Considering SML for an April Trip

[PA Ken]

6-8 of us from central PA are considering a week long trip for stripers to Smith Mountain Lake for April 19-27. We've been spending a week every spring at Cumberland Lake, KY for many years, some in the group 20+ years. SML looks like a great place to fish but it's difficult to figure out where we should stay, and particularly what area of the lake we should concentrate our efforts.

We'll be running bass boats and primarily throwing top water lures at night for stripers. After a few hours sleep we generally spend the afternoon fishing for largemouth. None of the boats are equipped with bait tanks so that kind of rules out planing boards and free lining shad.

We normally get 3-4 efficiency apartments with kitchens so that we can spend our time fishing and not running back and forth to restaurants. Plus, our fishing, eating, sleeping schedules are pretty off the wall. Fishing is top priority. Looked at some of the rental houses on the water. Very nice but I can't seem to find any that has a dock to accommodate 3-4 boats.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, particularly where we should concentrate our fishing efforts. Not looking for your secret spots... just trying to narrow it down for a good trip.

Thanks,
Ken

[mytoyzfishing]

Here are two places with ramps on site and slips/docks as well. The second one also has a restaurant on site and is right down the road from the bridge. puts you mid lake.

westlake-waterfront-inn.com/

www.halesfordharbour.com/

[mwardncsu]

Stripers Landing in Gills Creek on the Blackwater side has a variety of 1 & 2 bedroom condos and many units in there are often for rent.

Mid lake on either side would be good places to try and home-base in them mid-April timeframe. Can likely fish fish in a lot of spots and they often are starting to move up towards the banks at night depending on the temps and bait starting to spawn.

[PA Ken]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated!

[BentRod]

Look at Bridgewater Pointe Condos too. 3-4 bedroom condos. Plenty of docks, food, etc close by. Great location.

[PA Ken]

Thanks BentRod. I'll check them out

[PA Ken]

Found a place called Coveside Cottages near Halesford Bridge. They look pretty nice. My question is whether that location on SML is at a reasonably good location to the best places we should be fishing for stripers in late April? Based on the information I'm gathering, it looks like certain parts of the lake are more productive tha others depending upon the season.

[BentRod]

Check your PMs PA Ken.