March 4, 2008
Hooking a big one at Smith Mountain Lake
I got out for a few hours on Smith Mountain Lake on Monday afternoon with Scott Wiley and Charlie Machek, two guys on the Virginia Tech bass fishing team. I'm doing a story on the team for Friday's paper, the day before they host a college bass tournament at the lake.
Wiley and Machek have been fishing the past few days and it's been tough. It was slow Monday, too.
Then in the middle of the afternoon we saw some bait moving around in the upper end of a creek and went to check it out. I was fishing, too, and about the third cast I felt a tug on my Lucky Craft jerkbait. I set the hook and the bait flew back at the boat and nailed Wiley right in the back. It didn't hook him, but it got pretty well stuck in his VT team jersey. I managed to get it out without damaging the jersey too bad.
We ended up catching some of those fish -- big gizzard shad that we were snagging. If there were any bass eating those things they would have been huge. But we fished around just in case, and also in the hopes of maybe finding a big striper. That didn't happen.
With temps near 70, it was a pretty great day to get out on the water for a few hours. I expect fishing should really pick up out there in the next couple of weeks.
Comments
[March 6, 2008 11:21 AM]
BacklashWhat are the rules for the college Bass tournament.
[March 6, 2008 6:12 PM]
Mark TaylorBacklash, They are fishing as two-angler teams with a 5-fish limit and a minimum size of 14 inches. Those are the main rules.
I'm not planning to cover the tournament but hope to have results here and in the paper early next week.
mt
[March 7, 2008 11:10 AM]
BacklashI have never been to Smith Mountain Lake, but it sounds like a great place for tournament fishing.
Let's talk about deals for Belly Boats. These are available currently in the fore mention stores
The best deals for belly boats or float tubes are the combo packages these are the ones with kick fins and air pump included. The only place were I could find only one like this is at Sportmans Warehouse
Caddis Navigator Float Tube $89.95 reg $139.99 Save 35%
A second one is a Pontoon Boat being caried by Sams Club I found this one to be big but pretty light one person could manage this one easily, While I was there some small children were playing with it so it's light unless one of the kids was Popeye.
Tieton III 9' Pontoon Boat, Stowable Transport wheel 2yr warranty and oars. $299.88 reg.$400.00
The third one I found was in Dick's
Trout Unlimited Togiak Float Tube - If you purchase this one online you get to choose from the available colors now that's sweet why be limited to the standard. $74.99 reg:$99.99
Now there are area stores that can help you Blue Ridge Fly Fisher 5524 Williamson Rd # 20 Roanoke, VA 24012 (540) 563-1617 Peter and Josh can order your boat of choice and cuting some of the cost.
Sportsman Warehouse 3550 Ferncliff Ave NW Roanoke, VA 24017 - 0 Tel: (540) 366-9700 Contact Hawk manager of the fishing department for ordering float tubes that they don't have in stock.
If you want a much larger selection try this website...
Worldwide Outfitters for Quality Gear!™ Frazier Park, Calif. 93225 All Pages, Information & Images on This Website ©Copyright 1996-2008 All Rights Reserved WE SELL FUN!
You Can Now Pay by PayPal Email also, with your Credit Card or From Your PayPal Account.
Order Desk Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST; 7 Days Per Week
EMAIL US TO PLACE AN ORDER OR ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT A PRODUCT OR SERVICE
U.S. Toll-Free Orders-Only #- (866) 494-3175
Come on people let's prepare to have some fishing fun this summer as a group.