November / December 2014 Newsletter
In This Edition
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Club Board Members
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Committee Chairs
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
November Club meeting - 11/7/14
Boat & Outboard Maintenance - Dale Ruynon from Bayside Marina will be on hand to discuss things which you should keep an eye on to ensure your boat continues to run in top condition. We will also be holding Club Board elections during this meeting.
Christmas Party - 12/5/14
More details later in this newsletter.
January Club meeting - 1/2/15
Kick off 2015 right by joining us for our January club meeting. Main speaker/topic TBD - watch the Club Website & Facebook for more info.
Boat & Outboard Maintenance - Dale Ruynon from Bayside Marina will be on hand to discuss things which you should keep an eye on to ensure your boat continues to run in top condition. We will also be holding Club Board elections during this meeting.
Christmas Party - 12/5/14
More details later in this newsletter.
January Club meeting - 1/2/15
Kick off 2015 right by joining us for our January club meeting. Main speaker/topic TBD - watch the Club Website & Facebook for more info.
From the Editor
"Rockober" is finally here - the season many of us wait for all Summer. It means the lake has returned to our hands from the wake-boarders and jet-skis, and that the fish are moving shallow and hopefully with a hungry appetite. It is a time that live-bait and artificial fishermen both await - bigger fish are looking for big bait to fill their stomachs and there are often surface breaks just waiting for a top-water plug to be tossed their way. Get out and enjoy it while you can.
This is the last newsletter of 2014 - hard to believe another year has almost come and gone. Hopefully you have received this and are reading it before our November Club meeting. Later in this newsletter you will find details on our annual Christmas Party - but the catch is the sign-up deadline is at our November meeting. This is always a fun even and a chance to socialize with other Club members and their spouses, to enjoy a good meal and have a chance at a nice door-prize. Where else can you get an dinner and evening of fun out for $10/person - don't miss out.
On a less positive note - you may have noticed a missing event in the Events listing above. The decision was made by the Tournament Committee and Board of Directors to cancel the November Member-Guest tournament. This decision was made due to declining participation in the past few events to the point that we were not likely to break-even with the event. For those in the tournament series, results will be calculated from the best 4 of 5 events. The Tournament Committee was very disappointed in having to come to this decision as they tried to put on a series of events that were based on inputs of what the general membership said they wanted for tournaments. However, based on the lack of on-going participation it appears it is time again to regroup and reset. Please pass along your thoughts and suggestions for a tournament model that you would be interested in participating in - these are put on for our Membership and we want you to participate.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
This is the last newsletter of 2014 - hard to believe another year has almost come and gone. Hopefully you have received this and are reading it before our November Club meeting. Later in this newsletter you will find details on our annual Christmas Party - but the catch is the sign-up deadline is at our November meeting. This is always a fun even and a chance to socialize with other Club members and their spouses, to enjoy a good meal and have a chance at a nice door-prize. Where else can you get an dinner and evening of fun out for $10/person - don't miss out.
On a less positive note - you may have noticed a missing event in the Events listing above. The decision was made by the Tournament Committee and Board of Directors to cancel the November Member-Guest tournament. This decision was made due to declining participation in the past few events to the point that we were not likely to break-even with the event. For those in the tournament series, results will be calculated from the best 4 of 5 events. The Tournament Committee was very disappointed in having to come to this decision as they tried to put on a series of events that were based on inputs of what the general membership said they wanted for tournaments. However, based on the lack of on-going participation it appears it is time again to regroup and reset. Please pass along your thoughts and suggestions for a tournament model that you would be interested in participating in - these are put on for our Membership and we want you to participate.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
Water Temperature- 9/17/14
Our Man on the Water has not been out on the water very much lately, so the normal water temperature readings we've grown used to are a bit "stale" - the most recent is listed here from mid September.
However, as of October 18, the surface temperature was running around 66-67 degrees across much of the lake - with the water being a few degrees cooler in shallow areas such as back of creeks. |
September / October Meeting Overviews
Mark shows off his kayak rigging
In September, Mark Melius provided insight on what it is like to chase fish much closer to the fish's level. Mark provided a talk on fishing from a kayak for stripers and other species - in fresh & saltwater. He brought in his kayak to show how he rigged it for a variety of fishing techniques. - including the safety devices he uses to ensure others on the water can see him when fishing on the "down low". Mark also shared a couple of great videos he made while kayak fishing.
During our October meeting our members socialized over a hot-dog supper and Jim Nold, president of the Lake Gaston Striper Club shared information about striper fishing on Lake Gaston as well as details on their club. Jim's presentation can be found in the Meeting Videos & Notes section on the Club Website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting-videos--notes.html.
As a reminder, we are working to video-record our Club meetings or those members that can't make it to a specific meeting. You can access the links to the videos, along with copies of any presentations or notes from the meetings, on the Club Website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting-videos--notes.html
During our October meeting our members socialized over a hot-dog supper and Jim Nold, president of the Lake Gaston Striper Club shared information about striper fishing on Lake Gaston as well as details on their club. Jim's presentation can be found in the Meeting Videos & Notes section on the Club Website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting-videos--notes.html.
As a reminder, we are working to video-record our Club meetings or those members that can't make it to a specific meeting. You can access the links to the videos, along with copies of any presentations or notes from the meetings, on the Club Website - http://www.smithmountainstriperclub.com/meeting-videos--notes.html
Annual SMSC Christmas Party - December 5th
That Fall brisk is in the air and that means the Holidays are not far away.
We will be hosting our annual Smith Mountain Striper Club Christmas Party on Friday, December 5th at Casa D' Amici located in Downtown Moneta just off Whitehouse Road.
We will start the evening with a social hour with appetizers from 6-7. Dinner will follow at 7 with a selection of three entree's - beef, chicken, seafood; a salad and sides of mashed potatoes and green beans.
The cost to attend this year will be $10.00 per person - a great value for dinner and an evening out. The deadline for registration is Friday, November 7 and the fees are due at the time of registration.
We hope you are able to come help us ring in the Holiday Season - and if you've been a good boy or girl, perhaps Santa will have a little something in his sack for you!
We will be hosting our annual Smith Mountain Striper Club Christmas Party on Friday, December 5th at Casa D' Amici located in Downtown Moneta just off Whitehouse Road.
We will start the evening with a social hour with appetizers from 6-7. Dinner will follow at 7 with a selection of three entree's - beef, chicken, seafood; a salad and sides of mashed potatoes and green beans.
The cost to attend this year will be $10.00 per person - a great value for dinner and an evening out. The deadline for registration is Friday, November 7 and the fees are due at the time of registration.
We hope you are able to come help us ring in the Holiday Season - and if you've been a good boy or girl, perhaps Santa will have a little something in his sack for you!
President's Corner
The final President's Corner of 2014 - hard to believe that this year is almost over. It has been a busy year but there are still a number of important activities to come.
In November, as we always do this time of year, we will be holding Board member elections. Currently our by-laws call for twelve board members, though we have been in a position to operate with several less for some time. The Board is considering a proposal to amend our By-Laws to reduce the number or Board Members to a lesser number - reflecting the smaller membership as well as the challenge we have in filling those Board seats. You will likely see, or may have already seen by the time you receive this newsletter, a draft of a proposal that the Board will review and potentially act upon during the November Board meeting. If you have thoughts/concerns/feedback on this, please make them known to one of your board members or myself.
Perhaps more importantly - we'd rather be talking about new folks joining the board rather than reducing the board size - if you've given any thought to serving the Club in this capacity - or perhaps you have done so at some point in the past and would be wiling to do so again - we would like to talk with you about putting your name forward. It is not a large time commitment, but yet it is an important role to help ensure the on-going operations of the Club
As we move past November and into December we will be kicking off the Holiday Season with our annual Christmas Party - this is a great way to wrap up the year for the Club and we hope to see you and your significant other there!
Finally - as this is the last newsletter of 2014, that means it is time to be thinking about 2015. We welcome your input on what you'd like to see from the Club in 2015 - and we certainly hope that you will remain a part of the Club in the new year. Look for your membership renewal forms to be on the way and please return it in a timely manner.
See you out on the water!
Joel
In November, as we always do this time of year, we will be holding Board member elections. Currently our by-laws call for twelve board members, though we have been in a position to operate with several less for some time. The Board is considering a proposal to amend our By-Laws to reduce the number or Board Members to a lesser number - reflecting the smaller membership as well as the challenge we have in filling those Board seats. You will likely see, or may have already seen by the time you receive this newsletter, a draft of a proposal that the Board will review and potentially act upon during the November Board meeting. If you have thoughts/concerns/feedback on this, please make them known to one of your board members or myself.
Perhaps more importantly - we'd rather be talking about new folks joining the board rather than reducing the board size - if you've given any thought to serving the Club in this capacity - or perhaps you have done so at some point in the past and would be wiling to do so again - we would like to talk with you about putting your name forward. It is not a large time commitment, but yet it is an important role to help ensure the on-going operations of the Club
As we move past November and into December we will be kicking off the Holiday Season with our annual Christmas Party - this is a great way to wrap up the year for the Club and we hope to see you and your significant other there!
Finally - as this is the last newsletter of 2014, that means it is time to be thinking about 2015. We welcome your input on what you'd like to see from the Club in 2015 - and we certainly hope that you will remain a part of the Club in the new year. Look for your membership renewal forms to be on the way and please return it in a timely manner.
See you out on the water!
Joel
Slot Size Regulation Change Effective January 1, 2015
This past summer DGIF passed new regulations which change the slot length regulations starting on January 1, 2015. As the ball drops over the Big Apple at the stroke of Midnight on New Years Eve, our slot length regulation will change from the current 26"-36" size to a slot of 30"-40". The dates of the slot will remain the same - starting on November 1 and ending May 30 and the 2-fish limit will also remain the same - the only change is the "sliding" up of the slot. Note this does not start until January 1, 2015, so from Nov 1 - Dec 31, 2014, the existing slot is in effect.
This change is being taken as a result of concerns regarding fish growth rates and the potential that we have too many fish in the system that were around the lower end of the slot - those in the 24"-28" size. The change to the slot length will allow some fish from this size to be removed from the system while also providing additional protection on our precious few larger fish. DGIF solicited input from a variety of angler groups, including the Club's Preservation Committee, on the issue and discussed several proposals for regulation changes to attempt to manage the growth concerns. The slot length change was deemed the best option and the Club supported this change.
As a Club with a stated focus on the preservation of the fishery, we will continue to work closely with DGIF and monitor things on-going. Gill-netting was re-instated this fall in order to gain population data and we continue to encourage all our members and others to complete and turn in their angler diaries so as to help DGIF with the best possible view on the state of the fishery.
Slot length change effective Jan 1, 2015 - No fish 30" - 40" may be kept from November 1 to May 30.
This change is being taken as a result of concerns regarding fish growth rates and the potential that we have too many fish in the system that were around the lower end of the slot - those in the 24"-28" size. The change to the slot length will allow some fish from this size to be removed from the system while also providing additional protection on our precious few larger fish. DGIF solicited input from a variety of angler groups, including the Club's Preservation Committee, on the issue and discussed several proposals for regulation changes to attempt to manage the growth concerns. The slot length change was deemed the best option and the Club supported this change.
As a Club with a stated focus on the preservation of the fishery, we will continue to work closely with DGIF and monitor things on-going. Gill-netting was re-instated this fall in order to gain population data and we continue to encourage all our members and others to complete and turn in their angler diaries so as to help DGIF with the best possible view on the state of the fishery.
Slot length change effective Jan 1, 2015 - No fish 30" - 40" may be kept from November 1 to May 30.
Member Catches
We all enjoy seeing the catches from other members & their family/friends...... Please submit yours - you can post them to the Club Facebook page, or send them to [email protected].
New Public Access Ramp
Shortly there will be a new Public Access ramp open on the Franklin County side off of Oak Grove Dr. The Oak Grove Boating Access Facility has been built on AEP land off of VA-666 and by water located opposite the USCG-AUX station.
The new facility will feature a double boat ramp, a fishing pier, bathroom facilities and parking for 60 vehicles in two parking lots.
To access the facility from VA-122, take VA-666/Merriman Road to Oldfield Road and following it to the end of Oak Grove Dr.
The facility is expected to be open by mid-November.
An oveview of the project can be found at:
http://www.smithmtn.com/Resources/docs/OakGroveInformation.pdf
The new facility will feature a double boat ramp, a fishing pier, bathroom facilities and parking for 60 vehicles in two parking lots.
To access the facility from VA-122, take VA-666/Merriman Road to Oldfield Road and following it to the end of Oak Grove Dr.
The facility is expected to be open by mid-November.
An oveview of the project can be found at:
http://www.smithmtn.com/Resources/docs/OakGroveInformation.pdf
Fishing Outlook for November & December
During November the striper will begin to move out of the main channel and into the creeks chasing bait in shallower water. This can be a great time to find them breaking in shallower water, but also a good time to pull bait on boards in the mouths or secondary points in mid to upper lake creeks. A variety of artificial baits from swim-baits, shallow-diving plugs to "Alabama Rigs" are go go-to baits. For live-bait fishing, alewives will still produce, but there is nothing like some bait bait pulled on free-lines across secondary creek points to lure out those bigger fish.
When December arrives and the water continues to cool, it is time to begin looking for the seagulls to make their appearance. Even the live-bait guys will often put away their cast-nets and break out the light tackle casting gear with jig-heads tipped with flukes or spoons. Look for the sea gulls to give away schools of striper as they dive on the bait pushed up by those schools of fish. Jump and Run is the name of the game when chasing the birds.
The Holidays are always a great time to get out on the water with family - sharing the passion that we enjoy with others!
When December arrives and the water continues to cool, it is time to begin looking for the seagulls to make their appearance. Even the live-bait guys will often put away their cast-nets and break out the light tackle casting gear with jig-heads tipped with flukes or spoons. Look for the sea gulls to give away schools of striper as they dive on the bait pushed up by those schools of fish. Jump and Run is the name of the game when chasing the birds.
The Holidays are always a great time to get out on the water with family - sharing the passion that we enjoy with others!
Tackle Tip for November - Swimbait Time
Mid-October through November often brings surface breaking activity when the striper are chasing juvenile shad schooling on the surface. This is a great time to throw swimbaits to casting fish - or casting to points when the fish are not up and breaking.
Smaller swim baits in the 2.5" - 3" in pearl or chartreuse (in stained water) often do a good job mimicking the juvenile shad but do not hesitate to mix it up with some larger sizes.
Smaller swim baits in the 2.5" - 3" in pearl or chartreuse (in stained water) often do a good job mimicking the juvenile shad but do not hesitate to mix it up with some larger sizes.
From the Water - 9/10/14 & 9/17/14 - Joel Janecek
Both days were virtually identical. I started out checking outside Becky and Betty's and ran into Becky's looking around. Nothing inside so I looked again outside around the island, the humps, the point and the condos. Nada.
So I ran down to Walton's and found a bunch of fish on the 10th. I got two at once at 7:30am so I stopped and cast around and jigged for a while and got nothing. These fish were moving. I started trolling again and got another one almost right away. Then they disappeared so I kept hunting around and found them following the channel out to the river but then couldn't get anything to bite. I switched over the the rigs but still didn't get anything to bite. I would see the bunched of fish but they weren't taking.
I found them again on the 17th but didn't get any bites. Both times I then left Walton's and looked around the S-curves but found nothing. So I headed back up lake and stopped around R25 and found a few fish but no biters. So I would work that area from R25 back to the condos and across to the river channel but didn't find any more. Both were kinda short fishing days so I wrapped up a little early.
Things can only get better.
Later Joel
So I ran down to Walton's and found a bunch of fish on the 10th. I got two at once at 7:30am so I stopped and cast around and jigged for a while and got nothing. These fish were moving. I started trolling again and got another one almost right away. Then they disappeared so I kept hunting around and found them following the channel out to the river but then couldn't get anything to bite. I switched over the the rigs but still didn't get anything to bite. I would see the bunched of fish but they weren't taking.
I found them again on the 17th but didn't get any bites. Both times I then left Walton's and looked around the S-curves but found nothing. So I headed back up lake and stopped around R25 and found a few fish but no biters. So I would work that area from R25 back to the condos and across to the river channel but didn't find any more. Both were kinda short fishing days so I wrapped up a little early.
Things can only get better.
Later Joel
Tackle Tip for December - Wet Towel
Wait - what? A Wet Towel? Other than wiping your hands, what does that have to do with fishing, and how is it a Tackle Tip of the Month? Well, just because it is cold, it does not mean that live bait stops producing fish. Assuming you are man (or woman) enough to brave the cold temperatures, live bait can be very productive in catching striper in December or later winter months.
However, throwing a cast net when temperatures are at, or near freezing can make for some slick and dangerous conditions - especially when doing it from the deck of a fiberglass boat. A little water that has drained off the net, a little shad slime and freezing temperatures can quickly turn the boat deck into a small sized skating rink.
This is where the wet towel comes into play. Take the towel, dip it into the lake to wet, and then lay it across the deck of your boat and stand on the towel. You how have a surface which provides traction and prevents you slipping and sliding around on the deck (or worse - off the deck). It also has the side benefit of helping to keep the deck of your boat a little bit cleaner from all those shad scales or lake muck.
However, throwing a cast net when temperatures are at, or near freezing can make for some slick and dangerous conditions - especially when doing it from the deck of a fiberglass boat. A little water that has drained off the net, a little shad slime and freezing temperatures can quickly turn the boat deck into a small sized skating rink.
This is where the wet towel comes into play. Take the towel, dip it into the lake to wet, and then lay it across the deck of your boat and stand on the towel. You how have a surface which provides traction and prevents you slipping and sliding around on the deck (or worse - off the deck). It also has the side benefit of helping to keep the deck of your boat a little bit cleaner from all those shad scales or lake muck.
September Member-Guest Tournament Results
The morning started off to a very wet start, but things let up with mist and then a light rain till late morning - unfortunately it seemed to scare aware a number of the registered participants. Bad call on their part as the fish were biting.... Unfortunately we only had three members bring fish to the check-in - so winning places went un-claimed this time around.
Due to the lack of participation in the last few tournaments, and the outlook for participation in the final event of the year, the Tournament Committee has made the decision to cancel the November tournament. Results for the 2014 Tournament Series will be calculated based upon the best 4 of 5 events, and the winners announced at the Christmas Party / Banquet in December.
Due to the lack of participation in the last few tournaments, and the outlook for participation in the final event of the year, the Tournament Committee has made the decision to cancel the November tournament. Results for the 2014 Tournament Series will be calculated based upon the best 4 of 5 events, and the winners announced at the Christmas Party / Banquet in December.
Open Class:
1st - Mike Ward - 59.25" total length 2nd - Bob Rowe - 45.25" total length |
Artificial-only Class:
1st - Steve Nagel - 45.25" total length |
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