day was hooked up on the other end of the line. After a fun battle a 34.5”, 15 lb striper was brought aboard. Like any fish of this class, Mike was going to honor the fish with a quick photo op and then carefully release the fish to be caught another day. But this fish also had the “honor” of having two tags quickly inserted. Mike, along with a small group of anglers, was assisting Dan Wilson, biologist with VDGIF responsible for the fishery at Smith Mountain Lake, in tagging a set of striped bass in order to monitor their catch rates, movements and growth rates. Anglers catching tagged fish can return the tags to the address printed on the tag, along with date, length of the fish and location caught, and receive a cash reward of $5 - $50 for their efforts - and the fish does not have to be killed to submit the tag - the anger can clip the tag close to the fishes body and still return the fish to the lake.
Two quick jabs near the fish’s dorsal fin to insert the yellow, straw-like tags, key info on the length and location of the fish were logged and the fish was returned to the waters of the lake. That fish was one of many tagged during the the cooler seasons of 2011 and 2012. More importantly it was also one of an untold number of larger, quality fish which were caught and released by caring anglers across Smith Mountain Lake. What many individuals who enjoy the fishery on Smith Mountain Lake are not aware of is the fact that striped bass do not naturally reproduce in the lake. All striped bass in the lake are stocked as fingerlings by VDGIF, which are typically one to two inches in length. These fingerling striper have to overcome the odds of nature and man-kind to survive and thrive in the waters of Smith Mountain Lake. For a striper to reach “trophy status” as determined by the Virginia Angler Recognition Program (VARP), it must grow to a length of at least 37” or 20 lbs, which on average will take 10 or more years.
Some three years and just under a month later, the middle, bank-side rod on the EarlyRiser continues to quiver from the darting of the gizzard shad hooked on the other end of the line. It was then that another planer board, the one closest to the bank rapidly darted back, being pulled by a fish attacking its prey. Tyler swiftly grabbed the rod and skillfully set the hook, watched the rod load up and bend over from the weight of what felt to be a solid fish, and then smiled as the fished steadily pulled drag from the reel. Tyler handed the rod to 10 year old Ethan Blankenship and told him to “Hold on tight because this is a big’un!” Ethan fought the fish for 5 minutes, which likely felt like an eternity to both Ethan and his father, who was coaching him along the way. As Ethan brought the fish towards the boat and the group was able to get a glimpse of the silvery flash, they knew it was a special fish.
Once aboard, the fish was weighed and measured - a 21 lb / 38” fish. Ethan has been on the “reeling end” of more than one nice striper in the upper teen’s of weight and up to 36”, but this fish officially qualified in length (and likely in weight) as a “trophy fish” - Ethan had just landed his first citation striped bass - a fish which was likely as old, if not older than Ethan himself.
While measuring the fish the group noticed the twin tags near the fish’s dorsal fin. Tyler had also participated in the tagging program during 2011/12 so he noted the tag numbers as well as the key information needed to pass back to VDGIF - length, nearest channel marker of the catch and date. After a few quick pictures to capture the moment Tyler, with Ethan’s encouragement, carefully worked to revive and release the fish back to the lake, creating the opportunity for another angler to perhaps experience their first “trophy” striper.
Two quick jabs near the fish’s dorsal fin to insert the yellow, straw-like tags, key info on the length and location of the fish were logged and the fish was returned to the waters of the lake. That fish was one of many tagged during the the cooler seasons of 2011 and 2012. More importantly it was also one of an untold number of larger, quality fish which were caught and released by caring anglers across Smith Mountain Lake. What many individuals who enjoy the fishery on Smith Mountain Lake are not aware of is the fact that striped bass do not naturally reproduce in the lake. All striped bass in the lake are stocked as fingerlings by VDGIF, which are typically one to two inches in length. These fingerling striper have to overcome the odds of nature and man-kind to survive and thrive in the waters of Smith Mountain Lake. For a striper to reach “trophy status” as determined by the Virginia Angler Recognition Program (VARP), it must grow to a length of at least 37” or 20 lbs, which on average will take 10 or more years.
Some three years and just under a month later, the middle, bank-side rod on the EarlyRiser continues to quiver from the darting of the gizzard shad hooked on the other end of the line. It was then that another planer board, the one closest to the bank rapidly darted back, being pulled by a fish attacking its prey. Tyler swiftly grabbed the rod and skillfully set the hook, watched the rod load up and bend over from the weight of what felt to be a solid fish, and then smiled as the fished steadily pulled drag from the reel. Tyler handed the rod to 10 year old Ethan Blankenship and told him to “Hold on tight because this is a big’un!” Ethan fought the fish for 5 minutes, which likely felt like an eternity to both Ethan and his father, who was coaching him along the way. As Ethan brought the fish towards the boat and the group was able to get a glimpse of the silvery flash, they knew it was a special fish.
Once aboard, the fish was weighed and measured - a 21 lb / 38” fish. Ethan has been on the “reeling end” of more than one nice striper in the upper teen’s of weight and up to 36”, but this fish officially qualified in length (and likely in weight) as a “trophy fish” - Ethan had just landed his first citation striped bass - a fish which was likely as old, if not older than Ethan himself.
While measuring the fish the group noticed the twin tags near the fish’s dorsal fin. Tyler had also participated in the tagging program during 2011/12 so he noted the tag numbers as well as the key information needed to pass back to VDGIF - length, nearest channel marker of the catch and date. After a few quick pictures to capture the moment Tyler, with Ethan’s encouragement, carefully worked to revive and release the fish back to the lake, creating the opportunity for another angler to perhaps experience their first “trophy” striper.
Reaching out to his fishing buddies via text-messaging, Tyler passed along the news of Ethan’s great catch as well as the tag numbers. Shortly later a response came back from Mike with a surprising response - Ethan’s catch had just connected 2011 and 2014 - this was the same fish caught a little over three years previous.
It is not uncommon for tagged fish to be caught again - in fact, there have been cases when a tagged fish was caught within a day of being tagged. However, what made this one special was the fact that Nathan, Tyler & Mike fish together on a regular basis and in fact they had fished together, along with their sons just the previous Sunday evening. So, the fact that Ethan landed his first ever citation by catching a fish Mike had caught and released three years previous made this a special fish.
For those anglers desiring the recognition that comes from the VARP - a “citation” can be earned not only from weight - which requires weighing on certified scales and almost certainly resulting in killing the fish - but also by length - either with a witness or by taking a picture of the fish on a measuring device. If a “wall-hanger” is the goal - current day replica mounts are in many ways superior to traditional skin-mount taxidermy - a few photos and length/girth measurements are all that are required and you then can have the added benefit of knowing the fish was returned to fight another day.
It is not uncommon for tagged fish to be caught again - in fact, there have been cases when a tagged fish was caught within a day of being tagged. However, what made this one special was the fact that Nathan, Tyler & Mike fish together on a regular basis and in fact they had fished together, along with their sons just the previous Sunday evening. So, the fact that Ethan landed his first ever citation by catching a fish Mike had caught and released three years previous made this a special fish.
For those anglers desiring the recognition that comes from the VARP - a “citation” can be earned not only from weight - which requires weighing on certified scales and almost certainly resulting in killing the fish - but also by length - either with a witness or by taking a picture of the fish on a measuring device. If a “wall-hanger” is the goal - current day replica mounts are in many ways superior to traditional skin-mount taxidermy - a few photos and length/girth measurements are all that are required and you then can have the added benefit of knowing the fish was returned to fight another day.
As anglers committed to preserving the striped bass fishery on Smith Mountain Lake, there is no story more suiting for why we release our striped bass - to give them the opportunity to continue to grow and be caught another day - to give another angler the change to experience the exhilaration that comes from hooking into and landing a quality fish, and the satisfaction that is provided from returning that fish to the lake for yet another angler to enjoy.
Let 'em Go & Let 'em Grow!
Let 'em Go & Let 'em Grow!
Tackle Tip for May - Fluorocarbon Leader
Throughout the year it is a good idea to use a section of fluorocarbon leader, regardless of using artificial lures or live bait. Fluorocarbon is more "invisible" in the water than mono-filament and thus can help prevent spooking the fish in clearer water situations such as we have on the lower end of the lake. Fluorocarbon does not have the "stretch" properties that mono does and is also cost more per foot, so it is a good idea to still use mono for your main line and then join the leader with a swivel or a back to back knot (see our June Tackle Tip).
Using a 3' - 4' section of fluorocarbon leader is usually sufficient to fool the fish. A number of good fluorocarbon lines exist though we have had good success with the YoZuri Disappearing Pink leader, Ande' as well as Seaguar Red Label. Some flurorocarbon material is purchased in small spools (typically 30 yards) specifically for leader purposes, where other, such as the Seaguar Red Label, is available in larger spools for rigging whole reels - but as a result it is more affordable for use in short leader sections.
Opinions differ on the strength test of leader material to use - some like to use a leader that is a little lighter than their main line, so that if they hang up the leader can break and they will recover the main line and swivel, weight, etc. Others would rather take their chances and have a stronger leader to protect against a fish rolling on the leader or rubbing it across some timber.
Using a 3' - 4' section of fluorocarbon leader is usually sufficient to fool the fish. A number of good fluorocarbon lines exist though we have had good success with the YoZuri Disappearing Pink leader, Ande' as well as Seaguar Red Label. Some flurorocarbon material is purchased in small spools (typically 30 yards) specifically for leader purposes, where other, such as the Seaguar Red Label, is available in larger spools for rigging whole reels - but as a result it is more affordable for use in short leader sections.
Opinions differ on the strength test of leader material to use - some like to use a leader that is a little lighter than their main line, so that if they hang up the leader can break and they will recover the main line and swivel, weight, etc. Others would rather take their chances and have a stronger leader to protect against a fish rolling on the leader or rubbing it across some timber.
Tackle Tip for June - Double Uni-knot
A good knot for joining two lines of the same or differing size is the double uni-knot. This knot, when tied properly and with care, works well when joining braid to mono, or mono to fluorocarbon. It essentially consist of tying two independent uni-knots, one at at time. Unlike when tying a uni-knot to a hook, you do not loop the line through an "eye", but rather wrap the line to be joined in the set of turns through the uni-knot's loop.
Tie the first knot and carefully snug it up (liberally lubricating the lines when tightening), and then tie the second. Pull the two lines taught so that the two knots snug up to one another, and then go fishing!
Tie the first knot and carefully snug it up (liberally lubricating the lines when tightening), and then tie the second. Pull the two lines taught so that the two knots snug up to one another, and then go fishing!
From the Water - 5/30/14 - Joel Janecek
I hit the water at the crack of dawn and started trolling around Hales Ford Bridge. I marked a few fish and saw a nice bunch right under the bridge next to Captains Quarters. Two passes got me nothing so I trolled up to Coast Guard point. I didn't mark hardly anything. So after just a couple passes I cruised down to Becky & Betty's. I quickly cruised through Becky more looking than fishing but as luck would have it I hooked a whopper way in the back. I stretched the fish as much as I could but it still measured 11". I didn't even know I had it hooked. A bunch of leaves fought harder.
I was marking these schools and bunches of small fish that could have been these small stripers or gizzards. I only saw a few scattered real fish that were mostly sitting on the bottom. I checked the creeks and outside the creeks and around the island and found nothing. I looked in Yacht Club creek and found a small school hugging the bottom. I cast and cast and cast around there but got no bites. Then I ran up and checked the points by Hales Ford Bridge and still found nothing. I ran up to R31 and cruised around and still found nothing. So then I drowned some meal worms around the laydowns testing them for use at the 4H kid's fishing days. They work. Also, I can tell its Spring and the fish all have allergies because they are sneezing a ton of brown boogers in the water. I troll for a few minutes and my lines are covered with gobs of this slimy brown booger stuff. What a mess. So that's it. I didn't want to travel far with the questionable weather but had a fun day anyway. Later Joel
I was marking these schools and bunches of small fish that could have been these small stripers or gizzards. I only saw a few scattered real fish that were mostly sitting on the bottom. I checked the creeks and outside the creeks and around the island and found nothing. I looked in Yacht Club creek and found a small school hugging the bottom. I cast and cast and cast around there but got no bites. Then I ran up and checked the points by Hales Ford Bridge and still found nothing. I ran up to R31 and cruised around and still found nothing. So then I drowned some meal worms around the laydowns testing them for use at the 4H kid's fishing days. They work. Also, I can tell its Spring and the fish all have allergies because they are sneezing a ton of brown boogers in the water. I troll for a few minutes and my lines are covered with gobs of this slimy brown booger stuff. What a mess. So that's it. I didn't want to travel far with the questionable weather but had a fun day anyway. Later Joel
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