Thursday, May 29, 2008
Fishing report
Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor's Outdoors column and notebook appears regularly in The Roanoke Times.
Recent columns
Overview
Thousands of trout anglers in Virginia are not looking forward to the end of this week, when the eight-month-long stocking season draws to a close for the summer.
At least they've been eased into the offseason as stocking has slowed quite a bit the past couple of weeks.
Just because the stocking trucks will stop running, that doesn't mean that fishing will dry up immediately.
Most waters in the put-and-take program become too warm to support trout through the summer, but most will be in decent shape for at least a couple of more weeks.
Yes, most get hit pretty hard immediately after stocking. But stocking was so fast and furious during the peak of the season in April that the crowds quickly moved on and left plenty of fish. The wet weather we've had in recent weeks has helped, too, with high water helping spread out the fish.
You might not be able to quickly catch a limit, but you should find some fish if you work for them. Through June 15, anglers on designated stocked waters are required to have a trout license in addition to a regular fishing license.
Lakes
Although sight fishermen are finding some bedding largemouths at Claytor Lake, bass fishing is transitioning toward summertime patterns, reports Mike Burchett at Rockhouse Marina. Small Roboworms fished on humps in the lower lake are producing some decent catches of smallmouths for anglers who know the best spots. Night action for stripers has been good in the lower end of the lake between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. with Yum Money Minnows and floating plugs the hot baits.
Striper action was fairly slow at Smith Mountain Lake over the weekend, reported Dewayne Lamb at Captain's Quarters Marina. Now that spawning is waning, big gizzard shad should start producing some good fish. Bass fishing has been fair with post-spawn patterns such as Carolina Rigs. Sight anglers should be able to find some spawners this weekend.
Streams
Scott Tucker reported decent smallmouth action on a float from Natural Bridge Station to Glasgow on the James River but noted that the group spotted five dead bass and caught many others covered with lesions.
John Zienius at Big Z's tackle shop reports that bass action has remained solid on the New River, with typical baits such as tube lures working well.
Saltwater
Oregon Inlet Fishing Center has reported solid offshore action, with good numbers of nice yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna up to 150 pounds, some gaffer dolphins and even a few sailfish.
