Fishing at Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake is famous for its fertile bass fishing opportunities.

Smith Mountain Lake is a large, man-made lake nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The lake is located in an idyllic setting that has been used in many feature films and television series. Sport fishermen around the country know the lake more for the rich fishery and prize winning catches that lie below the waters than mountainous beauty and pop-culture fame surrounding the lake.

Location and Description

Smith Mountain Lake lies in a wide valley situated in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southern Virginia. The lake is formed by the Smith Mountain Dam that impounds the flow of the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers and covers 20,600-acres (42-square miles) and contains over 500 miles of shoreline. At full pond, Smith Mountain Lake is situated at 795-feet above sea level. The lake is located near Roanoke City in Bedford and Franklin Counties.

Recreation

Smith Mountain Lake is one of the premiere freshwater fishing waters in Virginia. The lake is famous for its largemouth bass, which make up the bulk of the fishery. Fishing pressures are high in the lake, especially in the summer months due to its close proximity to Roanoke and Lynchburg City, two of the largest cities in Southwest Virginia. The lake receives heavy use, as boating access is convenient from one of the many boat ramps and boat launch sites (both public and private) located around Smith Mountain Lake as well as several lake-side marinas.

Fish Species

Smith Mountain Lake is famous for its largemouth bass fishing opportunities. Largemouth bass far outnumber smallmouth bass at the lake and are commonly between 2 to 4 lbs. in size. Striped bass are the second most popular sport fish at Smith Mountain Lake; the lake is home to the state record fish weighing 49.4 lbs. Striped bass populations are low, however, due to the lack of natural spawning grounds available, so they are stocked annually. Crappie, shad, sunfish and channel catfish are other popular species often caught throughout the year.

Regulations

All freshwater fishing on public or state lands in Virginia requires a valid Virginia State Fishing License issued by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). Licenses are available for purchase at many outfitters around Smith Mountain Lake as well as from VDGIF directly by phone or on-line. Smith Mountain Lake has strict regulations and limits for largemouth bass, striped bass and smallmouth bass. The VDGIF discourages catch and release practices after the catch limit is reached in summer months as mortality rates are very high for released fish.

Tournaments

There are several national as well as local fishing tournaments located at Smith Mountain Lake annually. The number of tournaments has steadily increased as the lake has received more attention and publicity in recent years.

References

• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: Smith Mountain Lake: Fishing Opportunities
• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: General Freshwater Fishing Regulations
• Virginia.gov: Virginia State Parks: Smith Mountain Lake State Park
• Virginia Outdoorsman: Fishing and Tournament Report