September / October 2014 Newsletter
In This Edition
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Upcoming Meetings & Events
September Club meeting - 9/5/14
Kayak Fishing - Mark Melius will share with us his experiences of chasing stripers and other species from a "low to the water" perspective. He will bring a couple of kayaks and discuss the various features and technology advances which have made kayak fishing even more attractive.
September Member/Guest Tournament - 9/12/14 - 9/13/14
Registration dead-line is Friday, September 5th. This is our second of 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 at our October meeting.
October Club meeting - 10/3/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - We will have our second fish fry of the season following our September designated harvest tournament, and we will also have Jim Nold, President of the Lake Gaston Striper Club come and join us to share a bit about their club and striper fishing on Lake Gaston.
November Member/Guest Tournament - 10/31/14 & 11/1/14
Our final tournament of the 2014 series will be held on Friday afternoon, 10/31 through 4 pm on 11/1. The registration deadline will be Friday, Oct 24th - make sure you keep a reminder of this deadline since the tourney will precede the November meeting this month.
November Club meeting - 11/7/14
Boat 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
Hold the Date - Details are still being finalized for our annual Christmas Party but watch this space for more info to come.... We can also use a few volunteers to serve on the Christmas Party committee - contact Rick Boettcher for details.
Kayak Fishing - Mark Melius will share with us his experiences of chasing stripers and other species from a "low to the water" perspective. He will bring a couple of kayaks and discuss the various features and technology advances which have made kayak fishing even more attractive.
September Member/Guest Tournament - 9/12/14 - 9/13/14
Registration dead-line is Friday, September 5th. This is our second of 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 at our October meeting.
October Club meeting - 10/3/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - We will have our second fish fry of the season following our September designated harvest tournament, and we will also have Jim Nold, President of the Lake Gaston Striper Club come and join us to share a bit about their club and striper fishing on Lake Gaston.
November Member/Guest Tournament - 10/31/14 & 11/1/14
Our final tournament of the 2014 series will be held on Friday afternoon, 10/31 through 4 pm on 11/1. The registration deadline will be Friday, Oct 24th - make sure you keep a reminder of this deadline since the tourney will precede the November meeting this month.
November Club meeting - 11/7/14
Boat 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
Hold the Date - Details are still being finalized for our annual Christmas Party but watch this space for more info to come.... We can also use a few volunteers to serve on the Christmas Party committee - contact Rick Boettcher for details.
Club Board Members
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Committee Chairs
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From the Editor
By the time you read this we will be right on top of, or past the "unofficial" end of Summer. The good news for us fisher-folks it is means a substantial reduction in the number of jet-skis, wake-boarders and such on the water. It also means that the days are getting shorter and the water temperatures will start to drop - well, then again they never really got all that high this year to start with - I believe the highest I ever saw was around 83, and most of the summer we've been running 79-81.
It feels like the temperatures have been cooler than normal, but I looked back in my logs and we had a similar cool stretch late August last year as well - but then a spike of warmer days before the water finally settled into the 70's or lower for the month. So what do the fish think? It does seem they are generally in their normal August patterns, schooling up well near the major creeks of the mid-lake river arms.
This is a good time of year to get out and get on some fish - the fish are schooled up so once they are located (which often can be done by looking for "the fleet" - the mass of other boats in close proximity), you generally have a good chance of landing a few either jigging or with live-bait on downlines. This month we've added a new column to the newsletter to cover the outlook for patterns which are likely to produce, and general areas, over the next few months. We hope this addition will be useful to those newer to striper fishing as they learn the patterns which generally hold fairly consistent season to season. We also welcome you to comment and contribute to this section going forward.
Our members are seeming to have good results getting out and catching fish, and it is always fun to run across them out on the water. A number of good fishing reports have been posted by several members in the Club's on-line discussion forum. If you are not registered and participating in that forum then you are missing out on an important resource the Club provides to it's members. You can access the discussion forum via the Member's only section of the Club web-site and then register. Also, check out the Member's Catch photo section below for some pics of fellow members and their family enjoying some summer-time fishing. We all enjoy looking at the pics from others, so please help us out and send in your own pics - either to the Club e-mail ([email protected]) or you can post them to the Club's Facebook page.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
It feels like the temperatures have been cooler than normal, but I looked back in my logs and we had a similar cool stretch late August last year as well - but then a spike of warmer days before the water finally settled into the 70's or lower for the month. So what do the fish think? It does seem they are generally in their normal August patterns, schooling up well near the major creeks of the mid-lake river arms.
This is a good time of year to get out and get on some fish - the fish are schooled up so once they are located (which often can be done by looking for "the fleet" - the mass of other boats in close proximity), you generally have a good chance of landing a few either jigging or with live-bait on downlines. This month we've added a new column to the newsletter to cover the outlook for patterns which are likely to produce, and general areas, over the next few months. We hope this addition will be useful to those newer to striper fishing as they learn the patterns which generally hold fairly consistent season to season. We also welcome you to comment and contribute to this section going forward.
Our members are seeming to have good results getting out and catching fish, and it is always fun to run across them out on the water. A number of good fishing reports have been posted by several members in the Club's on-line discussion forum. If you are not registered and participating in that forum then you are missing out on an important resource the Club provides to it's members. You can access the discussion forum via the Member's only section of the Club web-site and then register. Also, check out the Member's Catch photo section below for some pics of fellow members and their family enjoying some summer-time fishing. We all enjoy looking at the pics from others, so please help us out and send in your own pics - either to the Club e-mail ([email protected]) or you can post them to the Club's Facebook page.
Fish On! - Mike Ward
July / August Meeting Overviews
Members enjoy a fried striper dinner
During our July meeting, after exchanging fishing reports and updating the "catch map", Joel Janecek provided a discussion on reels, covering a variety of topics about reels including various styles, how to adjust your reel for best performance, and tips on reel maintenance to ensure you get years of good operation.
Some notes from Joel's talk:
In August we kicked off our meeting with our first fish-fry of the year, sharing fishing reports and presentation of awards from our July tournament. Capt. Dale Wilson then provided a talk on summer-time jigging. Dale shared his go-to setup - a 7' rod with lots of backbone, 15 lb pLine fluorocarbon and a 3/4 oz jig-head with a short-shank 4/0 hook, tipped with a pearl colored fluke. He likes the regular forked-tail fluke in warmer water and the paddle tail version in cold water. Fluorocarbon line is a must when vertical jigging and Dale uses straight fluorocarbon on his reel and tied directly to his jig.
August & September are the best months for vertical jigging in Dale's opinion. He relies heavily on his electronics to find and then stay on the fish - but he will start by looking in the larger creeks in the morning - focusing on bends in the creek channels that are near large pods of bait. Once he locates fish he will position the boat over them with no movement so that the jig can go straight down. He will pull off line to the target depth to just above where he is marking fish on the fish-finder and use a subtle raise/drop motion - focusing on the drop as this is when the majority of the strikes will occur.
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
Some notes from Joel's talk:
- "Balanced" combo means more than physical balance. The ratings of rod, reel, line, and lure should all match or be close.
- Ball bearings: don't be fooled by number. Bearings are graded by the ABEC from ordinary to high quality, with a large cost spread, like $2 to $25 each.
- Performance: Nothing moves while casting a spinning reel, more than 4 bearings are there only for your comfort. Casting reels needs good bearings at the spool, any more are for your comfort.
- Casting reel controls: The controls can be set in a wide range from "tight" to "loose" to prevent backlash, and should be adjusted with changes in lure weight.
- Quality counts: A fair casting reel starts at $100, and it is much better to start at the $200 price level.
In August we kicked off our meeting with our first fish-fry of the year, sharing fishing reports and presentation of awards from our July tournament. Capt. Dale Wilson then provided a talk on summer-time jigging. Dale shared his go-to setup - a 7' rod with lots of backbone, 15 lb pLine fluorocarbon and a 3/4 oz jig-head with a short-shank 4/0 hook, tipped with a pearl colored fluke. He likes the regular forked-tail fluke in warmer water and the paddle tail version in cold water. Fluorocarbon line is a must when vertical jigging and Dale uses straight fluorocarbon on his reel and tied directly to his jig.
August & September are the best months for vertical jigging in Dale's opinion. He relies heavily on his electronics to find and then stay on the fish - but he will start by looking in the larger creeks in the morning - focusing on bends in the creek channels that are near large pods of bait. Once he locates fish he will position the boat over them with no movement so that the jig can go straight down. He will pull off line to the target depth to just above where he is marking fish on the fish-finder and use a subtle raise/drop motion - focusing on the drop as this is when the majority of the strikes will occur.
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
President's Corner
This
is a sad time that calls to mind the recent tragedy on Smith Mountain Lake.
Ronald Lemons and James McCulloch, bass fishermen known to some of you, both passed away as a result of a night time boating
accident. Our thoughts and prayers go to their families.
The companion tragedy is that this type of accident is avoidable. Safety, Safety, Safety. Many of us chase stripers at night which is the most dangerous time to be out on the water. Reduced speed, proper lighting, constant vigilance, and wearing life jackets will all go a long way to accident prevention. I implore all of you to think and act SAFETY when fishing and boating at night, or during any times of reduced visibility.
Well, the summer is winding down for the stripers. This has been an unusual year so far. Despite being summer I’ve had some good days on the water. The trick, of course, was to find the schools. I found them near the mouths of Betty’s and Becky’s creeks, which is more like May/June than July/August. But they were there. The fish will soon be in transition to fall patterns, and the unusual spring/summer patterns may mean some difference in the fall patterns. I can only suggest that in the hunt you keep flexible and explore different techniques and locations.
And November elections are fast approaching. So far, no one has stepped forward to join the elections committee and no one has stepped forward to volunteer running for election. This is truly a sad state of affairs. YOUR club is “run” by volunteers who donate very little time to keep the club moving. Many of you have already served on the board and feel that you have done your part. So what. Perhaps its time for a second round of participation. If you have done it before, then its that much easier to do it again.
See you out on the water!
Joel
The companion tragedy is that this type of accident is avoidable. Safety, Safety, Safety. Many of us chase stripers at night which is the most dangerous time to be out on the water. Reduced speed, proper lighting, constant vigilance, and wearing life jackets will all go a long way to accident prevention. I implore all of you to think and act SAFETY when fishing and boating at night, or during any times of reduced visibility.
Well, the summer is winding down for the stripers. This has been an unusual year so far. Despite being summer I’ve had some good days on the water. The trick, of course, was to find the schools. I found them near the mouths of Betty’s and Becky’s creeks, which is more like May/June than July/August. But they were there. The fish will soon be in transition to fall patterns, and the unusual spring/summer patterns may mean some difference in the fall patterns. I can only suggest that in the hunt you keep flexible and explore different techniques and locations.
And November elections are fast approaching. So far, no one has stepped forward to join the elections committee and no one has stepped forward to volunteer running for election. This is truly a sad state of affairs. YOUR club is “run” by volunteers who donate very little time to keep the club moving. Many of you have already served on the board and feel that you have done your part. So what. Perhaps its time for a second round of participation. If you have done it before, then its that much easier to do it again.
See you out on the water!
Joel
Water Temperature- 8/27/14
It's been a while since we've posted up any water temps, but the summer has been pretty mild in terms of temperatures - with temps surface temps hovering in the upper 80's to low 80s pretty much all of July and August - with a few days around the mid 80s. With the days getting shorter, temperatures will begin to fall..... cooler days are not far away.....
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Member Catches
Summer-time is a time for catching with friends & family, and our Club Members have been out there showing how its done...... Please submit yours - you can post them to the Club Facebook page, or send them to [email protected].
More Member Catches...
Macky May puts his family on some nice fish during their visit in August.
What's the Mystery Behind Those "Place Names" on Smith Mountain Lake
By Bruce Brendholdt
Today I’m glad that I joined the Smith Mountain Striper Club, but I must admit the first several meetings I attended were really frustrating for me. As a relative newcomer to SML, local geography was not my strength. I would listen intently to the speakers at Striper Club meetings, and I would eavesdrop on the conversations of those around me, picking up the names of various landmarks around the lake (for example, “The stripers were really biting yesterday at Bluebird”). Many of the “place names” that were mentioned I had never heard before, although everyone else in the room seemed to know exactly what the speaker meant.
The first few months I attended Striper Club meetings, I thought I was the only one who was lost and therefore, unable to benefit from some hot tip because I wasn’t familiar with SML geography. Then I talked with another new member who I regularly fish with, Ron Aimonetti, and he was having a similar language challenge. The solution, we both naively thought, was to write down all the place names mentioned during the club meetings that we didn’t recognize, and then scrutinize the SML map the next day while we were waiting for the stripers to hit our lines. We found that approach generally didn’t work for one simple reason - - - many of the names used by our Striper Club colleagues were not on the map.
Today I’m glad that I joined the Smith Mountain Striper Club, but I must admit the first several meetings I attended were really frustrating for me. As a relative newcomer to SML, local geography was not my strength. I would listen intently to the speakers at Striper Club meetings, and I would eavesdrop on the conversations of those around me, picking up the names of various landmarks around the lake (for example, “The stripers were really biting yesterday at Bluebird”). Many of the “place names” that were mentioned I had never heard before, although everyone else in the room seemed to know exactly what the speaker meant.
The first few months I attended Striper Club meetings, I thought I was the only one who was lost and therefore, unable to benefit from some hot tip because I wasn’t familiar with SML geography. Then I talked with another new member who I regularly fish with, Ron Aimonetti, and he was having a similar language challenge. The solution, we both naively thought, was to write down all the place names mentioned during the club meetings that we didn’t recognize, and then scrutinize the SML map the next day while we were waiting for the stripers to hit our lines. We found that approach generally didn’t work for one simple reason - - - many of the names used by our Striper Club colleagues were not on the map.
Those frustrations spawned the idea of a project to record these nonsensical names onto a spreadsheet, with the closest buoy marker listed next to the place name (buoy markers were the only navigational aid I had thus far mastered). During the research phase of the project, a Striper Club veteran I consulted, Mike Snead, and another confidential informant, were very patient with all my questions, including my best journalist interrogatory - - - “Why the heck don’t most of these place names make any sense?”. My other source and Mike explained that the historical origin of most of the names dated back to prohibition days and then subsequently, to CB radio days. The moonshiners had back woods smarts and were understandably secretive. When they talked on the local “party line” (if they had a telephone), or in a conversation that might be overheard, they did not use geographic references that the “revenuers” could find on a map. The moonshiners invented place names which were superbly nonsensical for key locations along the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers (on which they often transported their “shine” by flat bottom boat).
When the two rivers were dammed in the 1960s to create Smith Mountain Lake, CB radios were the rage among truck drivers, striper fishermen and many others. The downside of CB radio communications for secretive people, however, was that everyone with a CB radio would listen in to the conversations. Therefore, when the striper fishermen of that era were communicating with one another about where the current hot spot was located, they used the place names created by the moonshiners, and added several more equally nonsensical names of their own. This enabled them to speak freely with one another on the CB in almost plain English, a language that nosey listeners would understand, except for the most important piece of the conversation - - - the place where the big stripers were biting !
As the popularity of CB radios faded and cellular phones came into vogue, cell technology made the phone conversations of that time secure and private. Therefore, striper fishermen began to modify old place names or make up new names that were much more logical sounding (e.g., the S-Curves, the Tennis Courts, and my favorites on the Blackwater River, the Jimmie Brown Pool House and the Movie House). So today we have an amalgamation of names around the lake that are frequently not on any published map (except for the restricted Striper Club map on Google Maps & the “secret spreadsheet” - - see below). Many of these place names were a mystery for SML newcomers like me, but as I learned at Striper Club meetings, these places are still important landmarks for veteran and newbie striper fishermen communicating with one another.
The Striper Club now has its own “Rosetta Stone” for cross-referencing place names and buoy markers - - an electronic map available only to members of the Smith Mountain Striper Club who have a computer, Internet access, a Google account and the secret code ! Go to Google Maps and do a search for “Striper Club Map with Buoys & Place Names updated 7-13-14”. The instructions for accessing the map were printed in the last club newsletter and are also posted on the club’s website discussion forum. Or, if you want a copy of the place names spreadsheet, send me an email (to [email protected]) & I will be glad to send it to you. If you don’t have email, call me to request a copy (cell # is 336-340-6181). Non-members who want access to this information and even more secret striper maps, are welcome to join the Striper Club.
P.S. – When you review the place name map or spreadsheets, if you can think of any important landmarks on the lake that are pertinent to contemporary striper fishermen that are missing, please email me your suggestions.
When the two rivers were dammed in the 1960s to create Smith Mountain Lake, CB radios were the rage among truck drivers, striper fishermen and many others. The downside of CB radio communications for secretive people, however, was that everyone with a CB radio would listen in to the conversations. Therefore, when the striper fishermen of that era were communicating with one another about where the current hot spot was located, they used the place names created by the moonshiners, and added several more equally nonsensical names of their own. This enabled them to speak freely with one another on the CB in almost plain English, a language that nosey listeners would understand, except for the most important piece of the conversation - - - the place where the big stripers were biting !
As the popularity of CB radios faded and cellular phones came into vogue, cell technology made the phone conversations of that time secure and private. Therefore, striper fishermen began to modify old place names or make up new names that were much more logical sounding (e.g., the S-Curves, the Tennis Courts, and my favorites on the Blackwater River, the Jimmie Brown Pool House and the Movie House). So today we have an amalgamation of names around the lake that are frequently not on any published map (except for the restricted Striper Club map on Google Maps & the “secret spreadsheet” - - see below). Many of these place names were a mystery for SML newcomers like me, but as I learned at Striper Club meetings, these places are still important landmarks for veteran and newbie striper fishermen communicating with one another.
The Striper Club now has its own “Rosetta Stone” for cross-referencing place names and buoy markers - - an electronic map available only to members of the Smith Mountain Striper Club who have a computer, Internet access, a Google account and the secret code ! Go to Google Maps and do a search for “Striper Club Map with Buoys & Place Names updated 7-13-14”. The instructions for accessing the map were printed in the last club newsletter and are also posted on the club’s website discussion forum. Or, if you want a copy of the place names spreadsheet, send me an email (to [email protected]) & I will be glad to send it to you. If you don’t have email, call me to request a copy (cell # is 336-340-6181). Non-members who want access to this information and even more secret striper maps, are welcome to join the Striper Club.
P.S. – When you review the place name map or spreadsheets, if you can think of any important landmarks on the lake that are pertinent to contemporary striper fishermen that are missing, please email me your suggestions.
SMSC Members on "Field Day"
During the last few months of 2013, raffle tickets were sold for a chartered trip with Capt. Kathy Franceschini of Spike's Prime Time Fishin' and Andre' Peery was holding the lucky ticket during the draw the the Christmas Party. Well, fast-forward to August 6, 2014 and we will find Andre', his cousin Roy Muse, and then a few lucky members that Andre' graciously allowed to tag along - Joe Wolf, Rick Boettcher, Ed Hughes, and Ed's friend Fred.
They started the morning around 7 am fishing in the Betty's Creek area, marking fish near-by and putting out alewifes on downlines - catching two or three fish in the 21-25" range. They moved on to Walton-creek about an hour and a half later and marked a few, again catching a few with one that went around 29". Back to Betty's and then to the Gangplank area catching a few - with one 29.5" caught at 70' deep. One fish shy of a limit for the group of 6 was caught on the day - bringing the total to 11, and somehow Rick was always close to the "lucky pole" that yielded the larger fish. |
Capt. Kathy was a gracious guide, sharing lots of useful information about the lake and striper fishing tips & techniques. The Striper Club thanks Kathy for her support of this fund-raising event, as well as teaching a few old dogs some new tricks.....
Member Profile - Mike Ward
(Editors Note: OK - I can't keep asking others to do a member profile but I've not done one myself. We've not published one in a while, so it's time to do so and I'll get the ball rolling again. However, when I come asking you to participate, please say YES - it's a great way for existing members to get to know you better, but also for future potential members to better associate with others in the Club and feel more comfortable with joining the Club.)
I made my first visit to Smith Mountain Lake in the Summer of 1999 upon the recommendation of a work college who has a sister which lives at the lake. We rented a house in the Witcher Creek area in early July for a week of relaxation and enjoying some of the "Lake Life". After reading about the good striper fishery at SML, I made a number of last-minute calls once at the lake to book a charter for my son and I. We ended up booking with Capt. Dale Wilson and after an unseasonably cool July morning charter we had both caught our first Smith Mountain stripers using the vertical jigging techniques Dale discussed at our July meeting. With the "hook" set from that morning, I ventured out on the following mornings aboard our rental pontoon, "flying blind" with no electronics, fishing around the State Park area. Somehow we managed to connect with a few fish on that first solo trip, and then on the next morning in which I ventured out solo, I was experiencing the frustrating side of striper fishing until I tried one last spot on my way home - near the Franklin County State Park I hooked into a fish which gave my 5.5' bass rod almost more than it could handle, and after a 5 minute or more fight I landed a 13 lb striper - my biggest fish ever - and so was the birth of what has become a renewed passion for fishing - and what will probably go down as one of the most expensive vacations in history once the boat and lake-condo purchases are tallied.
As a young child I grew up fishing in the Albemarle Sound & Perquimans River in Eastern NC with my grandfather and later my uncle when back in NC for summer vacation. While my memory is fading, I am pretty sure that on a number of occasions we caught "rockfish" as they are called down east - though smaller than those we generally catch on SML these days. There was also the occasional pond fishing trip with my family or when at Boy Scout camp, and then later as an adult a few trips on head-boats at the NC coast, though fishing was not a major part of my life again until that first trip to Smith Mountain Lake. Finding such an excellent fishery less than two hours from my home in Mebane, NC led to my wonderful wife, Carrie, allowing me to purchase our first boat in February of 2010 and then renting, and eventually our purchasing a condo at the lake a few years later, which we use to enjoy SML's beauty as often as we can. Our children, Emily (13) & Matthew (11) both enjoy time at the lake - Emily is not much of a fisher-girl, but Matthew enjoys catching when the action is hot - though sometimes the pursuit of striper is a little slower than he enjoys and he would rather break out the ultra-light tackle and chase some blue-gill or crappie.
I first found out about the Smith Mountain Striper Club by picking up a newsletter at Captain's Quarters. I began to attend meetings in order to get to know others at the lake and pretty soon I was getting quite involved with Club events and assisting Bob Rowe with the newsletter. Soon I found myself on the Board as well as creating & maintaining the Club's new Website and taking over the Newsletter editor role from Bob, chairing the Preservation Committee, coordinating the Freedom Alliance events and participating on the Tournament Committee. I enjoy interacting with other Club members in these activities and helping to educate others on how to protect and preserve this great resource which we have the honor to enjoy.
I am primarily a live-bait fisherman as I believe big bait will consistently yield larger fish and I live for pulling big shad along the banks behind planer boards. There is nothing that will get your blood flowing like a bait being blown up on by a big fish, and early Spring and Fall are my favorite times to fish. However, I also enjoy mixing it up, breaking out the artificial lures for some spring-time night fishing or winter-time jigging - I fish year-round and enjoy the changing patterns that occurs throughout the year. I've also made few trips to Eastern TN as well as the Chesapeake Bay to chase stripers - each of which yielded my personal best - a 40" / 38 lb fresh-water striper from Eastern TN and a 45", 45.5 lb salty striper in the Chesapeake Bay. I have been lucky enough to catch several "citations" on SML with my heaviest being one right at 20 lbs and two at 37" - with the most recent being caught on my birthday this past April while the game warden was on the boat - that's a great story and memory.
As a young child I grew up fishing in the Albemarle Sound & Perquimans River in Eastern NC with my grandfather and later my uncle when back in NC for summer vacation. While my memory is fading, I am pretty sure that on a number of occasions we caught "rockfish" as they are called down east - though smaller than those we generally catch on SML these days. There was also the occasional pond fishing trip with my family or when at Boy Scout camp, and then later as an adult a few trips on head-boats at the NC coast, though fishing was not a major part of my life again until that first trip to Smith Mountain Lake. Finding such an excellent fishery less than two hours from my home in Mebane, NC led to my wonderful wife, Carrie, allowing me to purchase our first boat in February of 2010 and then renting, and eventually our purchasing a condo at the lake a few years later, which we use to enjoy SML's beauty as often as we can. Our children, Emily (13) & Matthew (11) both enjoy time at the lake - Emily is not much of a fisher-girl, but Matthew enjoys catching when the action is hot - though sometimes the pursuit of striper is a little slower than he enjoys and he would rather break out the ultra-light tackle and chase some blue-gill or crappie.
I first found out about the Smith Mountain Striper Club by picking up a newsletter at Captain's Quarters. I began to attend meetings in order to get to know others at the lake and pretty soon I was getting quite involved with Club events and assisting Bob Rowe with the newsletter. Soon I found myself on the Board as well as creating & maintaining the Club's new Website and taking over the Newsletter editor role from Bob, chairing the Preservation Committee, coordinating the Freedom Alliance events and participating on the Tournament Committee. I enjoy interacting with other Club members in these activities and helping to educate others on how to protect and preserve this great resource which we have the honor to enjoy.
I am primarily a live-bait fisherman as I believe big bait will consistently yield larger fish and I live for pulling big shad along the banks behind planer boards. There is nothing that will get your blood flowing like a bait being blown up on by a big fish, and early Spring and Fall are my favorite times to fish. However, I also enjoy mixing it up, breaking out the artificial lures for some spring-time night fishing or winter-time jigging - I fish year-round and enjoy the changing patterns that occurs throughout the year. I've also made few trips to Eastern TN as well as the Chesapeake Bay to chase stripers - each of which yielded my personal best - a 40" / 38 lb fresh-water striper from Eastern TN and a 45", 45.5 lb salty striper in the Chesapeake Bay. I have been lucky enough to catch several "citations" on SML with my heaviest being one right at 20 lbs and two at 37" - with the most recent being caught on my birthday this past April while the game warden was on the boat - that's a great story and memory.
I spend most of my time on the Roanoke side of the lake, with most of that on the upper 2/3's of the river arm, though I am not opposed to making runs to Craddock Creek or the dam when the fishing is hot down there, and I fish on occasion with a friend out of Bulls Run. I fish out of a Sea Hunt BX24 Bay Boat - 24' long with a Yamaha 250 HP motor which loves to drink fuel but is an awesome boat for live-bait fishing - we will frequently fish up to 14 or 16 rods at a time when going "all out". Most importantly the boat provides enough room that I can comfortably fish with several friends or family. I've made a number of great friends in and outside the Club as a result of striper fishing, and it's the time on the water with friends and family which is really the best part of it all - and the catching is just a bonus.
Fishing Outlook for September & October
Editors Note: This is a new column for the Club's newsletter - based on feedback we have been working to include more information that will help you catch more fish when striper fishing on SML. We've been running the "Tackle Tips" columns for several newsletters now with tips tailored to patterns likely to occur in the upcoming months, and wanted to augment that with details on the expected patterns and locations to focus on when chasing the fish. As always, we welcome contributions to these sections for future newsletters.
As we move into September, we typically see a transition in patterns as the month progress - however we will preface this by saying with the cooler than average summer we have had this year, who knows.....
In the early part of September, expect to still find the fish schooled up - which means you will have to spend some time looking for the schools with your electronics. As a general rule the fish in September will be found in larger numbers in the mid/lower sections of the river arms - so the downside of that means there is a lot more water to cover when looking for them. When locating schools, down lines with alewives will generally produce, or using a fluke jig in pearl-white or "white ice" on a 1/2 or 3.4 oz jig head. If catching striper from below 40'-50', keep in mind that their survival chase from a release will be significantly reduced - however with the cooler temps we have had this year, fish caught in the upper layers of water even in early September have a better chance of survival than in a typical hot summer - use your best judgement based on the tackle involved, duration of the fight, size of the fish, etc.
As the days of September pass, and the hours of daylight shorten, the water temperatures will start a fairly rapid cool-off (well, this year perhaps not as dramatic as they have never reached the high 80's as is typical for summer) and the fish will begin to spread out from their schooling pastern and move back up the river arms. With the cooling surface temps, and the large schools of youngling baitfish, surface feedings should not be uncommon. Always keep a top-water lure tied on and at the ready throughout September and into the fall as you never know when you will turn a bend on the lake and spot a pod of fish feeding on the surface.
The cooling temperatures also mean it is time to start focusing on points again - either by casting lures or pulling big bait. Big gizzard shad pulled behind planer boards with free-lines or light-lines closer to the bank should produce some memorable "blow-ups" and quality fish. Alewifes behind planer boards will also produce fish, though often smaller in size, and floats & light-lines fished over deeper water should deliver. As October gets into full swing, expect the fish to be more fully distributed across the river arms, with larger numbers in the upper sections of the lake. Early morning and sun-set surface breaking is typical for mid to late October and can be one of the most enjoyable, or most frustrating experiences you will have when chasing striper on SML.
As we move into September, we typically see a transition in patterns as the month progress - however we will preface this by saying with the cooler than average summer we have had this year, who knows.....
In the early part of September, expect to still find the fish schooled up - which means you will have to spend some time looking for the schools with your electronics. As a general rule the fish in September will be found in larger numbers in the mid/lower sections of the river arms - so the downside of that means there is a lot more water to cover when looking for them. When locating schools, down lines with alewives will generally produce, or using a fluke jig in pearl-white or "white ice" on a 1/2 or 3.4 oz jig head. If catching striper from below 40'-50', keep in mind that their survival chase from a release will be significantly reduced - however with the cooler temps we have had this year, fish caught in the upper layers of water even in early September have a better chance of survival than in a typical hot summer - use your best judgement based on the tackle involved, duration of the fight, size of the fish, etc.
As the days of September pass, and the hours of daylight shorten, the water temperatures will start a fairly rapid cool-off (well, this year perhaps not as dramatic as they have never reached the high 80's as is typical for summer) and the fish will begin to spread out from their schooling pastern and move back up the river arms. With the cooling surface temps, and the large schools of youngling baitfish, surface feedings should not be uncommon. Always keep a top-water lure tied on and at the ready throughout September and into the fall as you never know when you will turn a bend on the lake and spot a pod of fish feeding on the surface.
The cooling temperatures also mean it is time to start focusing on points again - either by casting lures or pulling big bait. Big gizzard shad pulled behind planer boards with free-lines or light-lines closer to the bank should produce some memorable "blow-ups" and quality fish. Alewifes behind planer boards will also produce fish, though often smaller in size, and floats & light-lines fished over deeper water should deliver. As October gets into full swing, expect the fish to be more fully distributed across the river arms, with larger numbers in the upper sections of the lake. Early morning and sun-set surface breaking is typical for mid to late October and can be one of the most enjoyable, or most frustrating experiences you will have when chasing striper on SML.
Tackle Tip for September - Fast Trolling for Fall
The fish seem to be moving more/faster now. One way to keep up with them is to fast troll - 3.5 to 3.8 mph, to cover water and find the fish - you can always stop when you spot a school. Always have jigging and casting rods ready for this. While the water may be cooling slightly, cover the water column by trolling lures that run 18-20 ft with one up around 10 ft. Most fish will come from the deeper lines.
As fall sets in, start at some "known" summer hang-outs and move up river, unless you are seeing a lot of fish at any particular area. Many times you will hook up on a fish without even seeing a group or school, so these must be the loners or in very small groups. This is one advantage of fast trolling and covering water.
Colors remain consistent throughout the year, but can change year to year. This year saw many fish on a chrome/blue back pattern with the "Sexy Shad" always a close second, with a white or white ice type color sometimes getting the nod. Most of the time fast trolling produces on the main channel, channel edge, or tree line fishing, no need to head back into the creeks.
As fall sets in, start at some "known" summer hang-outs and move up river, unless you are seeing a lot of fish at any particular area. Many times you will hook up on a fish without even seeing a group or school, so these must be the loners or in very small groups. This is one advantage of fast trolling and covering water.
Colors remain consistent throughout the year, but can change year to year. This year saw many fish on a chrome/blue back pattern with the "Sexy Shad" always a close second, with a white or white ice type color sometimes getting the nod. Most of the time fast trolling produces on the main channel, channel edge, or tree line fishing, no need to head back into the creeks.
From the Water - 8/27/14 - Joel Janecek
Still getting out at the crack of dawn. I ran down to Betty and Becky's creeks for a quick hunt. I only saw a few scattered fish in the creeks but more showed up at the mouths and beyond. No schools, just 1s, 2s, and 3s and no bites. So I worked the outside past the condos and the island point and humps. Still only a few scattered.
I kept moving down lake criss-crossing to both sides all the way to R25. Nada. So I ran down to the S curve. I made a lap around there and results were the same, scattered and small numbers. As I finished the lap I noticed boats working over by Turtle Island and went to investigate.
I only saw 1 or 2 fish boated and trolled around the group looking. I did find a school a little way away from the boats but no takers on the crankbaits so I switched over to the super Alabama rigs so I could get deeper. Some fish were up 40-50ft but many more were down 80-100. I would even stop the boat when I marked fish to let the rigs drop down.
Still nothing. Hard to believe. I worked that area for at least an hour, periodically marking the deep schools but couldn't get a bite. But for August it was a really great day on the water.
Later Joel
I kept moving down lake criss-crossing to both sides all the way to R25. Nada. So I ran down to the S curve. I made a lap around there and results were the same, scattered and small numbers. As I finished the lap I noticed boats working over by Turtle Island and went to investigate.
I only saw 1 or 2 fish boated and trolled around the group looking. I did find a school a little way away from the boats but no takers on the crankbaits so I switched over to the super Alabama rigs so I could get deeper. Some fish were up 40-50ft but many more were down 80-100. I would even stop the boat when I marked fish to let the rigs drop down.
Still nothing. Hard to believe. I worked that area for at least an hour, periodically marking the deep schools but couldn't get a bite. But for August it was a really great day on the water.
Later Joel
Tackle Tip for October - Getting Your Money's Worth From Your Foam Off
Those of you that fish live bait are surely familiar with the foam that builds up on the surface of a well aerated tank full of gizzards (or even alewives), and hopefully familiar with a product by SureLife known as "Foam Off". A few drops Foam Off into your tank and the foam disappears - at least for a little while. It is important to keep the foam off the waters surface not only so you can see your bait to net them but also so that the gas exchange can occur on the waters surface - allowing oxygen to be absorbed into the water.
Some folks will use powered coffee creamer, and it has even been reported that a Cheeto tossed in the tank will do the trick - basically it seems anything with a bit of oil will break down the surface tension on the foam's bubbles and clear away the foam. However, if you're not confident in keeping coffee creamer on the boat, then Foam Off is a proven product for this use. However, Foam Off is not especially cheap - typically $10-$12 for an 8 oz bottle. And while you usually only use a few drops at a time, there is a way to make that bottle last an even longer time.
Purchase a small pump spray bottle from the drug store. Any small bottle of a convenient size will do - I use one that is approximately 3 oz in size. Pour your Foam Off from your purchased bottle into the squirt bottle. Now, when your tank foams up, one or two spritzes into the tank and the foam is gone - using a fraction of what you would have previously used. The secret is the spray bottle dispersing a small amount of Foam Off over a much larger area, allowing it to more immediately contact the foam and more rapidly break down the bubbles. Not only will this help preventing an oily buildup on the bait tank water's surface throughou the day, but it will also make your bottle of Foam Off last a lot longer.
Some folks will use powered coffee creamer, and it has even been reported that a Cheeto tossed in the tank will do the trick - basically it seems anything with a bit of oil will break down the surface tension on the foam's bubbles and clear away the foam. However, if you're not confident in keeping coffee creamer on the boat, then Foam Off is a proven product for this use. However, Foam Off is not especially cheap - typically $10-$12 for an 8 oz bottle. And while you usually only use a few drops at a time, there is a way to make that bottle last an even longer time.
Purchase a small pump spray bottle from the drug store. Any small bottle of a convenient size will do - I use one that is approximately 3 oz in size. Pour your Foam Off from your purchased bottle into the squirt bottle. Now, when your tank foams up, one or two spritzes into the tank and the foam is gone - using a fraction of what you would have previously used. The secret is the spray bottle dispersing a small amount of Foam Off over a much larger area, allowing it to more immediately contact the foam and more rapidly break down the bubbles. Not only will this help preventing an oily buildup on the bait tank water's surface throughou the day, but it will also make your bottle of Foam Off last a lot longer.
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