SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
July 2010
Provided by:
CAPTAIN DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO:  540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.com

OVERVIEW: Fishing will be fair. Fish  have  moved into their deeper summer patterns. Top water fishing will be fair. Night fishing will be good. Water temperature will be in the 80’s.

Largemouth Bass-Fishing is good. Best lures will be plastic worms, Carolina rigs,  jigs, shaky heads  and top water lures. Best areas will be points, ledges, docks and brush piles. Night fishing will be the best time to catch bass.

Smallmouth Bass- Fishing is fair. Look for humps and long main channel  points. Best lures will be hair jigs, plastic crawfish imitations, swim baits and top water lures. Best areas will be in the lower  section of the lake.

Striped Bass- Fishing is good. Stripers will be caught  early morning and late
afternoon this month. The best areas will be from mid lake to the dam. The fish will be found near the larger creeks and the main channel.. Best lures will be swim baits, Hopkins spoons and Zoom flukes fished on 1/2 to 3/4 oz. lead heads. Live bait and trolling  will also be productive. Fishing at night  will be fair. Schools of stripers will surface on cloudy mornings and later in the afternoon around sunset.

Crappie-Fishing for crappie will be fair. They will be in deep water this month. Best areas will be in the main creeks around docks and brush piles.  Small live minnows and 1 ½ inch tubes fished on 1/16 oz. lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month. Try fishing at night around lights.

TIP OF THE MONTH: July is a great month to try fishing at night. Be sure to wear your life jacket and you should always fish with a partner at night.

Call Mitch at Smith Mountain Lake Sporting Goods for current fishing reports at 540-297-7050.

John Smoot and son Jamie from Northern Va., with a 6 lb. largemouth bass caught while fishing with Captn. Dale on June 24. The fish was released.