9-16 First Time Out in Four Months

[R22]

Clear skies
Water Temperature - 73-74
Fished from first light until 11 am
1 free lined planer, 2 light lined and 2 downlines
Bait - Medium to large ales and a few 6-8 inch gizzards

With all the talk about the decline in our Striper fishery, I felt the least I could do was not fish during the warmer months. This was my first time out since late May. It felt good, real good.

Bait at my light was unproductive with only small ales throughout the night. I headed out before 5 am to a very DARK lake. Several of the lights on buoy markers are out. Does anyone know who we can notify to have them replaced? Some docks that typically have lights on were off this morning so I headed down lake and finally found good bait at Vista Point.

I fished from the S turn down to Bernards. I spent the better part of my first hour looking for fish before deciding to set out a spread in an area where SeaJay found some fish a few weeks back. It took a while before I had any action. My first three fish were dinks, 14-17 inches. They came on planers. I kept thinking I was just getting pull downs and finally decided to check the bait. There was actually a fish on the line twice.

I finally caught a couple decent fish. I think one was was 26 inches and the next a 27 inch fish. One on a downline and the other on a light lined planer. I ended up with 7 total, 5 of them under 20 inches.

I stopped fishing about 11 am and did a little scouting around B&B but found nothing.

I am ready for a nap but it was fun to be back out there.

[bushwacker]

Nice report. Sounds like a great morning on the water.

[coheasion]

Nice job Pete! Appreciate the report

[mwardncsu]

Nice report - it's time to get back at it - just hope we don't warm too much this week but should be ok....

I also noticed several lights out - I just sent an email to the Smith Mountain Lake Association about R68 - I believe they contact AEP. I used to have an AEP contact that went out to fix these but he retired.

[keninva]

To report problems with the navigation lights go to www.smithmtn.com. Under resources check navigation aids. AEP will need the marker number ,and if is a shoal marker they will need the location of the shoal marker. I used to be the AEP contact before retiring. Thanks Ken

[mwardncsu]

Forgot you were on here Ken - thanks!

[drag4striper]

Good report r22, even though those babies aren't much to catch they are good for our future fishery.

[primetime]

That gets the fall blood pumping! Way to go Pete!

[treich]

Marker R16 at the S curve is out. Kind of dangerous being out because its at the sharp curve going upriver. I called AEP and reported it out at least two weeks ago. Still out this morning.