Lake Orange, one of Virginia’s most productive lakes, is now open for business. Actually, the lake is always open throughout the year, but the marina, Angler’s Landing, opened their doors for the spring season last weekend and fish are starting to bite.
Angler’s Landing sells lures, live bait and snacks and rents 14-foot jon boats and electric trolling motors, giving anglers access to nearly every freshwater fish that swims. The 124-acre Game Department-owned lake is one of the top largemouth lakes in the state. With a large population of gizzard shad on hand, the bass grow fat and sassy. Numerous 10-pound plus fish are weighed each year, and right now, as the big females go on the feed, is the best time of the year to catch one of those “hawgs”. The lake also offers an outstanding bluegill and redear sunfish fishery. Citation sized fish to a pound and more are common. That bite should begin in the next two weeks.
Catfishermen are also in their element at Lake Orange. The Game Department stocks catchable size channel cats each spring, and the fish grow quickly. Ten pounders are available. Another fish growing to epic proportions is the carp. English fishermen come to Lake Orange each year to try their hand with some of these tackle busters – 30 pounds and more.
Next to Buggs Island Lake, Lake Orange is one of the best crappie lakes in Virginia. The black crappie are plentiful and reach citation lengths of 12- to 16-inches. Add to that assortment a nice yellow perch population, a few northern pike and lots of chain pickerel, and a fisherman does not lack for choices.
Darryl Kennedy at Angler’s Landing says the water temperatures are now in the low 60s and the lake is clear. Bass and crappie are heading to the shallows to spawn. Crappie can be caught on small minnows and jigs. Bass can be enticed to bite soft plastic baits A few walleye have been caught under schools of baitfish. Catfish are feeding on live bait and chicken livers in the mid lake area.
Lake Orange can be reached by taking Route 629 off of either Route 20 or Route 522, depending on where you are traveling from. Directional signs for Lake Orange are posted along these roadways. Travel on Route 629 until you see Route 739. Route 739 will take you to the peninsula located in the middle section of Lake Orange.
Check out Lake Orange. It’s open for business.
Freshwater Report
Stan Cobb at Greentop reports that the shad and white perch action has been excellent along the James, close to the city limits. Bloodworms work well for perch, as do small and medium minnows. Cut bait works as well. For shad, small spoons, darts and flies are the ticket. The blue catfish bite is wide open on the tidal rivers. The James and Rappahannock have been especially productive. Fresh cut white perch and shad are excellent baits. Rockfish may be a bi-product while targeting catfish, but the season is closed, so all rockfish must be released immediately. Bass fishing is excellent on the tidal rivers. The pits along the James are excellent spots for bass right now, so expect lots of boats to be around. The Chickahominy is also an excellent place for bass. Wood cover is good for both bass and crappie. Crappie are also biting well on the James. The pits are good, as are the larger creeks, like Chippokes and Herring. The upper James is in great shape and April is an excellent time to seek the lunkers. Their spawning sessions are about to occur, so now the smallmouth are fattening up for those rigors. The shallow patterns are prevailing on the area lakes, as bass are now on the spawning beds just about everywhere. On many of our lakes, bass can be found spawning on stumps, grass beds and boat docks. James Graves of Madison caught an 8 pounder over the weekend at Anna. Brandon Strayer, also of Madison, caught a 7 pounder. Crappie can be found spawning on the same types of cover as bass, along with beaver huts. Stripers are also on the feed. Anna, Kerr, Gaston, and Smith are producing good catches and will continue into May.
Saltwater Update
The black drum bite is heating up along the seaside of the Eastern Shore. They are mostly being caught from boats, but there have also been some catches from the surf. Fresh clam and crabs work well. The tautog bite is still good on both ocean and bay structures. Tautog prefer crab, but clam works also. There’s been an increase in speckled trout catches, but very little info is being given about the locations. Trout prefer shallow, grassy areas. Live shrimp works well, especially since there is an abundance of the shrimp in the bay, and its tributaries. We can expect some early season flounder catches to be reported soon.
On the OBX, The Point and Ramp 55 are reporting sea mullet and scattered blowtoads. Nice black drum in the 20-25 inch size are at ramps 48 and 49. Stripers and trout are biting in the sounds.