WE CONTINUE TO SELL FIREARMS, BUT
ARE MOVING AND THE STORE IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
WE SELL AND TRANSFER FIREARMS
BY APPOINTMENT. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEND ME
AN EMAIL AT VIRGINIAOUTDOORSMAN@GMAIL.COM
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http://www.virginiaoutdoorsman.com/content/hunting.html
OUR ADDRESS, EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER ARE UNCHANGED
Water Temperature: 45 - 49 degrees Water Clarity: Good
Our weather over the next several weeks is forecast to be an extension of the patterns seen over the past month. We will continue to see periods of cold temperatures followed by days when things warm up during the day. We are expecting high temperatures to be in the 50’s over the next ten days and low temperatures are not expected to drop below freezing. There will be continued frontal activity which will result in several days of sunny to partly cloudy skies followed by periods of overcast skies and rain. The lake surface temperature is currently running in the mid to upper 40’s and, considering the current weather forecast, I would expect both water temperatures and fish patterns to remain relatively stable over the next several weeks.
Currently the
water clarity and visibility in the lake is good, but with several days of
heavy rain in the forecast that could change if run off brings muddy water into
the upper lake and backs of the major creeks. The lake is currently at full
pond and all ramps are operational. While it is currently dark at night, we
will have increasing amounts of moonlight over the next several weeks. There
was a new moon this past Monday, January 23rd and there will be a first quarter moon on January 31st and a full moon on
February 7th.
Overall fishing
on the lake continues to be good and the mild weather has many anglers out
enjoying it. Bass fishing is no exception. Local reports and recent tournament
results indicate good numbers and quality bass are being caught. When largemouth are found feeding on shad, a
variety of baitfish imitating lures
including crankbaits, swimbaits, heavy spinner baits and flukes are
being used successfully. While many bass are still being found in relatively
shallow water where crankbaits and lightweight jigs are working, a number are
also being found off the sides of points and humps. Deep diving suspending
jerkbaits and drop shot rigged plastics are both good choices on points. The
jerkbait bite should continue and might even improve as the water temperature
drops. Carolina rigged plastics are also working on points and the edges of
natural creek channels. Bass found deep near natural rock are also being caught
on ½ and ¾ ounce football head pig and jigs. Deep water bass are also being
caught by anglers vertically jigging with Hopkins, Kastmaster and Berry jigging
spoons.
The Winter Weekend Bass
Tournament Series is being held every Saturday morning at the State Park boat
ramp from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. This popular series is currently scheduled to
continue through the second weekend in February. This past weekend the team of
Danny and Trevor Towe won the event with total weight of 19 lbs. 3 oz. They
also claimed big fish honors with a bass weighing 4 lb. 7 oz. Tournament
Director Phillip VanDerVeer teamed up with Chris Lucas to take second place
honors with a total weight of 17 lb. 13 oz. Third place in this past Saturday’s
tournament went to the team of James Jordan and Douglas Eubanks when they
brought a total weight of 8 lb. 5oz. to the scale. The team of Jim McCullough and Ronnie
Lemons won the previous week’s tournament with a total weight of 21 lbs. 9 oz.
The team of Travis Towe and Danny Towe took second place honors in this event
with a total weight of 18 lbs. Mark McFadden and Matt Kluender teamed up to
bring a bag weighing 12 lb. 12 oz. to the scale and earn third place in this
tournament while Danny Moles of Vinton caught the tournament lunker, a
beautiful largemouth bass that weighed 5 lbs. 12 oz. If you desire more
information about this series, I encourage you to contact Tournament Director
Phillip VanDerveer by email (bassin0125@gmail.com) or by stopping by his business, Jiffy Automotive Service
(540-344-7281) in Vinton.
Striper fishing
continues to be mixed, but most anglers who get out early are reporting success
watching and fishing around seagulls, especially in the middle and upper
sections of the lake. Seagulls are one of the best fish finders around the lake
this time of year. When you see a concentration of gulls diving and picking up
bait on the surface of the water, you can be sure there are feeding fish
somewhere nearby or below them. While several anglers report catching striped
bass very early in the morning using bucktails and flukes rigged on
belly-weighted hooks and lightweight jigheads in the backs of creeks, most
report catching stripers in the main channel. When seagulls are actively
feeding and plucking injured baitfish off the surface of the lake, many use a
3/8 or ½ ounce jighead to cast, countdown and retrieve a fluke, small swimbait
or curl tail grub.
As the sun moves
overhead, many of the stripers will be found deeper in the water column.
Currently, schools of striped bass are being found above Gills Creek on the
Blackwater side and between the Hales Ford and Hardy Bridges on the Roanoke
River. Once the stripers move deep, vertically jigging a spoon or a fluke
rigged on a ½ or ¾ ounce jighead is a productive technique. The heavier jighead
allows you to get your fluke down to the schooled stripers faster and the extra
weight also helps keep your lure below the boat when it is moving with either a
trolling motor or a little wind. During the day stripers are currently being
found in large schools anywhere from 20 to more than 50 feet deep. These fish
are easily identified and both they and lures can be readily seen using decent
electronics. Most who vertically jig use their fish finder to not only locate
fish, but also to monitor and control the depth, placement and action of their
lures. Vertically jigging a small umbrella rig can also be very productive,
especially for stripers that just refuse to hit a spoon or fluke. White perch
are also being caught by anglers vertically jigging for stripers. Stripers are
being caught at night, but based on several reports the normal night bite has
been slow so far this year. While night anglers are catching a few stripers
casting and retrieving diving jerkbaits, bucktails and flukes up along the
shoreline, many say their best results are coming around security and dock
lights.
Live bait is, as
always, a good choice for striped bass. Early and late in the day presenting a
nose hooked shad on shot and light down lines under floats is working. Once the
sun moves overhead and stripers move deep, most fishing with live bait report
success using alewives rigged on downlines. Many are finding schools of
stripers 25 to 50 feet below the surface just like those fishing with
artificials. If you are fishing with live bait and are having trouble getting
bites, try reducing the size of your bait and tackle. In the winter, downsizing
your tackle and slowing down the presentation can make a difference. Try using
a size 1 or 2 hook, lighter fluorocarbon leader and even lighter main line.
Crappie fishing
continues to be good. Those fishing for crappies report they are finding good
numbers around and under deep water docks and the tops of submerged deep water
structure and timber. Small crappie jigs, Popeye jigs and tiny spoons are the
lures of choice for crappies although I’m sure small crappie minnows will also
work if you can find them this time of year.
When the water
temperature is this cold, hypothermia is a real danger. In addition to the risk
of heat loss should someone fall into the lake, a person who falls into cold
water without a life jacket may inhale while under water (involuntary gasping
reflex) and drown without returning to the surface. It is a good idea to wear a
life jacket or inflatable life vest anytime you are on the water in the winter
and to carry a spare set of oversize dry clothing in the event you or someone
else gets soaking wet while out in the cold.
The Virginia Outdoorsman store remains closed, but we continue to sell and transfer firearms on a special appointment basis. If you are interested in transferring, buying or having us sell your firearm on consignment, just go to http://www.virginiaoutdoorsman.com/content/hunting.html. You will find information about our firearm related services there and how you can gain access to a huge inventory of guns that we have available for sale online. If you need additional information or want to have me sell a firearm for you, just send me a detailed email at virginiaoutdoorsman@gmail.com.
Tight lines and enjoy a safe winter.
http://www.virginiaoutdoorsman.com/index.htm
Mike Snead http://www.virginiaoutdoorsman.com (540) 721-4867
40 Village Springs Drive, Hardy VA 24101
In Westlake
Directly Across From Wendy’s On Rte 122
(About 3.5 Miles South Of the Hales Ford Bridge)