Sunday, April 05, 2009
Prime season begins for area anglers
Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor's Outdoors column and notebook appears regularly in The Roanoke Times.
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Days gradually getting longer, temperatures creeping up and the surroundings turning from gray to green signal that winter is turning to spring.
And that means many anglers are getting ready for what is probably the best couple of months of fishing in Virginia.
It's good because the fish, like us, are ready to put the cold, dark days of winter behind them.
For many species, spawning season is at hand, and that triggers an instinctual desire to fatten up before the rigors of that trying time.
Even those that aren't yet concerned with procreation are becoming more active as warming waters fire up their metabolisms and force them to eat more.
A month ago, a fisherman with cabin fever wouldn't have too many options when it came to picking a spot where he might catch a fish or two.
Now, the options are many.
Here's a look at some of the best opportunities Virginia anglers will have for tangling with trophies during the next couple of months.
New River smallmouths
Behind largemouth bass, smallmouths are probably the second most popular freshwater gamefish in Virginia.
For one reason, they are widespread, found in most streams and lakes from the Piedmont west.
River smallmouths, especially, can be eager biters. A float trip on a good river can commonly produce 100 fish or more.
When it comes to smallmouth waters, one Virginia river stands ahead of the competition.
It's the New, which not only has lots of bass, but lots of big bass.
Each year it produces by far the most smallmouth meeting the state citation minimums of 20 inches or 5 pounds.
When it comes to catching heavy bass, April is probably the best month.
The fish haven't yet spawned so females are heavy with roe. They aren't overly aggressive -- water temps are still pretty chilly -- but they are actively feeding.
This is a prime season to size up offerings to attract bigger bites.
Good-sized jerkbaits such as Rapala Husky Jerks or Smithwick Suspending Rouges work well in clear water. When the water is up or off-colored, throw a big spinnerbait with a white and chartreuse skirt. Brown jigs with trailers bounced along the bottom also can produce big bites.
You probably won't catch 50 fish a day like you can in the summer, but most of the fish you will catch will be worth a picture before you release them.
Stocked trout
If you ever doubt the popularity of Virginia's put-and-take trout program, just go to a stocked water the day after it gets a load of fish.
It will be packed.
The state has had to reduce stocking frequency this year because of a renovation project at its Coursey Springs hatchery, and the longer-than-usual gaps between stockings have frustrated some anglers.
But during April, the peak month for stocking, most anglers will have stocked trout nearby every few days.
Stocked trout fanatics have plenty of favorite tactics, some of which they guard with fervent secrecy.
For bait, many fishermen opt for gooey, color Berkley PowerBait. But old-fashioned nightcrawlers or minnows can work just fine, too.
The Trout Magnet -- a little rubber jig -- is probably the hottest lure going. Small minnow plugs and spinners such as the Joe's Fly or Rooster Tails also work well.
SML's crappies
Buggs Island is Virginia's best crappie water. It's got lots of fish, including plenty that top the 15-inch or 2-pound minimum to earn a citation award.
But while Buggs Island is dynamite, another big reservoir in the same watershed is no slouch.
Smith Mountain Lake has a surprisingly robust crappie population, not only in terms of numbers, but also the number of big fish. Last year the lake produced nearly 40 register citations, including a couple of fish pushing 3 pounds.
While fishing for crappies can be good in March, it can be great in April as the fish move into shoreline structure to spawn.
That kind of fish is not only fun, but also can be amazingly easy. Just ply laydowns, brush piles and underwater stumps with little jigs or minnows under a float.
Moomaw's mixed bag
In 2008, Lake Moomaw produced citation-sized fish across eight species, and the next couple of months are prime for just about all of them.
Drifting with live suspended minnows will take brown and rainbow trout, and the occasional bass. Bouncing the bait along the bottom will turn up yellow perch.
Crankbaits, jerkbaits and spinnerbaits will pull largemouths and smallmouths from around the shoreline, while those lures will also produce a bonus big chain pickerel from time to time.
Then, there are the lake's carp, which can push 30 pounds. They can be tricked with worms, corn or dough balls. Or, if you prefer, give them a try with bowfishing gear.
