My first visit to Smith Mountain Lake was in 1984. My wife Sharon and our two children came to visit an old friend and colleague Ron Curtis and his wife. At the time we were looking for a camper for family vacations. After several trips to the lake the property next door to our friends came up for sale and we ended up with a 14X64 house trailer instead of a camper in 1986. For the next ten years we were frequent visitors to the lake for fishing, hunting and general family fun on the water.
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(Click the "Read More" link to the right for the rest of the article)
With our children gone from home Sharon and I decided to make the lake home and moved here in 1996. We built our home on Witchers Creek where we live today. Before we moved to the lake my neighbor had become involved with the newly formed Smith Mountain Striper Club. It was not long before he convinced me to join the club. At that time the club was in a battle with VDGIF over the management of the striper fishery at SML. The striper fishery was declining at a rapid rate and the club board was battling for some say over the management of the fishery as they viewed VDGIF as attempting to remove stripers from the lake.
At that time the board had established two new committees to work with VDGIF. The first was the Preservation Committee. Its charter then as it is now was to work with VDGIF to establish a joint management plan for the lake. The second committee was the field operations committee. Its charter was to find and establish 15 new stocking locations around the lake. This was my first challenge with the club. Six of us volunteered and I was appointed as chairman.
After serving as chairman of the Field Operation Committee for one year the board asked me to serve as chairman of the Preservation Committee and at the same time I joined the board as 1st Vice President. I served as 1st Vice President until 2005. In 2006 I took over as President and served in that capacity until 2008. After 10 years I decided it was time to stop managing and fish.
At that time the board had established two new committees to work with VDGIF. The first was the Preservation Committee. Its charter then as it is now was to work with VDGIF to establish a joint management plan for the lake. The second committee was the field operations committee. Its charter was to find and establish 15 new stocking locations around the lake. This was my first challenge with the club. Six of us volunteered and I was appointed as chairman.
After serving as chairman of the Field Operation Committee for one year the board asked me to serve as chairman of the Preservation Committee and at the same time I joined the board as 1st Vice President. I served as 1st Vice President until 2005. In 2006 I took over as President and served in that capacity until 2008. After 10 years I decided it was time to stop managing and fish.
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Over the years I have certainly caught my fair share of stripers. I have 17 citations under my belt, with the largest being 31 lbs. 6 oz. I fish all year round, but I have to say the spring is the most exciting for me. There is nothing like finding breaking fish, especially if you can get into them by yourself. Some fishermen have a particular style - for me it is whatever works today; artificial, live - makes no difference to me, I like them all. It just has to make my drag scream and my rod bend. Since I live in Witchers Creek I fish primarily from the S curves to the Dam on the Roanoke or Christmas Tree Island to the Dam on the Blackwater side. I fish from a 19 ft. center console and love it. To me it is the best platform for the lake.
Unfortunately, I still have to work for a living, so when I am not hunting or fishing I am either working or thinking about fishing and hunting.
Unfortunately, I still have to work for a living, so when I am not hunting or fishing I am either working or thinking about fishing and hunting.
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