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    • Hit Lake Gaston for Winter Stripers
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    • Lake Anna Gains a New Species
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    • Where Have All the Big Fish Gone?
    • Coastal striped bass a no-show, but that could be changing
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Virginia’s Best Freshwater Fall Fishing
by Mark Fike at Game and Fish Magazine | September 30th, 2010

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If you can sneak away from work for a day or two this fall, you can get into some good fishing at any of these angling destinations.

Fall is a gorgeous time to be on the water. Although the hunting is surely in full swing, so is the bite on a number of waters in the readership area. We found the best bets for a day on the water in each of three states — Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.

Tidewater Region

Fishing in the Tidewater Region is full of surprises, particularly in the fall. This year we want to clue anglers in on a little-known fall fishery that is always a jackpot of variety. Try fishing the headwaters of small tributaries throughout the region from a small canoe or johnboat. Some of the best bream and pickerel fishing that can be had takes place in these areas in late September and October when the water begins to cool off. Small spoons, spinners and beetle spins on light tackle make for thrilling runs, amazing fun and good eating. Everyone knows that fish from cool or cold water are delicious. Live bait, such as red wigglers, crickets and shiners, are dynamite bait for both species of fish. Use little or no weight and a stick float if necessary to let the current carry the bait past fish.

Make casts to bends, around duck blinds, treetops and logs to draw strikes. Don’t be surprised if you hook up with a fat largemouth or slab crappie either. Great places to fish for bream and pickerel in the early fall include Chickahominy River tributaries, sloughs off the Rappahannock above Port Royal, and the little rivers such as the Mattaponi or Pamunkey headwaters. Don’t overlook beaver swamps either. The coloration of the fish at this time of year is amazing, so take a camera and a long stringer!

Southern Piedmont

Our nod this year for an October fishing trip in the Southern Piedmont would have to go to the James River from Lick Run to Richmond for smallmouth bass. Dan Wilson, one of the fisheries biologists in the region, noted that until the water temperatures hit the upper 40s, the bite is very good. Above Lynchburg, the fishery was slightly affected by the fish kill, but the fish kills have not affected fishing below Lynchburg. Action is very good with fish up to 16 inches being common with a few larger than that in the river too.

Tube jigs, crankbaits and live bait, such as crayfish, are particularly effective. Fish eddies behind rocks just below riffles and sunny spots and deeper water on cooler days. Make longer casts to avoid spooking fish. If we don’t have much rain during the late summer, the water levels may be low, so keep that in mind.

Once November rolls around, anglers should consider taking a day off from hunting deer or small game and hit Smith Mountain Lake for striped bass. Wilson commented that the population is good with numbers of fish in the 10- to 15-pound range. The average striper caught at Smith Mountain is between 25 and 27 inches. The stripers take advantage of the shad population at Smith Mountain, so any lure that imitates a shad or even a live shad free-lined is a good bet for fishing at Smith Mountain.

Mike Snead operates The Virginia Outdoorsman a few miles from Smith Mountain Lake. Snead pointed out that the striper location and bite is very dependent on the water temperature. Once the water temperature dips below 50 degrees, the alewives go deep and the stripers go with them. At that point, umbrella rigs are the best bet or ¾-ounce jigs with flukes. Hopkins spoons and Kastmaster spoons will do the job too. Use your fish finder to find bait.

If the water temperature is warmer, the fish will be scattered in the uplake or midlake area in the shallower water. Look for birds and breaking fish near points and creek mouths. Topwater action can be crazy when the fish are feeding, so keep a rod rigged for topwater.

Shad colors, pearl and light blue seem to work very well for all rigs and lures. For up-to-date fishing conditions, give Snead a call or stop by his shop, which is just off Rt. 122, 3 1/2 miles from Hales Bridge and the public ramp.

Southern Mountain

The beauty of the Southern Mountain Region of Virginia in the months of September and October is only surpassed if you have a bent rod and a large fish on the line at Laurel Bed Lake in Russell County. Smallmouth bass and trout are king during the early fall on this water.

Tom Hampton, fisheries biologist for the area, stated that topwater action for smallmouths is excellent in shallow waters late and early in the day. The larger smallmouths come inshore to feed on rockbass and sunfish. Shallow-running lures or topwater lures during these times will draw explosive strikes.

Hampton suggested that anglers fishing the daytime hours try floating or drifting a minnow or crayfish through 8 to 12 feet of water for those trophy fish in the 15- to 20-inch range. Fly-rodders and trout anglers with ultralight tackle will also be able to connect with brook or rainbow trout that begin feeding on insects on the surface during September. The bite can really turn on for trout at times, so it pays to be prepared with small spinners or spoons. Flies that work well include size 16 to 20 dry flies in dark patterns, ants, hoppers or crickets. According to Hampton, anglers will regularly encounter trout 9 to 11 inches, with some up to 20 inches.

Joe Williams, also a fisheries biologist with the VDGIF, had a great recommendation for anglers who can sneak out for a day or two during November and December. He suggested casting for muskies on the lower New River between Claytor Lake and the West Virginia line. While most anglers are used to targeting structure for fish, Williams says that the muskies, which he regularly fishes for, don’t necessarily orient themselves to structure all the time. In fact, his preferred method to catch these elusive and toothy monsters is to drift through slow, deep pools dragging a live sucker, casting an 8- to 10-inch-long Suick Jerkbait or Shallow Raider or trolling those same lures. Liver suckers are particularly effective in colder water.

Williams noted that just about every pool on the New has muskies in it and anglers can enjoy great muskie fishing not far from popular put-ins up and down the river these days. Anglers are encouraged to consider catch-and-release fishing for these game fish to preserve what is turning out to be an outstanding fishery. Be sure you have a stout rod to handle their muscle and sizzling runs. A 42-inch fish is a handful, and it is not unusual to hook up with one that large!

Northern Mountain

The Northern Mountain Region has very little pressure come fall, which makes it a great time to be on the water. Not only is the fall foliage beautiful, but the fishing can be outstanding.

In September and October, dry weather really cuts down on stream and river flows. Steve Reeser, fisheries biologist, shared a secret with me about some of the great fishing he discovered one fall day. After a decent rainstorm, he quickly hiked to a mountain stream and began fishing for the native brookies. The rainstorm briefly filled the streams and turned the fish on. These streams coming out of the Shenandoah National Park and the George Washington National Forest have decent numbers of brook trout at 7 to 8 inches, but Reeser caught some fish 9 to 10 inches in length. The key was to be stealthy, make pinpoint casts and go immediately after a good rain.

A second trout fishery that often gets overlooked is four mountain reservoirs. Skidmore (118 acres and 120 feet deep), Lexington (22 acres), Mils (14 acres), and Coles reservoirs (11 acres) all are stocked annually with brook trout. Reeser explained that the fish grow very quickly from 11 inches to what some consider a trophy fish at 17 inches. This occurs in two years.

“These fish are not only beautiful with full coloration and look native, but they will readily hit once you find the fish,” Reeser explained.

Because brook trout and brown trout spawn in the fall, it may be a good idea to find creeks that dump into these reservoirs. Trout will head up to these waters after a rain to spawn. Because there is not a lot of food other than crayfish in the reservoirs, the trout will eat whatever they can find.

Another tip that Reeser shared was that the fish will congregate in the cooler water levels. Find the area where the fish are and stick with it, as more fish are very likely to be in the same spot.

Anglers can use a boat on Skidmore, so trolling is an option. However, the other three reservoirs require anglers to hike in; so unless an angler wants to carry a kayak or canoe, the fishing will be from the bank. Popular baits include PowerBait, spinners, mealworms and minnows.

Northern Piedmont

In the foothills of the Blue Ridge many anglers are thinking about floating the upper Rappahannock for smallmouths (see September 2008 issue), which is certainly a great choice for an early fall outing. However, there is one really hot trip that will make a day off work in September or October a real bonanza.

The tidal Potomac River from Fairview Beach up to the Quantico area is incredibly productive for largemouth bass. Local tournament bass angler Jason Sanders hits the river every chance he gets. He tells us that the grassbeds along the river edge or even the creeks such as Aquia are incredible for bass angling during early fall. Once the water temperatures begin to drop back into the 70s, he ties on a white buzzbait and burns it over the grass, or he fishes the edges with a shad-colored crankbait. Spinnerbaits in white are very effective too. One of his go-to spots is the Arkandale Flats, which is a local name for the miles of grassbeds that stretch from south of Quantico to Aquia Creek. A Mann’s Hardnose Swim Toad is an effective bait to drop into pockets of the grass.

Sanders told us that he often has 50-fish days with most of the bass averaging 2 to 3 pounds, but it is not uncommon to boat a fish upward of 6 pounds either.

There are a number of private launch facilities on Aquia Creek. Leesylvania has a ramp too.

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  • Home
  • Lake Fishing Reports
    • Back Bay
    • Briery Creek & Sandy River Reservoirs
    • Buggs Island Lake
    • Burke Lake
    • Chickahominy Lake
    • Claytor Lake
    • Diascund Reservoir
    • Farm Ponds
    • Lake Anna
    • Lake Chesdin
    • Lake Frederick
    • Lake Gaston
    • Leesville Lake
    • Lake Moomaw
    • Little Creek Reservoir
    • Occoquan Reservoir
    • Philpott Lake
    • Smith Mountain Lake
    • South Holsten Reservoir
    • Suffolk Lakes
    • Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Reports
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    • Miscellaneous Lake Reports
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    • Chickahominy River
    • Holsten River, South Fork
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    • James River
    • Mattaponi / Pamunkey Rivers
    • Mossy Creek
    • New River
    • Occoquan River
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  • Upcoming Tournaments
    • Buggs Island Lake Tournaments
    • Chickahominy River Tournaments
    • Lake Gaston Tournaments
    • Smith Mountain Lake Tournaments
    • Miscellaneous Tournaments
    • Saltwater Tournaments
  • VDGIF Reports
    • 2017 Virginia Rivers and Smallmouth Bass Report
    • 2017/18 Tidal Bass Report
    • Virginia Reservoirs Ranked for Largemouth Bass Report
    • 2017/18 Tidal Blue Catfish Report
  • Virginia Fish
  • Where to Fish - Virginia Lakes
  • Where to Fish - Virginia Rivers & Streams
  • Virginia's Trophy Fish
  • Virginia State Record Fish
  • Virginia Fisherman Identification Program (FIP)
  • Virginia General Fishing Library
    • Virginia Fish Consumption advisories
    • Northern Snakehead Information
    • World Record Snakehead
    • Virginia’s Best Freshwater Fall Fishing
    • Virginia’s Top Lakes
    • 13 Local Fishing Spots in Virginia's Blue Ridge
    • 2018 Virginia Fishing Calendar
    • Didymo (Invasive Freshwater Algae) in Virginia
    • 2017 Virginia Impoundment Report
    • 16 Amazing Spots to Fish in Virginia
    • Virginia's Baitfish
    • Virginia Trophy Size Fish Chart
  • Virginia Bass Fishing Library
    • 2018 Virginia Largemouth Bass Fishing Forecast
    • The best smallmouth bass streams in Virginia
    • 2017 Top Places for Bass Fishing in Virginia
    • Aggressive Techniques for Virginia River Smallmouths
    • Virginia Reservoirs Ranked for Largemouth Bass Fishing
    • 2017 Tidal Bass Outlook
    • Where to Catch Virginia's Trophy Largemouth Bass
    • 2017 Top Virginia Bass Fishing Spots
    • Virginia Smallmouth Bass Rivers Overview Report
    • Largemouth Bass Virus in Virginia
    • Virginia Bass Fishing
    • 2017 Annual Virginia Rivers and Smallmouth Bass Fishing Outlook
    • Fishing The Shenandoah River
    • Fly Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in September and October on the Shenandoah River
  • Virginia Striped Bass Fishing Library
    • Striper Mafia Tournament Series Returns
    • Parasites Remain in Smith Mountain Lake Striped Bass
    • Striped Bass Age - Length - Weight Chart
    • Smith Mountain Lake striped bass fishery in decline
    • Big stripers reach 20-year high at Smith Mountain Lake
    • Lake Gaston Striped Bass Fishing
    • Hit Lake Gaston for Winter Stripers
    • Lake Anna Striped Bass Fishing
    • Lake Anna Gains a New Species
    • Striped Bass Fishing Looking Up at Kerr
    • Buggs Island Lake: Top Area Striper Water
    • Stripers Life Begins in Small Hatchery
  • Virgiinia Catfishing Library
    • New Virginia State Record Flathead Catfish
    • 2018 Virginia Catfish Forecast
    • Your Guide To Virginia’s Best Catfish Angling
    • World Record catfish caught at Buggs Island Lake
    • Big flathead catfish on the James River
    • Fishing for Catfish With Stephen Miklandric
    • Virginia's giant catfish are spreading
    • Monster blue catfish finding mixed reception
    • How did a Virginia lake produce a 143-pound catfish?
    • 2017/18 Tidal Blue Catfish Outlook
    • Real cool cats - How to catch Kerr Lake's catfish
  • Virginia Crappie Fishing Library
    • Virginia’s Best Crappie Fishing
    • Buggs Island has deep, slab crappie
    • Virginia’s best Crappie fishing waters
    • Get to Buggs Island Lake for great crappie fishing
    • Save the Crappies!
    • Kerr is king of Virginia's crappie fishing -- but it's no pushover
    • Kerr Lake Crappie Showing in Large Numbers
  • Virginia Saltwater Fishing Library
    • Best Bets for Saltwater Fishing In Virginia
    • Spadefish Virginia’s version of an Angel Fish
    • Red Drum and Black Drum on the Chesapeake Bay
    • Virginia Flounder
    • Summer Cobia fishing in Virginia Beach
    • Mahi-Mahi Fishing Off Virginia Beach
    • Chesapeake Bay Spot Fishing
    • Atlantic Swordfish Fishing Off Virginia Beach
    • Fishing Piers in Newport News, Virginia
    • Where Have All the Big Fish Gone?
    • Coastal striped bass a no-show, but that could be changing
  • Links