
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 29, 1990                   TAG: 9006300485
SECTION: SMITH MOUNTAIN TIMES                    PAGE: SMT-2   EDITION: BEDFORD
SOURCE: Bill Cochran
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FISHING REPORT

Smith Mountain Lake has fallen from grace as the top producer of trophy muskie catches in Virginia, but the 20,000-acre impoundment still turns out one of the long-jawed fish from time to time.

Like the other day when Scott Alford of Salem weighed a 22 1/2-pounder at Camper's Paradise. The fish was just under 50-inches in length, and the people at Camper's Paradise said it looked like an alligator.

After dominating the state's trophy muskie catches in the '70s, Smith Mountain lost ground to the New and James rivers through the '80s. Last year it produced 14 muskie citations, second to the New River.

While the major attraction at the lake this week is bass fishing and the prestigious Wrangler/B.A.S.S. National Championship, striped bass have been producing some of the best catches.

Many of the fish weigh 20 pounds or better and often are being hooked on shad or Red Fin plugs, according to reports from Camper's Paradise and Magnum Point Marina.

One of the largest stripers was a 26-pound, 2-ounce trophy landed by Joe Staley of Liberty, N.C. Stripers weighing 22 pounds were caught by Fred Jamison of Raonoke, Jim Lynch of Moneta and Ray Nichols of Rocky Mount. -

by CNB