February 2023 Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Chad Green

SMITH MOUNTIAN LAKE FISHING REPORTBy: Captain Chad Greenwww.lastcastguideservicesml.com

Late Winter can offer some great fishing. All species feed heavily in cold months as the bigger fish will start to feed up this month. Get out on the water when you can and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. Practice catch and release as much as possible to preserve our great fisheries out there. As always, just make one more Last Cast as it could be the next trophy fish.Visit Captains Quarters Marina at Hales Ford Bridge for any tackle that you may need and they will fix you up.Visit https://missilebaits.store/and check out all they have to offer.Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the https://thebasscast.com/

REMEMBER SAFETY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THE WINTER AND TRY NOT TO FISH ALONE, CARRRY EXTRA CLOTHES AND A BLANKET IN CASE YOU WERE TO FALL IN.

PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON CITATION SIZE FISH

Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth BassThe citation size fish will show back up for the next few months. Look for some 8 pound fish to show back up. In the Early Winter months the bass be gravitating from crawfish to baitfish. The bass will tend to follow large schools of baitfish in cold months and fishing can be very rewarding. Look for them anywhere this time of year as In creeks, pockets and the main channel and the wind can be your friend. They can be in different water depths as well and the colder days tend to be the best for success. Jerkbaits, crankbaits, a-rigs, Jigs and swimbaits can be productive. Typically smaller profile baits can be very productive and fished in different depths. Look for large schools of bait near the tributaries as the water gets colder they look for warmer water and tend to come shallower. We may start to see a shad kill in some areas this month. Diving birds with no fish present and random diving usually are tell tale signs. The Jerkbait will prevail during this month.

Striped BassStripers will be traveling in fairly large schools in mornings and evenings following baitfish to feed on they are mostly up both river arms and will migrate back down as water cools later in the winter. Bucktails, flukes on jigheads, alabama rigs and jerkbaits will be productive until spring. This is the best time of year to catch a trophy fish. Larger fish will start to roam the banks this month and can be very exciting with larger baits. You will not get many bites but they will citation size fish.CrappieEarly Winter crappie fishing will start to pick up this month as they start to migrate as well. Look for schools in the 15-40’ range in both arms of the lake around down trees in deeper water with baitfish present. Jigs and minnows will be your baits of choice.

Tournaments FebruaryTBF Feb 25th State ParkSML CATT Feb 19th State ParkSML Winter Trail series out of Water Wheel public ramp every SaturdaySpecial Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.BassCast.com

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