Upcoming Meetings & Events
2016 Meeting & Events
May Club Meeting - 5/5/17
Topics TBD
June Club Meeting - 6/2/17
Topics TBD
July Club Meeting - 7/7/17
Topics TBD
August Club Meeting - 8/4/17
Topics TBD
September Club Meeting - 9/1/17
Topics TBD
October Club Meeting - 10/6/17
Topics TBD
November Club Meeting - 11/3/17
Topics TBD
Christmas Party - 12/1/17
Info TBD
Past Meetings & Events
2017 Meetin & Events
January Club Meeting - 1/6/17
We'll cover the Annual report info that we missed in November, discuss latest fishing reports and talk abotu plans for 2017
February Club Meeting - 2/3/17
We talked about late-winter fishing & techniques to apply in the months ahead.
March Club Meeting - 3/3/17
Dan Wilson from DGIF provided an update on the fishery for us.
April Club Meeting - 4/7/17
Swap Meet & Hot-Dog Night
2016 Meeting & Events
January Club Meeting - 1/8/16
Note the "off" date - being the 2nd Friday in January due to the 1st Friday being on a holiday. Shannon Smith from DGIF will be with us to share some interesting stories "from the field" with respect to enforcement on the waters - as well as discuss how we an work together to make SML a safer place.
February Club Meeting - 2/5/16
Working to put together some mini-sessions - but a couple of things planned are a reel-spooling station along with a station discussing aspects for cleaning & servicing your reels.
March Club Meeting - 3/4/16
March features our annual "Swap Meet" - bring any fishing our outdoors items which you would like to sell - no weapons or ammo please. Also, Dan Wilson, biologist for DGIF, will provide an update on the fishery based on the latest data compiled from bait shocking, gill netting & angler diary results.
April Club Meeting - 4/1/16
Steve Nagle along with several other members led a discussion on Spring top-water fishing for stripers.
May Club Meeting - 5/6/16
After enjoying a hot-dog dinner while getting the latest fishing reports, we stretched our legs a little in May with Cast-net demonstrations & a casting competition (rod/reel) with some prizes.
June Club Meeting - 6/3/16
David Cepelnik from the State Police Dive & Rescue team will spoke with us about their activities around the lake. We'll also got the latest reports on fishing and confirm details for the Club Member/Guest "Fun in the Sun" outing on 6/18
Bedford Youth Fishing Clinic- 6/4/16
The SMSC will contined our tradition of volunteering at the Bedford Youth Fishing Clinic by preparing & serving lunch at the State Park Discovery Center.
Member/Guest "Fun in the Sun" Outing - 6/18/16
We will held a Member/Guest style tournament on Saturday, June 4th with weigh-in and hot-dog lunch at Crazy Horse Marina. almost 30 members & guest participated.
July Meeting - 7/1/16
Fish Fry! No stomach left empty!
August Club Meeting - 8/5/16
We discussed tricks for engaging our children and grandchildren in fishing - how to get them involved and keep them interested - planting the seed for the next generation. We'll discussed late-summer fishing techniques, tactics & locations.
September Club Meeting - 9/2/16
Mike Ward gave a presentation on how to learn what your sonar is showing you - and other tips & tricks for getting the most from your electronics.
October Club Meeting - 10/7/16
Fall Fishing - we discussed various techniques for approaching Fall fishing on SML.
November Club Meeting - 11/4/16
Chili Night & Club Annual Report & Election of Board Members / Capt Kathy also joined us to share some tips & techniques.
2015 Meeting & Events
January Meeting
Jerry Hale came by to share with us the events being planned for the 50th Anniversary of Smith Mountain Lake which occurs in 2016, and talk about how we can get involved. We also discussed the direction for 2015 for the Club, kicked off some "old is new again" things like the fish ladder, and talked about how we can all get more directly involved in Club events & meetings. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
February Club Meeting - 2/6/15
Making & Tweaking Artificial Lures - Three "stations" demonstrated how various types of artificial lures are made - pouring jig-heads, tying bucktails & flies, and tweaking store-bought lures to improve their performance. Thanks to Greg & Stephen Bartnett, Steve Nagel & Mike Snead for their informative demonstrations. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
March Club Meeting - 3/6/15
March was our annual Swap Meet & Hot Dog supper. We will also had Dan Wilson, DGIF Biologist, on-hand to present an update on the state of the Striper fishery at SML as well as Sgt. Karl Martin, Conservation Police Officer, which share with us their plans for 2015 related to conservation enforcement activities at Smith Mountain Lake. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
April Club Meeting - 4/3/15
Main Topic - "Think like a Striper" - Marshall Harris shared some in-depth learnings on why, how and where stripers live & feed - along with many useful tips that will help you catch more fish. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
May Club Meeting - 5/1/15
In May are featured some outdoor demos - Cast Netting & Fish Filleting. Of course we talked fishing and Pat Massa from the SML Water Safety Council will be joined us to speak about water & boating safety. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake (Lake Clean-up Day) - 5/2/15
Members staffed the Indian Pointe pick-up site, as well as manned a collection boat, to help out in this annual event. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
Freedom Alliance Event - May 14th & 15th
For the 5th year, the SMSC hosted a group of recovering veterans for a few days of Striper Fishing at SML. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
June Club Meeting - 6/5/15
Artificial trolling for striped bass. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
SMSC Member Fishing Outing & Cook-Out - 6/13/15
We hosted a Member outing on Saturday, June 13th with some fun competition, followed by a cook-out & fellow-ship at the 4H Picnic Pavilion in the early afternoon. Congrats to the winners & thanks to all that participated
Bedford Youth Day - June
Volunteers assisted with cooking lunch for the participants in the annual Bedford Youth Day at the Smith Mountain State Park. Thanks to Marshall Harris and all that came out to help.
July Club Meeting & Fish Fry - July 10th
Fish Fry!!!!! Come out and enjoy some great striper & socialize with other members. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
Striper Club Boat Show - July 11th
We again held our Striper Club In-Water Boat Show - checking out other member's boats and get rigging tips and talk a little fishing. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
August Club Meeting - 8/7/15
Our main topic was Summer-time fishing - discussing tactics & locations.Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Club Meeting - 9/4/15
In September we had a preenttion from Mike Ward on interpreting Sonar. We will also discussed pre-Fall striper fishing tactics with cooler weather will be just ahead.
October Club Meeting - 10/2/15
In October, Dewayne Lamb came and spoke to the Club about fishing for striped bass at the Chesapeake Bay. This was a very informative presentation in which we learned how many of the techniques we use at SML carry over to the salty water.
November Club Meeting - 11/6/15
In November we had the Annual Treasurer, Membership & Presidents reports, elected Board members and enjoyed a warm bowl of chili.
Club Christmas Party - 12/4/15
We had a great time at the Christmas Party this year! If you missed it then you missed a great opportunity to socialize with other members and their significant others - hope you can make it next year!
January Club Meeting - 1/6/17
We'll cover the Annual report info that we missed in November, discuss latest fishing reports and talk abotu plans for 2017
February Club Meeting - 2/3/17
We talked about late-winter fishing & techniques to apply in the months ahead.
March Club Meeting - 3/3/17
Dan Wilson from DGIF provided an update on the fishery for us.
April Club Meeting - 4/7/17
Swap Meet & Hot-Dog Night
2016 Meeting & Events
January Club Meeting - 1/8/16
Note the "off" date - being the 2nd Friday in January due to the 1st Friday being on a holiday. Shannon Smith from DGIF will be with us to share some interesting stories "from the field" with respect to enforcement on the waters - as well as discuss how we an work together to make SML a safer place.
February Club Meeting - 2/5/16
Working to put together some mini-sessions - but a couple of things planned are a reel-spooling station along with a station discussing aspects for cleaning & servicing your reels.
March Club Meeting - 3/4/16
March features our annual "Swap Meet" - bring any fishing our outdoors items which you would like to sell - no weapons or ammo please. Also, Dan Wilson, biologist for DGIF, will provide an update on the fishery based on the latest data compiled from bait shocking, gill netting & angler diary results.
April Club Meeting - 4/1/16
Steve Nagle along with several other members led a discussion on Spring top-water fishing for stripers.
May Club Meeting - 5/6/16
After enjoying a hot-dog dinner while getting the latest fishing reports, we stretched our legs a little in May with Cast-net demonstrations & a casting competition (rod/reel) with some prizes.
June Club Meeting - 6/3/16
David Cepelnik from the State Police Dive & Rescue team will spoke with us about their activities around the lake. We'll also got the latest reports on fishing and confirm details for the Club Member/Guest "Fun in the Sun" outing on 6/18
Bedford Youth Fishing Clinic- 6/4/16
The SMSC will contined our tradition of volunteering at the Bedford Youth Fishing Clinic by preparing & serving lunch at the State Park Discovery Center.
Member/Guest "Fun in the Sun" Outing - 6/18/16
We will held a Member/Guest style tournament on Saturday, June 4th with weigh-in and hot-dog lunch at Crazy Horse Marina. almost 30 members & guest participated.
July Meeting - 7/1/16
Fish Fry! No stomach left empty!
August Club Meeting - 8/5/16
We discussed tricks for engaging our children and grandchildren in fishing - how to get them involved and keep them interested - planting the seed for the next generation. We'll discussed late-summer fishing techniques, tactics & locations.
September Club Meeting - 9/2/16
Mike Ward gave a presentation on how to learn what your sonar is showing you - and other tips & tricks for getting the most from your electronics.
October Club Meeting - 10/7/16
Fall Fishing - we discussed various techniques for approaching Fall fishing on SML.
November Club Meeting - 11/4/16
Chili Night & Club Annual Report & Election of Board Members / Capt Kathy also joined us to share some tips & techniques.
2015 Meeting & Events
January Meeting
Jerry Hale came by to share with us the events being planned for the 50th Anniversary of Smith Mountain Lake which occurs in 2016, and talk about how we can get involved. We also discussed the direction for 2015 for the Club, kicked off some "old is new again" things like the fish ladder, and talked about how we can all get more directly involved in Club events & meetings. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
February Club Meeting - 2/6/15
Making & Tweaking Artificial Lures - Three "stations" demonstrated how various types of artificial lures are made - pouring jig-heads, tying bucktails & flies, and tweaking store-bought lures to improve their performance. Thanks to Greg & Stephen Bartnett, Steve Nagel & Mike Snead for their informative demonstrations. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
March Club Meeting - 3/6/15
March was our annual Swap Meet & Hot Dog supper. We will also had Dan Wilson, DGIF Biologist, on-hand to present an update on the state of the Striper fishery at SML as well as Sgt. Karl Martin, Conservation Police Officer, which share with us their plans for 2015 related to conservation enforcement activities at Smith Mountain Lake. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
April Club Meeting - 4/3/15
Main Topic - "Think like a Striper" - Marshall Harris shared some in-depth learnings on why, how and where stripers live & feed - along with many useful tips that will help you catch more fish. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
May Club Meeting - 5/1/15
In May are featured some outdoor demos - Cast Netting & Fish Filleting. Of course we talked fishing and Pat Massa from the SML Water Safety Council will be joined us to speak about water & boating safety. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake (Lake Clean-up Day) - 5/2/15
Members staffed the Indian Pointe pick-up site, as well as manned a collection boat, to help out in this annual event. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
Freedom Alliance Event - May 14th & 15th
For the 5th year, the SMSC hosted a group of recovering veterans for a few days of Striper Fishing at SML. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
June Club Meeting - 6/5/15
Artificial trolling for striped bass. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
SMSC Member Fishing Outing & Cook-Out - 6/13/15
We hosted a Member outing on Saturday, June 13th with some fun competition, followed by a cook-out & fellow-ship at the 4H Picnic Pavilion in the early afternoon. Congrats to the winners & thanks to all that participated
Bedford Youth Day - June
Volunteers assisted with cooking lunch for the participants in the annual Bedford Youth Day at the Smith Mountain State Park. Thanks to Marshall Harris and all that came out to help.
July Club Meeting & Fish Fry - July 10th
Fish Fry!!!!! Come out and enjoy some great striper & socialize with other members. Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
Striper Club Boat Show - July 11th
We again held our Striper Club In-Water Boat Show - checking out other member's boats and get rigging tips and talk a little fishing. Check out pictures of the event in the Gallery.
August Club Meeting - 8/7/15
Our main topic was Summer-time fishing - discussing tactics & locations.Video of the meeting can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Club Meeting - 9/4/15
In September we had a preenttion from Mike Ward on interpreting Sonar. We will also discussed pre-Fall striper fishing tactics with cooler weather will be just ahead.
October Club Meeting - 10/2/15
In October, Dewayne Lamb came and spoke to the Club about fishing for striped bass at the Chesapeake Bay. This was a very informative presentation in which we learned how many of the techniques we use at SML carry over to the salty water.
November Club Meeting - 11/6/15
In November we had the Annual Treasurer, Membership & Presidents reports, elected Board members and enjoyed a warm bowl of chili.
Club Christmas Party - 12/4/15
We had a great time at the Christmas Party this year! If you missed it then you missed a great opportunity to socialize with other members and their significant others - hope you can make it next year!
2014 Meeting & Events
December Christmas Party & Recognition Dinner
Club members enjoyed a great dinner and fellowship, and then we recognized our board members, committee chairs & participants, Club sponsors, Tournament winners and special recognition was given to Joel Janecek as outgoing Club President and to our Member of the Year - Macky May.
November Club Meeting - 11/7/14
After enjoying some chili & seafood chowder made by members, Dale Runyon from Bayside Marina & Yacht Club provided an overview on boat & motor maintenance and share a few keys to ensure you get the most years of service from your boat/motor. He highlighted the importance of using ethanol-free fuel, a good external fuel filter, and changing your water impeller every three years. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
October Club Meeting - 10/3/14
Hot-Dog Supper & Guest Speaker - Jim Nold, President of the Lake Gaston Striper Club shred share information about Lake Gaston's striper fishery, their Club and other interesting details. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Club Meeting - 9/5/14
Big Water Small Boat: Getting Started in Kayak Fishing Mark Melius discussed fishing from a kayak - sharing some of his experiences in fresh and saltwater. He showed off his personal kayak and various rigging tips & techniques. If you missed the meeting you can view a recording - Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Member/Guest Tournament - 9/12/14 & 9/13/14
See the Results here.
August Club Meeting - 8/1/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - Capt. Dale Wilson. After enjoying an excellent dinner of fried fish and assorted sides, the group enjoyed a discussion from Capt. Wilson as he shared some tips and techniques on vertical jigging for stripers during the summer months. Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
July Member/Guest Tournament - 7/11/14 & 7/12/14
See the Photo Gallery for pics of the tournament - and the Tournament Results page for outcomes.
July Club Meeting - 7/11/14 - (note the change in our usual date due to the July 4th Holiday)
Reels - Learn about all you ever wanted to know about reels from our own "The Reel Guy", Joel Janecek. Joel will talk about different reel technologies and how to maintain them to ensure they last.
In-Water Boat Show - 6/14/14
Held at the docks bedside Bridgewater Point Condo, members brought their fishing boats to show off to other members and the general community how we fish for striper. Members exchanged boat & gear rigging tips & techniques with visitors and other members. Pictures of the event can be found in the Gallery.
Bedford Youth Day - 6/7/14
Club members assisted in the annual Bedford Youth fishing day by helping to prepare lumch for the youth and their families. Check out the Gallery for pictures of the event.
June Club Meeting - 6/6/14
Where the Fish? - This meeting focused on a discussion of the seasonal patterns of stripers across SML. Bruce Brenholdt and Rick Boettcher led discussion on the use of a map for members to mark up the map with areas where they see fish at different periods of the year. We will revisit this again later in the year.
May Member/Guest Tournament - 5/16/14 & 5/17/14
We had great weather for our May Member/Guest tourney and in general the fish cooperated for us. Results can be found on the Tournament Results page. Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
SML Lake Clean-Up Day - 5/3/14
Once again the Club staffed the Indian Point collection location - lots of wood debris and other trash were collected - with the high water levels
this spring there was a good bit to be removed. Thanks to all the Club volunteers for their efforts as well as Cindy Turlington for her
coordination efforts.
May Club Meeting - 5/2/14
Using Charts to Improve Your Fishing Success - In May we had a presentation by Mike Ward on the use of charts to improve your fishing success. Topics included how to use topograpic charts or those in your fish finder to identify "fishy structure" along with a number of examples of such structure. A copy of the slides used in the meeting can be found on the Club Website as well. Bruce Brenholdt then shared some work he has done on capturing key "landmarks" on the lake into a "Google Map" that can be accessed, helping new members learn were locations such as "Tennis Courts", "S-Curves", "Three Islands" and such are located - look for more information in our next newsletter. You can download the slides used here.
Freedom Alliance Event - 4/24/14 & 4/25/14
Once again we hosted a group of recovering soliders with the Freedom Alliance group to some R&R at SML. We took the group out fishing for two days and had a great time with all the groups catching fish each day and the weather cooperating for us. Thanks to all from the Club that participated. You can check out pictures from the event in our Gallery.
April Club Meeting - 4/4/14
Home Bait Tanks - The topic for April's meeting was "Home Bait Tanks" and several members presented the setups which they have put together to keep bait at the ready at home. Several members even brought their tanks in for a hands-on show & tell. Thanks to Mark Melius, Bruce Brenholdt, Macky May, Bob Rows, Tyler Early and Mike Ward for sharing their setups. You can find a copy of the slides and some notes from the session along with a video of the meeting here.
March Member/Guest Tournament - 3/14/14 & 3/15/14
See the Tournament page for more information.
March Club Meeting - 3/7/14
Swap-Meet & Hot-Dog Supper. A number of members setup tables with gear to sell/swap with fellow Club members. We also enjoyed a hot-dog supper and time to socialize with fellow members. Thanks to Andre' Peery for going out and gathering all the materials for the dinner, as well as preparing it. Pepper Ailor from the Freedom Alliance joined us to provide an update on our upcoming Freedom Alliance event in which we will be hosting a group of soldiers for a couple of mornings of striper fishing in late April - and he presented a certificate of appreciation to the Club for our participation in last year's event.
February Club Meeting - 2/7/14
"How'd You Do It?" - the top finishers of our February Member/Guest lead a panel discussion talking about their approach to the tournament, what worked for them, what didn't, where they fished, etc. We kicked off the meeting with an "open mic" session for members to discuss what has been working / what hasn't, where, etc - an opportunity to share and learn from your fellow members with some fish chat. Not a lot of activity out there this past month from Club members - several had been out trying to jig and chase birds without a lot of success. On some warmer days pulling big shad produced a few fish - but mostly folks were taking care of their "honey-do" lists, doing boat maintenance and respooling reels to get ready for the Spring. Club members can access a video recording of the meeting here.
January Member/Guest Tournament - 1/10 & 1/11
Well, it was a wet one, but a number of Club members braved the conditions and participated. For more details see the 2014 Tournament Series results page.
January Club Meeting - 1/3/14
We kicked off the New Year with a discussion on Winter Time jigging. Many of the tips & techniques covered in Tyler Early's article in the January / February 2014 Newsletter were covered.
2013 Meetings / Events
Club Christmas Banquet - 12/6/13
Join your fellow Club members and their significant others to close out the year with our annual Christmas Banquet. We will again be holding the party at the Resurrection Catholic Church. Hors d'Oeuvres / Social Hour starts at 6pm, Dinner at 7 and presentations to follow. RSVP by Friday, November 1st.
November Member-Guest Tournament - 11/2/13
Check out more details on the Tournament Page
November Club Meeting - 11/1/13
Chili Cook-off & Board Elections
October Club Meeting - 10/4/13
Club members enjoyed a great Fish Fry while shopping for bargains at the Swap Meet. An overview of the Club Website & Discussion forums was provided. Presentations to the winners of the September Member Guest tournament were also made as well as a few "fish stories" of a few recent trips from members were shared.
September Member-Guest Tournament - 9/14/13
Check out more details on the Tournament Results Page
September Club Meeting - 9/6/13
Joel Janecek led a discussion on artificial trolling for the fall. Dan Wilson from DGIF stopped by and provided an update regarding a concern he now has about the growth rate in our striped bass population and discussed some changes to regulation that may be proposed. Mike Ward gave an update on what the Preservation Committee has been doing, working in conjunction with Dan Wilson, on this issue and the recommendations which the Club has made, which is a recommendation to "shift up" the slot limit from 26"-36" to 30"-40" in order to continue to protect our larger fish while helping to remove some of the mid-20" fish from the system which is were are are seeing growth rates slow to a crawl. The Preservation Committee is also recommending that we work with DGIF to reinstate the forage surveys and to explore the use of an alternative strain of striped bass for stocking on alternating years in the event our growth rate issue is genetic in nature.
August Club Meeting - 8/2/13
Club members enjoyed a fish fry from fish collected during our July harvest tournament - a BIG thanks to the cooks and others that helped with the preparation & serving.
Macky May then led a discussion on fishing with planer boards. A few highlights from the discussion included: Macky puts the baits about 20' back from the planer board and runs them this way year-round. He uses 25lb leader & main line and always places a bead above the swivel (that connects the main line to the leader) so that the planer board will not slide down to the hook and knock the fish loose. When running multiple boards, he will use a 3/8 oz weight on his inside board and typically pulls 0.8 - 1 mph. He also runs boards in the summer, using 2 oz weights just as he would his downline rods - just pulling slower (0.3-0.5 mph).
July Member-Guest Tournament - 7/20/13
Check out the winners & overall series standings on the Tournament Results page.
July Club Meeting - 7/12/13
Dan Wilson, our local DGIF Biologist, provided an update on a variety of topics related to the striper fishery at SML including stocking results, growth trends & information the themocline.
December Christmas Party & Recognition Dinner
Club members enjoyed a great dinner and fellowship, and then we recognized our board members, committee chairs & participants, Club sponsors, Tournament winners and special recognition was given to Joel Janecek as outgoing Club President and to our Member of the Year - Macky May.
November Club Meeting - 11/7/14
After enjoying some chili & seafood chowder made by members, Dale Runyon from Bayside Marina & Yacht Club provided an overview on boat & motor maintenance and share a few keys to ensure you get the most years of service from your boat/motor. He highlighted the importance of using ethanol-free fuel, a good external fuel filter, and changing your water impeller every three years. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
October Club Meeting - 10/3/14
Hot-Dog Supper & Guest Speaker - Jim Nold, President of the Lake Gaston Striper Club shred share information about Lake Gaston's striper fishery, their Club and other interesting details. Video of the meeting & a copy of his presentation can be found in in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Club Meeting - 9/5/14
Big Water Small Boat: Getting Started in Kayak Fishing Mark Melius discussed fishing from a kayak - sharing some of his experiences in fresh and saltwater. He showed off his personal kayak and various rigging tips & techniques. If you missed the meeting you can view a recording - Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
September Member/Guest Tournament - 9/12/14 & 9/13/14
See the Results here.
August Club Meeting - 8/1/14
Fish Fry & Guest Speaker - Capt. Dale Wilson. After enjoying an excellent dinner of fried fish and assorted sides, the group enjoyed a discussion from Capt. Wilson as he shared some tips and techniques on vertical jigging for stripers during the summer months. Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
July Member/Guest Tournament - 7/11/14 & 7/12/14
See the Photo Gallery for pics of the tournament - and the Tournament Results page for outcomes.
July Club Meeting - 7/11/14 - (note the change in our usual date due to the July 4th Holiday)
Reels - Learn about all you ever wanted to know about reels from our own "The Reel Guy", Joel Janecek. Joel will talk about different reel technologies and how to maintain them to ensure they last.
In-Water Boat Show - 6/14/14
Held at the docks bedside Bridgewater Point Condo, members brought their fishing boats to show off to other members and the general community how we fish for striper. Members exchanged boat & gear rigging tips & techniques with visitors and other members. Pictures of the event can be found in the Gallery.
Bedford Youth Day - 6/7/14
Club members assisted in the annual Bedford Youth fishing day by helping to prepare lumch for the youth and their families. Check out the Gallery for pictures of the event.
June Club Meeting - 6/6/14
Where the Fish? - This meeting focused on a discussion of the seasonal patterns of stripers across SML. Bruce Brenholdt and Rick Boettcher led discussion on the use of a map for members to mark up the map with areas where they see fish at different periods of the year. We will revisit this again later in the year.
May Member/Guest Tournament - 5/16/14 & 5/17/14
We had great weather for our May Member/Guest tourney and in general the fish cooperated for us. Results can be found on the Tournament Results page. Video of the meeting is in the Member's Only meeting video/notes archive section.
SML Lake Clean-Up Day - 5/3/14
Once again the Club staffed the Indian Point collection location - lots of wood debris and other trash were collected - with the high water levels
this spring there was a good bit to be removed. Thanks to all the Club volunteers for their efforts as well as Cindy Turlington for her
coordination efforts.
May Club Meeting - 5/2/14
Using Charts to Improve Your Fishing Success - In May we had a presentation by Mike Ward on the use of charts to improve your fishing success. Topics included how to use topograpic charts or those in your fish finder to identify "fishy structure" along with a number of examples of such structure. A copy of the slides used in the meeting can be found on the Club Website as well. Bruce Brenholdt then shared some work he has done on capturing key "landmarks" on the lake into a "Google Map" that can be accessed, helping new members learn were locations such as "Tennis Courts", "S-Curves", "Three Islands" and such are located - look for more information in our next newsletter. You can download the slides used here.
Freedom Alliance Event - 4/24/14 & 4/25/14
Once again we hosted a group of recovering soliders with the Freedom Alliance group to some R&R at SML. We took the group out fishing for two days and had a great time with all the groups catching fish each day and the weather cooperating for us. Thanks to all from the Club that participated. You can check out pictures from the event in our Gallery.
April Club Meeting - 4/4/14
Home Bait Tanks - The topic for April's meeting was "Home Bait Tanks" and several members presented the setups which they have put together to keep bait at the ready at home. Several members even brought their tanks in for a hands-on show & tell. Thanks to Mark Melius, Bruce Brenholdt, Macky May, Bob Rows, Tyler Early and Mike Ward for sharing their setups. You can find a copy of the slides and some notes from the session along with a video of the meeting here.
March Member/Guest Tournament - 3/14/14 & 3/15/14
See the Tournament page for more information.
March Club Meeting - 3/7/14
Swap-Meet & Hot-Dog Supper. A number of members setup tables with gear to sell/swap with fellow Club members. We also enjoyed a hot-dog supper and time to socialize with fellow members. Thanks to Andre' Peery for going out and gathering all the materials for the dinner, as well as preparing it. Pepper Ailor from the Freedom Alliance joined us to provide an update on our upcoming Freedom Alliance event in which we will be hosting a group of soldiers for a couple of mornings of striper fishing in late April - and he presented a certificate of appreciation to the Club for our participation in last year's event.
February Club Meeting - 2/7/14
"How'd You Do It?" - the top finishers of our February Member/Guest lead a panel discussion talking about their approach to the tournament, what worked for them, what didn't, where they fished, etc. We kicked off the meeting with an "open mic" session for members to discuss what has been working / what hasn't, where, etc - an opportunity to share and learn from your fellow members with some fish chat. Not a lot of activity out there this past month from Club members - several had been out trying to jig and chase birds without a lot of success. On some warmer days pulling big shad produced a few fish - but mostly folks were taking care of their "honey-do" lists, doing boat maintenance and respooling reels to get ready for the Spring. Club members can access a video recording of the meeting here.
January Member/Guest Tournament - 1/10 & 1/11
Well, it was a wet one, but a number of Club members braved the conditions and participated. For more details see the 2014 Tournament Series results page.
January Club Meeting - 1/3/14
We kicked off the New Year with a discussion on Winter Time jigging. Many of the tips & techniques covered in Tyler Early's article in the January / February 2014 Newsletter were covered.
2013 Meetings / Events
Club Christmas Banquet - 12/6/13
Join your fellow Club members and their significant others to close out the year with our annual Christmas Banquet. We will again be holding the party at the Resurrection Catholic Church. Hors d'Oeuvres / Social Hour starts at 6pm, Dinner at 7 and presentations to follow. RSVP by Friday, November 1st.
November Member-Guest Tournament - 11/2/13
Check out more details on the Tournament Page
November Club Meeting - 11/1/13
Chili Cook-off & Board Elections
October Club Meeting - 10/4/13
Club members enjoyed a great Fish Fry while shopping for bargains at the Swap Meet. An overview of the Club Website & Discussion forums was provided. Presentations to the winners of the September Member Guest tournament were also made as well as a few "fish stories" of a few recent trips from members were shared.
September Member-Guest Tournament - 9/14/13
Check out more details on the Tournament Results Page
September Club Meeting - 9/6/13
Joel Janecek led a discussion on artificial trolling for the fall. Dan Wilson from DGIF stopped by and provided an update regarding a concern he now has about the growth rate in our striped bass population and discussed some changes to regulation that may be proposed. Mike Ward gave an update on what the Preservation Committee has been doing, working in conjunction with Dan Wilson, on this issue and the recommendations which the Club has made, which is a recommendation to "shift up" the slot limit from 26"-36" to 30"-40" in order to continue to protect our larger fish while helping to remove some of the mid-20" fish from the system which is were are are seeing growth rates slow to a crawl. The Preservation Committee is also recommending that we work with DGIF to reinstate the forage surveys and to explore the use of an alternative strain of striped bass for stocking on alternating years in the event our growth rate issue is genetic in nature.
August Club Meeting - 8/2/13
Club members enjoyed a fish fry from fish collected during our July harvest tournament - a BIG thanks to the cooks and others that helped with the preparation & serving.
Macky May then led a discussion on fishing with planer boards. A few highlights from the discussion included: Macky puts the baits about 20' back from the planer board and runs them this way year-round. He uses 25lb leader & main line and always places a bead above the swivel (that connects the main line to the leader) so that the planer board will not slide down to the hook and knock the fish loose. When running multiple boards, he will use a 3/8 oz weight on his inside board and typically pulls 0.8 - 1 mph. He also runs boards in the summer, using 2 oz weights just as he would his downline rods - just pulling slower (0.3-0.5 mph).
July Member-Guest Tournament - 7/20/13
Check out the winners & overall series standings on the Tournament Results page.
July Club Meeting - 7/12/13
Dan Wilson, our local DGIF Biologist, provided an update on a variety of topics related to the striper fishery at SML including stocking results, growth trends & information the themocline.
| Stocking & SML Fishery Update - Dan Wilson, DGIF, July 2013 |
4H Camp Fishing
As in years past, members of the SMSC provided volunteer resources for the 4H Camp fishing activity in a number of dates in June & July. Thanks to Macky May for his tireless efforts in coordinating this activity and filling holes in the staffing schedule.
Striper Club In-Water Boat Show - 6/8/13
Our 2nd Annual In-water Boat show at Bridgewater marina was held on Saturday morning, June 8th. This was a great chance for the general public to get to learn more about striper fishing and the Club. Pictures of the event can be found in the Gallery.
June Club Meeting - 6/7/13
Pot-luck of topics for this coming month - presentation of awards to the winners of the May Member-Guest tournament, discussion led by the winners / placers in the May tournament on techniques which led to their success, cast-net techniques & demonstrations, and final discussion/preparation for the In-Water Boat show.
Bedford Youth Day - 6/1/13
Members of the SMSC will be helping with cooking & serving during the Bedford Youth Day at the State Park. Contact Marshall Harris (540-297-7422) or Bob Rowe (540-719-0024) for more details.
May Member-Guest Tournament - 5/18/13
Thanks to those that participated in our 2nd tournament event of the year, and for braving the storms around check-in time. Congrats to our winners. Pictures from the event can be seen here, and tournament results here.
Freedom Alliance Event - 5/17/13
Our third year hosting this event was once again a success. See pictures of this event here.
"Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake" - 5/4/13
The Smith Mountain Striper Club participated in the 26th annual "Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake" event by staffing the Indian Point / Magnum Boating drop-off location as well as two loaner pontoons from Parrot Cove Rentals. Thanks to the efforts of the Club members and other local volunteers, we filled three or more large debris containers will all sorts of natural and man-made debris from the lake. Thanks to Cindy Turlington for leading our efforts for this lake-wide community activity.
May Club Meeting - 5/3/13, 7pm, Moneta Community Center
Bill Pecoraro provided a compelling presentation on water safety and how you can prepare yourself and your dock for the unfortunate events that can so quickly occur. A summary of his notes can be found at the link below.
As in years past, members of the SMSC provided volunteer resources for the 4H Camp fishing activity in a number of dates in June & July. Thanks to Macky May for his tireless efforts in coordinating this activity and filling holes in the staffing schedule.
Striper Club In-Water Boat Show - 6/8/13
Our 2nd Annual In-water Boat show at Bridgewater marina was held on Saturday morning, June 8th. This was a great chance for the general public to get to learn more about striper fishing and the Club. Pictures of the event can be found in the Gallery.
June Club Meeting - 6/7/13
Pot-luck of topics for this coming month - presentation of awards to the winners of the May Member-Guest tournament, discussion led by the winners / placers in the May tournament on techniques which led to their success, cast-net techniques & demonstrations, and final discussion/preparation for the In-Water Boat show.
Bedford Youth Day - 6/1/13
Members of the SMSC will be helping with cooking & serving during the Bedford Youth Day at the State Park. Contact Marshall Harris (540-297-7422) or Bob Rowe (540-719-0024) for more details.
May Member-Guest Tournament - 5/18/13
Thanks to those that participated in our 2nd tournament event of the year, and for braving the storms around check-in time. Congrats to our winners. Pictures from the event can be seen here, and tournament results here.
Freedom Alliance Event - 5/17/13
Our third year hosting this event was once again a success. See pictures of this event here.
"Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake" - 5/4/13
The Smith Mountain Striper Club participated in the 26th annual "Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake" event by staffing the Indian Point / Magnum Boating drop-off location as well as two loaner pontoons from Parrot Cove Rentals. Thanks to the efforts of the Club members and other local volunteers, we filled three or more large debris containers will all sorts of natural and man-made debris from the lake. Thanks to Cindy Turlington for leading our efforts for this lake-wide community activity.
May Club Meeting - 5/3/13, 7pm, Moneta Community Center
Bill Pecoraro provided a compelling presentation on water safety and how you can prepare yourself and your dock for the unfortunate events that can so quickly occur. A summary of his notes can be found at the link below.
| Dock & Boating Safety Presentation - Bill Pecoraro |
April Club meeting - 4/5/13
April's meeting featured presentation of awards to the winners of the March Member/Guest tournament, as well as a discussion on spring-time night fishing led by Macky May and a presentation on the latest fishing & boating related electronics by Mike Ward.
March Member-Guest Tournament - 3/23/13
Thanks to all that participated in our recent March SMSC Member-Guest tourney, and our 1st Catch-Photo-Release event. The event was a great success. The conditions were a little tough with the cold weather - of 43 registered anglers we had 30 fish measured in from 20 anglers. Tournament results can be found here, and pics of the event here.
March Club meeting - 3/1/13
March featured a Hot Dog supper and Swap-Meet. While we did not have a lot of "vendors", it was a good opportunity for members to fellowship with one another on a cold March night. Sign-ups were also held for the upcoming Tournaments / Tournament series and a number of new items from our Ship Stores were unveiled and offered for sale.
February Club meeting - 2/1/13
Unfortunately due to illness & a death in the family, our lead speaker who was going to discuss cold weather safety was not be able to join us, but Bob Rowe's provided a demonstration of his new green LED HydroGlow bait light and the new Lowrance Elite-7 HDI sonar / down-scan unit. We also presented the plan for the 2013 Club Tournaments / Tournament Series.
January Club Meeting - 1/4/13
New President Joel Janecek gave an overview on how he dresses for winter-time fishing, covering a number of useful tips to stay warm (like using foam insoles in your boots for some added insulation), and then members Bob Rowe & Mike Ward led a group discussion on the direction of our Club Tournaments - look for more details on 2013 tournaments in the coming months.
April's meeting featured presentation of awards to the winners of the March Member/Guest tournament, as well as a discussion on spring-time night fishing led by Macky May and a presentation on the latest fishing & boating related electronics by Mike Ward.
March Member-Guest Tournament - 3/23/13
Thanks to all that participated in our recent March SMSC Member-Guest tourney, and our 1st Catch-Photo-Release event. The event was a great success. The conditions were a little tough with the cold weather - of 43 registered anglers we had 30 fish measured in from 20 anglers. Tournament results can be found here, and pics of the event here.
March Club meeting - 3/1/13
March featured a Hot Dog supper and Swap-Meet. While we did not have a lot of "vendors", it was a good opportunity for members to fellowship with one another on a cold March night. Sign-ups were also held for the upcoming Tournaments / Tournament series and a number of new items from our Ship Stores were unveiled and offered for sale.
February Club meeting - 2/1/13
Unfortunately due to illness & a death in the family, our lead speaker who was going to discuss cold weather safety was not be able to join us, but Bob Rowe's provided a demonstration of his new green LED HydroGlow bait light and the new Lowrance Elite-7 HDI sonar / down-scan unit. We also presented the plan for the 2013 Club Tournaments / Tournament Series.
January Club Meeting - 1/4/13
New President Joel Janecek gave an overview on how he dresses for winter-time fishing, covering a number of useful tips to stay warm (like using foam insoles in your boots for some added insulation), and then members Bob Rowe & Mike Ward led a group discussion on the direction of our Club Tournaments - look for more details on 2013 tournaments in the coming months.
2012 Meetings / Events
December - Annual Holiday Banquet
A great time was had by all that attended with good food & fellowship. Thanks to the the Banquet Committee for your hard work on another successful banquet. Check out pictures of the event over in the Photo Gallery section of the Website.
November 2013 Club Meeting - 11/2/12
Members enjoyed a Fish Fry (thanks to the cooks and those that helped prepare this event!). We also had a Water Safety discussion held Club Board Elections & heard a presentation on the Club's financial state.
Frank Skillman Fall 2012 Member-Guest Tournament - 10/13/12
Congrats to James Gray for taking 1st place with his 12.82 lb striper in the recent tourney. Congrats to all the other winners and thanks to everyone who participated in this fall's tournament. A special Thank You! to Dewayne Lamb for supporting the event by allowing the weigh-in to be held at Captain's Quarters. Pictures of the event can be found here.
Top 10 Results for the Frank Skillman Fall 2012 Member-Guest tournament:
1st - James Gray - 12.82 lbs - $150
2nd - Ron Wilson - 10.56 lbs - $100
3rd - Macky May - 10.40 lbs - $75
4th - Walter "Sonny" Fultz - 9.10 lbs - $50
5th - Roy Sammons - 8.96 lbs - $50
6th - Dean Grindstaff - 8.70 lbs - $50
7th - Deana Wright - 7.84 lbs
8th - Chris Stanton - 5.96 lbs
9th - Theresa Purdue - 4.78 lbs
10th - Richard Brown - 3.24 lbs
Waid Park Fishing Derby - 10/13/12
Thanks to all members who assisted in staffing this successful event. Pictures of the event can be found here.
October 2012 Club Meeting
Swap Meet & Chili Cookoff and Fall Swap-Meet. Pictures of the event can be found here.
September 2012 Club Meeting
Presentation by member Steve McCallum on the latest data from DGIF on the state of the striper population at SML.
August 2012 Club Meeting
Open Q&A Session on striper fishing tactics. Several members along with guide Kathy Franceschini led the group in a Q&A on various topics related to striper fishing.
June 2012 In-Water Striper Boat Show
Thanks to our members, and all those who attended, that braved the VERY hot temperatures (and for some, no power) to participate in our 1st In-water Striper boat show at Bridgewater Marina. Pictures of the event can be found here.
December - Annual Holiday Banquet
A great time was had by all that attended with good food & fellowship. Thanks to the the Banquet Committee for your hard work on another successful banquet. Check out pictures of the event over in the Photo Gallery section of the Website.
November 2013 Club Meeting - 11/2/12
Members enjoyed a Fish Fry (thanks to the cooks and those that helped prepare this event!). We also had a Water Safety discussion held Club Board Elections & heard a presentation on the Club's financial state.
Frank Skillman Fall 2012 Member-Guest Tournament - 10/13/12
Congrats to James Gray for taking 1st place with his 12.82 lb striper in the recent tourney. Congrats to all the other winners and thanks to everyone who participated in this fall's tournament. A special Thank You! to Dewayne Lamb for supporting the event by allowing the weigh-in to be held at Captain's Quarters. Pictures of the event can be found here.
Top 10 Results for the Frank Skillman Fall 2012 Member-Guest tournament:
1st - James Gray - 12.82 lbs - $150
2nd - Ron Wilson - 10.56 lbs - $100
3rd - Macky May - 10.40 lbs - $75
4th - Walter "Sonny" Fultz - 9.10 lbs - $50
5th - Roy Sammons - 8.96 lbs - $50
6th - Dean Grindstaff - 8.70 lbs - $50
7th - Deana Wright - 7.84 lbs
8th - Chris Stanton - 5.96 lbs
9th - Theresa Purdue - 4.78 lbs
10th - Richard Brown - 3.24 lbs
Waid Park Fishing Derby - 10/13/12
Thanks to all members who assisted in staffing this successful event. Pictures of the event can be found here.
October 2012 Club Meeting
Swap Meet & Chili Cookoff and Fall Swap-Meet. Pictures of the event can be found here.
September 2012 Club Meeting
Presentation by member Steve McCallum on the latest data from DGIF on the state of the striper population at SML.
August 2012 Club Meeting
Open Q&A Session on striper fishing tactics. Several members along with guide Kathy Franceschini led the group in a Q&A on various topics related to striper fishing.
June 2012 In-Water Striper Boat Show
Thanks to our members, and all those who attended, that braved the VERY hot temperatures (and for some, no power) to participate in our 1st In-water Striper boat show at Bridgewater Marina. Pictures of the event can be found here.
