JANUARY SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT By: Captain Chad Green

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

Winter can offer some great fishing. All species feed heavily in cold months. 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 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 Winter months the bass be gravitating from crawfish to baitfish. The crawfish head to the banks in the fall to breed and some bury up for the winter months. 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.

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.CrappieWinter crappie fishing can be good as well if you can bear the cold temps. 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 JanuarySML Winter Trail series out of Water Wheel public ramp every SaturdaySpecial Thanks to Brian Carter at the www.BassCast.com

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