Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 5, 1992 TAG: 9203050047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: OUTDOORS LENGTH: Medium
It is March. The changing water temperatures, the growing length of the days and the urge to spawn can do things to mess up the mind of a bass. March can be pretty confusing for fishermen, too.
The Smith Mountain Bassmasters were having a warm-up tournament the other day, something like spring training for the real tournament season.
It was a windy day - are there any other kind in March? - so most of the contestants pointed the spear-shaped bow of their bass boat into the coves. But when they hit muddy water, they turned back.
All but Ralph Jones and Gary Swain. They kept on plugging, tossing crankbaits, like the Shad Rap, into the coffee-colored water. Their 15-pound catch won the tournament.
\ The report that it took 40 pounds of bass to win a recent tournament at Kerr Lake has sent large numbers of fishermen to the 50,000-acre Southside impoundment. Some have enjoyed excellent success; however, a good case can be made for designating the crappie as the lake's featured species.
Several citation-size crappie have been landed this week, but will the season be as impressive as last year when 161 citations were reported?
One favorable fact, the lake level is 299 feet, which means the water isn't flooding the shoreline willows. When the lake isn't high the crappie tend to concentrate, making it easier for fishermen to find them.
The top month last year, by the way, was March, with 60 citations.
\ If you harbor any hope of smashing the striped bass state record, now is the time to do it, while these fish are carrying a heavy cargo of eggs.
The place to get the job done is Smith Mountain and Leesville lakes. Smith Mountain produces the largest number of citations - by far - but fishermen aren't overlooking the fact that the past two seasons the largest catches have come from Leesville.
The trend continues. Terrell Reynolds of Rustburg weighed a 30-pound Smith Mountain striper, one of the best of the young season. But a 37-pound Leesville catch for Dewey Jones of Pamplin topped it. Both were caught on a Red Fin plug.
A 37-pound striper is a whale of a fish, but well off the 42-pound, 6-ounce state record landed at Smith Mountain May 3, 1988.
\ If you are planning a fishing trip, here are some things you need to know:
Most of the major streams remain a tad cold, high and discolored. That includes the James and New.
After languishing on the low side for many months, Carvins Cove now is only about 4 feet below full pool, which means boats can be launched without major problems.
Briery Creek Lake, where all those Florida bass were stocked, has been something of a disappointment for many bass anglers, but not for Steve Gibson of Gretna. He used a jig to catch a 7 1/2-pound largemouth, believed to be the biggest of the season for Briery.
Briery Creek remains 3 to 4 feet low, following a drawdown to construct a new boat ramp, but, with care, boats can be launched.
Philpott Lake has been living up to its reputation as an early starter. Anglers have been reporting rapidly improving results for largemouth and smallmouth bass.
If you do some searching at Gaston Lake, you can find coves where the water temperature has climbed to 50 degrees. Kenneth Cullom and Ricky Todd of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., landed six bass the other day, the two best weighing 7\ and 6 1/2 pounds.
Top lures include white or chartreuse spinnerbaits with big blades and shad-colored diving lures such as the Hot Spot and Rattletrap.
One of the power units is off-line at Lake Anna, which results in less water movement. Local fishermen say that is hurting striper fishing, but largemouth catches aren't bad. Several bass just past the 5-pound mark have been caught.
by CNB