Lake Anna – December 2013 lake Report – By Chris Craft

The Thanksgiving Holiday has come and gone and Old Man Winter has already started knocking on the door! Last month proved just how good Striper fishing at Lake Anna can be. Fish Tales weighed and photographed several nice striper caught by anglers fishing with both live and artificial baits. 

The November Big Fish Contest at Fish Tales had several leader changes throughout the month with these anglers taking the $100 first place prize with their fish………..BASS- John Zuiker  5 pounds 8 ouncesCRAPPIE- Brian Hammer  2 pounds evenSTRIPER- Kurt hammerschmidt  10 pounds 4ouncesCONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THAT PARTICIPATED!!!!!!!!!!

Fish Tales is doing it again this month as well. The rules are very simple……… 1- MUST LAUNCH AT ANNA POINT MARINA2- IF FISHING WITH A GUIDE, $8 RAMP FEE MUST BE PAID BEFORE OUTING3- LIVE AND ARTIFICIAL BAIT IS ALLOWED4- TOURNAMENT CAUGHT FISH ARE ELIGIBLE5- ALL FISH MUST ME WEIGHED ON THE FISH TALES PORCH SCALES

TOP PRIZE IS $100 or A YEARLY RAMP PASS ($125 VALUE)

BASS- The largemouth will be in a full winter pattern starting this month. Look for fish to be on main lake points, deep brush and rock piles, channel edges and deep stump fields. Great way to catch them are with suspending jerk baits, spoons like the Tooth Ache, blade baits like the Riverside Ripper & DAMIKI VAULT and Jig & Pig combinations. Fishing slow and finding the bait fish are the keys to winter time fishing. You will still be able to find some schooling action in the Dike 3 area of the lake all month. A-Rigs will be a major player again this winter to put fish in the boat.

CRAPPIE- The Specks have moved from the shallows to the winter time hideouts. Bridge pilings, deep docks and brush piles will hold numbers of fish all winter. Small minnows rigged on slip bobbers and 2″ curl tail grubs are great ways to catch them. There will be all sorts of sizes schooled up together this time of year. (not necessarily according to size) Most of the time you will have to catch lot’s of small ones to get the keepers that you are after. This is the reason I prefer artificial bait.

STRIPER– These will be the most sought out fish all winter long. Early in the month you can catch them up in the “RIVERS” until the water temps start to drop and then they will follow the bait back down to the mid lake area. Around Christmas they should be located around the 208 bridge and the Dike 3 fish will also be turning on. Look for birds diving as an indicator that bait fish is in the area. Don’t run all the way up to the diving birds, the school can be very large and fish can be caught 100 yards of more away from the action. I like the NORTH ANNA BAIT COMPANY SWIM N MINNOW  rigged on a 1/4oz long shank jig head. Downsizing your line will help you as well. I use 8lb Izorline on my spinning outfits and 10lb Izorline on my casting. Remember you are fishing open water, no need for large line tests to get them in the boat. Spoons and blade baits will work if the fish are not actively feeding. Look for them on your electronics and give them a vertical presentation. Good luck and I will see you out there!!!

Lake Level- Full Pool

Water Temps

Dike 3-  52 degreesDown Lake-  46-49 degreesMid Lake-  45-47 degreesUp Lake-  42-45 degrees

Chris CraftCCBASSN Lake Anna Guide Servicewww.ccbassnlakeanna.blogspot.com[email protected]540-894-6195540-895-5770540-895-5900 ext5

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