Over the years as an outdoor writer, I have frequently been asked the best place to take children fishing. My answer is that if you can drive an hour from Charlottesville, the best place to take a kid fishing is Lake Orange. It’s also one of my favorite places to wet a line.
Lake Orange now offers a handicapped accessible pier, which is perfect for kids. They needn’t cast far, and, in fact, the best fishing is just below, at the base of the pier.
There are always bluegills lurking at 8 or 10 feet below as well as crappie, yellow perch and an occasional bass, catfish or walleye.
Lake Orange also rents jon boats and electric motors. The bait shop, Angler’s Landing, sells drinks, snacks, worms, minnows, basic fishing equipment and dispenses free advice on how to put your child on fish.
Darrell Kennedy (540.672.3997) had this report on fishing conditions this week at Lake Orange.
Water temperatures are in the mid to low 80s. Bass are being caught on plastics and live bait in the upper end. The grass beds are also holding fish. Crappie seem to be hanging out at the lower end of the lake with 12 to 15 feet the preferred depths. Crappie are hitting small minnows. Catfish are being caught on livers and live bait throughout the lake.
Potomac River
Capt. Steve Chaconas says the water temperatures in the Potomac are in the mid 80s. They key, he advises, is to find clear water.
Morning high tides should set up a topwater bite early. Be quick to abandon this pattern. Start with Lucky Craft G-Splash poppers on 12-pound test Gamma Copoly or 30-pound Torque braid. Vary speeds. Also try popping frogs where grass is dense. Upgrade braid to 50-60 pound test.
With higher water, fish pad edges. No question this is a good time to use jigs, 1/4-3/8 black/blue patterns with matching craw. Make it a small package in the clearest water and a bit bulkier in stained water. Using either 16-pound test Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon or 50 pound braid is a good idea. Flooded pad edges are good in areas where it is shallow as fish move into the pads. For pads adjacent to deeper water, they are better when the tide is moving out. Look for irregularities like points, pockets and wood along the edges.
Chickahominy Lake
Fishing with Capt. Conway (804-746-2475), Alice Anne Potts and Vincent Hughes had 22 bluegills, 2 shellcrackers, 1 yellow perch and 2 blue cats. Joe Schmokler caught 1 gar, 1 blue cat, and 3 bass. Adam Fischer had 5 bluegills, 8 crappie and 2 blue cats. Tom Porter had 2 bluegills, 1 shellcracker, 8 crappie, 1 white perch and 2 blue cats.
Rappahannock River
Smallmouth action is good above Fredericksburg on live bait and plastics. Large catfish, to 30 pounds, are taking cut baits in the main channel bends below the city.
Shenandoah River
This river is in good shape for smallmouth anglers, although there is lots of algae in the river. Nice smallmouth are going for plastic worms, grubs, spinnerbaits, Tiny Torpedos and small crankbaits. Sunfish and catfish are biting as well.
Lake Anna
Bass are on the move with the cooler temperatures. Best action is from dawn to about 10 am near shallow flats. Crappie are schooling around the bridge pilings, where live minnows are taking good stringers. Stripers are active around Dike Three, the Splits, Jetts Island, Rose Valley and Stubbs Bridge. Some topwater action for stripers is available in the mouths of Sturgeon and Contrary Creeks, early and late in the day.
James River
Best action for bass is on plastic worms, small crankbaits and spinnerbaits in the back ends of creeks and the headwaters of the river. The gravel pits are also producing bass and crappie. Above the city, smallmouth bass action is good. Best lure choices are plastic grubs, small crankbaits and small topwater lures. Catfish are biting well throughout the tidal sections.
Chickahominy River
Lots of small bass are being caught in the back ends of creeks and in the lily pad fields in the upper reaches of the river. Catfish action is excellent on livers and peeler crab. Crappie are starting to show on submerged brush. Big blue catfish are available on cut bait.
Buggs Island
Bass are schooled up on structure and can be caught on old roadbeds and points in 4-10 feet of water. Stripers are being caught by anglers trolling with bucktails, Cordell Red Fins and live shad from Buoy 5 through Buoy 8. Crappie fishing is good all over the lake. The fish are located around the 10-foot level. The mouths of Grassy and Eastland Creeks are producing good catches of white bass.
Smith Mountain
Bass action is picking up now with cooler temperatures. Main lake points in the Roanoke arm are producing some bass on plastic worms and jig ‘n pigs. Boat docks are also good choices. Striper action is excellent in the lower end of the lake.
Lake Moomaw
Nothing much is happening for trout fishermen at Moomaw. Most of the action centers on bass, yellow perch and channel catfish.
New River
The New River is in good shape. Lots of smallmouth are being caught early and late in the day, in the deeper holes. Best lures are live bait and soft plastic lures in brown and chartreuse colors