W2’S Big Fish Predictions

By C.C. McCotter

Every year we offer you our picks for the best places to go catch big fish. These predictions are based on trends we see from citation records and what we hear from anglers and guides. All the waters on the list are public. You don’t have to have a 20-foot bass boat to fish many of them either. Our picks range from 50,000-acre Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) to 384-acre Pickett Reservoir.

To fish most, you’ll need a map (see page 10 for options), a boat or kayak, your fishing gear and some luck, especially if you want to catch a trophy fish. Good luck this year and send us your photos for the W2 Big Fish Contest.

Striper

We’ll start with the biggest fish in many of the region’s freshwater lakes – the striped bass. These land-locked versions of the rockfish that roams the coast’s bays and rivers can get quite large if conditions are right evidenced by the Virginia record fish of 53-7 caught from Leesville Lake (just down from Smith Mountain Lake).

From Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) records it appears that Smith Mountain Lake is ready to once again claim and hold the title of big striper producer for Virginia. 2010 saw 92 citations certified from the lake with the largest a 33-2 specimen caught April 26. The majority of the citations were 37-inch plus fish, but there were many 20 pounders, too. The best month to visit Smith Mountain for a citation striper is June, though the big fish are caught April through early July.

Other places that might be worth a visit for a citation striper include the James River (brackish, so not exactly a land-locked challenge) and Claytor Lake.

Smallmouth Bass

Few destinations have a more commanding hold on a category than the New River. If you want to catch a citation smallmouth bass you should make plans to fish this ancient and unique river that flows from North Carolina, through Virginia and into West Virginia.

It produced a 6-10 on July 27, 2010 to lead the biggest brown bass mark and nearly 50 other citations throughout the year. Some of the largest come in the summer months. Interestingly Smith Mountain Lake tied the New, also producing a 6-10 smallmouth in 2010. The James River was the second place trophy smallmouth producer. Other noteworthy fish include a 5-12 from Moomaw and a 5-15 from the Rappahannock River.

Largemouth Bass

You’ll never guess where the largest bass of 2010 was caught, but you might have an idea of where the most citation (22” or eight pounds) bass were certified.

Briery Creek Lake and nearby Sandy River Reservoir are now very close in the big bass contest. Briery produced a 12-8 and Sandy River Reservoir gave up a 12 pounder to one lucky angler.

These two VDGIF owned lakes near Farmville in central Virginia are less than 900 acres each (845 and 740 respectively) but very productive due to careful management practices. Both also have standing timber and plenty of structure. Sandy River has some watershield lily pads and hydrilla. There is a 14-20” slot limit in affect. VDGIF has made efforts to remove excessive hydrilla growth in Briery Creek by stocking grass-eating carp. There is a 14-24” slot limit on Briery.

Germantown Lake in Crockett Park near Warrenton produced a 12-pounder in 2010. Lake Frederick near Winchester is another small lake with standing timber that has consistently produced 10-pound plus largemouths for visiting anglers.

Oh, so where did the largest bass of 2010 come from? There was a 13-9 registered caught from Leesville Lake.

Crappie

America’s fish can be found in just about all the public waters of Virginia and many hold two-pound plus or 15-inch citations. Buggs Island Lake (or Kerr Reservoir) located on the Virginia/North Carolina border is a massive place to explore and it’s packed with both white and black crappie. It’s the home of the Virginia/Carolina Crappie Trail and Bobby Whitlow’s Bobcat’s Bait & Tackle – a tournament series and shop that caters to speck anglers.

Every year Buggs Island produces the most citation crappie in a crowded field of contenders. During 2010, an off year, the biggest speck from Buggs was 3-3. It is worth nothing that 711-acre Burnt Mills Reservoir near Norfolk produced nearly as many citations. Look into Fort Pickett Lake near Blackstone as well. This 384-acre lake leads the big crappie entrants with a 3-11, largest in public water. Pickett Lake is an impoundment on the Nottoway River with no maximum horsepower limitations but a 25 mph speed limit. For permit and fishing information call (804) 292-2618 or (804) 392-9645.

There you have them, our predictions on where to catch 2012’s biggest fish. Of course private ponds produce most of the citation registered by the VDGIF, so don’t turn your back on the subdivision or farm pond that looks fishy.