Smith Mountain Lake included in writer’s top bass-fishing lakes

James Hall, editor of Bassmaster magazine, has included Smith Mountain Lake in his list of 10 Great Places to go Bass Fishing, which was recently published in USA Today.

Hall said that in the past few years, the number of fishing licenses has increased. Bass fishing also is reeling in new fans, he said.

“There’s a huge influx of young blood,” said Hall, citing high schools and colleges that are adding competitive fishing teams. In the article, Hall shared some favorites from the magazine’s annual list of the top 100 bass-fishing lakes.

Of Smith Mountain Lake, Hall wrote: “You don’t usually find good smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing in the same area. But this Blue Ridge Mountains reservoir near Roanoke is blessed with plenty of 3- or 4-pound fish. You can catch not only both species, but you have really good quality.”

Others included on the list of 10 were Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho, Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas, Thousand Island in New York, Michigan’s Lake St. Clair, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Florida, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Oklahoma, Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas and Missouri, California’s Clear Lake and Lake Guntersville in Alabama.

— Elizabeth Hock

Weather Journal

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