I grew up in Fair Haven and fished the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers. Also worked Sandy Hook area and would periodically go a few miles offshore to the humps and mudhole. Great fishery

My problem is I am out of here for 2 weeks beginning Sunday!

Fishing at SML has been challenging this winter/spring as the weather has been all over the place.

Finally a breakthrough with a Small Largemouth.

Yep!

Was going fishing Saturday morning, but forecasters changed weather forecast to 1/4 inch of ice. Changed gears and headed home before being caught in potential adverse weather (which never happened).

Great sunrise!

Welcome!

I “attempt” to fish SML as my schedule permits.

Weather right now should be perfect for stripers!

JTW, I have been fishing SML since Jan 2020.

I live in Charlottesville and own a condo at The Pointe.

I get down to the condo a couple of long weekends a month and in both spring and fall spend at least a week on site.

I am a member of the Smith Mountain Lake Striper Club. We are an organization that helps each other learn about how to fish the lake for stripers while also working alongside DWR to protect this valuable fishery and educate its fishing community.

I am more than happy to share the few tips I have picked up over the past couple of years; however, a guide may be more valuable. I only fish artificial bait at this time.

My hope is by next spring or fall to attempt to fly fish for stripers as I used to do when I lived in NJ 45 years ago with home tied flies.

Let me know

Bob Forsyth

I caught my pb striper (no not stripper! - that is a different web page)on SML this AM. It’s length was about 26 inches. It weighed in at 5.5 lbs

I may have to get a selfie extender in order to get better pix of larger fish!

BTW, striper released unharmed!

Back in the day, I used plenty of white and red tied to a jig head with a silver foil coated hook. This was used as my bucktail fly/jig to striper fish in NJ.

I also made streamers using similar material on hook.

Natural hair was used in my dry flies.

My concern is my eyes are not what they used to be, but I will give it my best shot!

Over the winter, I hope to return to fly tying, after 45 years and attempt to fly fish the bass on SML

The morning started off cold, but the day and bite both warmed up nicely!

I caught this largemouth today at Smith Mountain Lake. My 50 year old scale said it was 3lbs. At 19 inches and fat, I believe the bass felt like it was plus 4 pounds. Time to replace old scale with something new and hopefully more accurate.

The bass was released safely.

I read over the weekend that large bluefin tuna were in the mouth of Shark River Inlet and along the Monmouth County shore line.

Odds on favorite you hooked a tuna. Especially if you spooled really fast.

Tunas typically hit and run. Sharks also run, but nothing like a tuna.

Just my thoughts.

Sounds like a lot of fun and a wonderful story for life! And you got to create that memory with your daughter! How wonderful!!

Tight lines my friend!

It was the air that was cold!

2 lbs catch and release

My guide had a funky home made tied fly made out of shammy cloth. It looked like a worm or nymph.