It’s striper time at Lake Anna. The silversides are most active early and late, taking baits on the surface. During the day, jigging spoons and trolled, deep-diving crankbaits are good choices. Productive areas have been at the mouth of Contrary Creek, Rose Valley and the area around Jetts Island at the Splits. Largemouth bass are hanging on steep banks and points, but early and late they will move into the shallows to feed, then back down to the deeper water. Large plastic grubs and jig’n pig baits are the best lures, but jumbo minnows also work well. Boat docks in deep water are also holding bass that will readily take Shakey Head baits. Crappie are schooled tight, with the larger fish suspending over creek channels in the backs of the creeks. Beaver lodges are also holding lots of crappie.
Chickahominy River
Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-514-1486) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the mid 60’s in the main.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Karen Anderson had 14 bluegills, 3 shellcrackers, a crappie, and a blue cat. Tom Porter had 21 bluegills, 1 shellcracker, 18 crappie and a white perch.
Potomac River
Capt. Chaconas says the fall feed is on, but the grass is disappearing. Hard cover targets are best. Dock fishing is also prime. Highs will be only around 60 and falling into the 50s with overnight lows into the mid 40s. The water temperature will drop quickly into the low 60s.
It’s time for topwaters worked slowly in clear water areas. Best at lower tides, close to cover. Walking baits, poppers and buzzbaits cover water. Keep a second chance bait, a weightless stickworm, to get fish that miss the topwaters. Use these topwaters to locate fish.
Shenandoah River
The river is clearing and bass are still active, but like slow presentations. Horsehead jigs with spinners have been effective.
Rappahannock
Bass are biting near blow downs. Crappie are in dense schools near cover. Blue cats to 40 pounds have been caught on cut bait.
Chickahominy River
Bass are holding on drop-offs on the main river and the creeks. Diascund Creek is producing well with bottom-fished lures, near wood cover in deeper water. Yellow perch and crappie fishing is excellent throughout the river. Live minnows and grubs are the better choices for bait. Stripers are available. Jumbo minnows, Rat-l-Traps and Rebel FasTrak Minnows are the more productive baits.
James River
The upper James was a wash out after Hurricane Michael. Not much to report. In the lower James, the barge pits are producing lots of crappie and bass. Some stripers are being taken from pilings in the Hog Island area and around the power lines downstream from Jordan Point. Blue catfish to 35 pounds are taking cut shad, fished in the outside bends of the river channel.
Buggs Island
The lake level is at 312, but falling. Fishing is improving as the water drops and clears. Crappie anglers using small minnows over brush piles and around bridge pilings are loading coolers with 1 to 3 pound fish. Bass may be taken in shallow water, holding on rock piles or in buck brush in backs of pockets. They may also be found on points or wood cover in 4-6 feet of water, and on humps, roadbeds and ledges. Stripers are active, hitting Sassy Shads on ¼-ounce jig heads, fished beneath the schools of shad minnows.
Smith Mountain Lake
Striper fishing is fair, but should get better with the colder temperatures the latter part of this week. Live shad or alewives are the best baits, fished in submerged standing timber in the coves. Trolling with bucktails will also produce some fish, as will topwater lures when the big fish are feeding on shad schools. Bass fishing is excellent when they are pulling water. Otherwise, the catching is fair. Crappie are being caught on live minnows and tiny jigs over brush piles in 10 feet of water.
Lake Moomaw
Anglers fishing jig ‘n pigs and spinnerbaits on points, dropping into 20 feet of water, are taking smallmouth bass. Catfish and yellow perch are the most consistent catches. Some brown trout are being caught near the ramp down lake.
Trout Streams
The fall stocking program is in full force and water levels are excellent. Go fishing!