Smith Mtn Lake Spring report #2

[CatsNstripers]

This Spring has been good and man i've heard of alot of nice striper's caught here in Smith Mtn lake. The lake has really been putting out some nice fish. With the average fish at 12-13lbs. We've boated ALOT of 14-16lbs fish and several 17+lb fish all the way up to the largest fish to hit the floor of my boat this spring that pulled my boga grips right down to the 30lb Mark. and as aslways. There's always a few monster's that out played us and left us heart broken..

Most of the fish in my boat has came from Freelined planer boards with large to monster size gizzard shad. Dont be afraid to pull those shad that look like they can whoop up a crappie and take his spots. Pulling Planer boards and float's over shallow water and all the way up to the bank.

These past 2 weeks the fish fish are getting ready to spawn. And the live bait bite has been went down slowly. Pulling live bait until 9am has only been landing me a few fish. By 9:30 i've deployed the anchors and went to Cutbait which has paid the bills big time. Thats how we got the 30lber. I'm cutbait gizzard shad and alewives. Casting out in the same water i would pull planer boards over. Not really staying in and area no longer than an hour with slow action. Of coarse, we're boating some bruiser channel cats and a handful of flatheads.

The artifical bite was good this spring. and Catching a slue as well. But for some reason the fish over 10lbs didnt want to bite on an artifical. Mostly casting, flukes, swamp monkeys, rattletraps. and shallow running plugs such as rebel fast tracs and bomber long A's.

Right now, the Nite Bite is hot. Producing ALOT of fish for some folks. Some reports i've heard of 40-50fish in one night. Casting, flukes, thundersticks and Rapala F18's.

ALL my fish over 10lbs was RELEASED

Heres a few pics...

[CatsNstripers]

A few More

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[CatsNstripers]

few more again

[CJ21]

Nice Striped Bass.

[JimmyJonny]

Lots of nice fish yer getting. I need to fish for them more often but lately the cats have been doing well so I haven't pulled baits much. Our fish too are slap off the shore still. I took some 2-3" bream on planers last week and the stripers loved them. Of course I only had 2 bream at that time and when they were gone I couldn't find anymore : (

Thanks for the reports and pics,,,wel done.

-Jim-