Recently I felt a bit like Rip Van Winkle in the old story. I took a nap and when I awoke, I wondered where the Summer has gone. The Labor Day holiday weekend is upon us and Summer has slipped away. It seems like it has been a good Summer; not too hot as it wasthe past couple of years. That was good for being out there on the water but I wonder if it affected the fishing any. The water never did warm up like the last two summers and thefishing was a bit off kilter. I caught fish but not much in the usual places or in nearly the numbers. That’s OK because I still enjoyed every minute of it. Fall is just around the corner and I always look forward to that. Be sure to catch the next meeting where we will be discussing Fall fishing with artificials.

Our Preservation Committee has been busy with Dan Wilson discussing observations of the striper population and developing some management ideas. Dan will be with us again at the September meeting for a short update and Mike Ward will provide a summary of the committee actions.

It’s time to get ready for out next striper tournament on September 14th. I’m sure glad its after Labor Day as that should reduce the weekend boat traffic. Just remember, you can’t win if you don’t play.

There are a lot of other activities on the horizon. The October meeting is swap night and chili night. Now’s the time to start sorting through the tackle for goodies to sell and to start practicing on your chili recipes. The November meeting will include election for board members. Becoming a board member is the best way to participate in the club and to bring your thoughts, ideas and influence to the table. Remember, serving as aboard member is not a lifelong commitment, but a year or two can make a big difference. No experience required.

And remember, you can’t catch fish without your lures (or bait) in the water.

Joel

Hello to all,

Well summer is certainly here and it seems like it came on fast. Now’s the time for backyard barbecues, 4th of July, and outdoor fun. Speaking of fun, there’s still time to get in on the fun at the 4H. Macky can still use help and it’s sure fun to help and watch the kids catch the fish, some of them for the first time. Give Macky a call and have a great time. 

Speaking of fishing, my time on the Roanoke side has been spotty. Some days I see hundreds or thousands of fish but they’re hard to catch. I have even been trying live bait, slinging my net with moderate success, thanks to Macky’s lesson. At least the weather has been enjoyable. Stay tuned for my words about my bait tank experience.

Also speaking of fishing, don’t forget our next club tournament coming up on Saturday, July 20th. We’ll gladly keep your fish for the August fish fry.  

The Club has been busy in the last few months. Many thanks to members who helped at the lake clean-up day, the Bedford Youth day, DGIF stocking, our Boat Show, and the 4H kids fishing. We also assisted Chris Dunnavant of DGIF with his Striper Workshop. We took six boy scouts out for a day of fishing and education. Only two fish caught but they had a great time. Jason Dunavant of the Smith Mountain Eagle came out for a day of fishing and education for a newspaper article. That was one of the slow days, lots of fish seen but none bit. Watch for the article in the paper. Your president also took Darius Minnis and his dad Mark for a day of fishing. Darius won the fishing day prize in a raffle at the Aspiring Anglers kids fishing tournament sponsored by the Friends of the State Park. Darius caught a 29”, his first striper, and his dad got a 23”. 

Besides the weather, the water has also warmed up. The surface temperature is now around 80 degrees. Time to think about CPR and mortality rate of the stripers released. If you’re going to release, then do it quickly. Net, unhook, photo and torpedo it back into the water straight down. The faster you can do this, the better the survival rate.

And the summer brings the heat and sun. When you go out, be sure to have sun block, proper clothing, and plenty of liquids. When I head out now a days, I’m usually coming off the water around noon to avoid the worst heat and sun. Please be careful.

Remember, next meeting is July 12th. 

Good fishing!
Joel

Hello to all,

Ahhhh, Spring has finally sprung. It gets my blood stirring to get outside for some yard work and gardening and indoor Spring cleaning. Speaking of cleaning, don’t forget that our Lake Clean-up day is coming up on Saturday May 4th. This lake sure needs it. It makes for a fun day and easy participation.

There’s a lot more coming up too. This year’s Freedom Alliance outing is scheduled for Friday May 17th. I’m told that there may be a slightly smaller group this year but we may still have a place for a few more volunteers.

And there’s more! The next Club tournament will go on Saturday May 18th. Make note that the “weigh-in” takes place at Parkway Marina just past the State Park. It’s going to be an interesting location. I haven’t heard of any fish at the dam yet but there should be plenty in Craddock Creek. We again will NOT be collecting fish for a fry, so any fish you keep are yours.

More happenings include our in-water boat show at the Bridgewater Marina same as last year. There’s no date scheduled yet but it should happen in June.

And on June 14th is the DGIF Striper Fishing Workshop. I don’t need any help on board for that but I will try to call some of you fishermen to gather some tips and hot spots. We have a group of six Boy Scouts who will participate.

Back in March Bob Rowe and I traveled to Richmond to meet with Gary Martel of DGIF Operations and Chris Dunnavant of DGIF Angling Education. Gary assured us stocking will continue on track but stressed the importance of returning the diary books to DGIF. These diaries are a prime management tool. He also briefed us about the introduction of grass carp into the lake to help control the hydrilla weed. With Chris we discussed the upcoming Striper Workshop and nailed down details and previewed the DGIF pontoon boat. Everything there looks in good order.

If you keep up with my water temperature reports you’ll know that I’ve been out fishing twice a week for the last month. The fish are there but sometimes have been a tough bite. They seem to be working their way down lake getting closer to Hales Ford Bridge.

It promises to be a busy and interesting next few weeks, but will also be tons of fun. Of course, its only fun if you come out and join in.

See you all on the water,
Joel

I am excited, and that does not happen very often. The reason for my excitement is the start of our new Club tournament series. I usually do not fish tournaments because I fish for fun, and not for money.  As a result, his new tournament series is just right for me. It will be a day of fun fishing, camaraderie at the weigh-in and a little excitement as the winners are announced. Don’t forget that the club IS NOT collecting fish after this tournament. The tournaments this year are "Catch, Photo & Release", and any fish you choose to harvest are yours to keep - just make sure you bring that high-quality picture of your two big fish on your measuring device to the check-in. There will be upcoming tournaments during the warm-weather months that we will designate as "harvest tournaments", where we will collect fish for a Club fish-fry.

I’m also excited because its Spring time! If you overlook the bit of snow and moderately cold weather the past few weeks, you’ll notice a definite improvement in the making. While I did fish through the Winter, I didn’t get out as much as last year or as much as I wanted. The bite was off a little bit but I still caught plenty of fish. I also discovered a little late that a blue back crankbait was the hot ticket.

If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to prep your boat and tackle for the coming season. Make sure all items are inspected, cleaned, and oiled as required. Preventive maintenance goes a long way. And be sure to double check all your safety gear. Life jackets, pumps, radios, first aid kits, whistles and throwables.

I also want to welcome our new member of the SMSC Board of Directors, Mark Melius. Mark was tending the tournament table at the March meeting. He and the whole committee expended a lot of time and energy putting the Tournament Series together, including the new measuring boards and tags. Welcome Mark!

Lastly I extend an apology from the Board for a small faux pas at the March meeting swap night. It seems as though no one remembered that it was a Friday during Lent. Maybe that’s why a lot of hot dogs were left over.

So get out there and fish.
Joel

(Editors Note:  This installment marks the 1st Presidents Corner entry by the new 2013 SMSC President - Joel Janecek)

First I need to thank Bob Rowe for the great job he has accomplished as our club president. I will do my best to follow his excellent example.

The holidays are past us and I hope you all had a splendid time. I did. I celebrated with children, grandchildren and best friends.

Another year is in the books and what a strange year it was. Most everything I learned about fishing in 2011 went out the window in 2012. I’m still not sure what caused the changes, warm winter?, low water?, something else? Then again that’s what keeps it all fresh for me. Always something different to try.

With the new year here we have some important issues to address as a club. These issues include preservation, stocking, and lake water level. We need to decide where we stand on these issues, whether we make a response, and what form that response will be in. While our board of directors does a lot, in the end the decision is by the club. The board welcomes all input provided and will need some help with representation.

Speaking of help, our bulletin/newsletter is looking for a few “reporters”. This is great opportunity to contribute to the club with minimal effort for the individual. More details at upcoming meetings.

The end of 2012 means it’s time to finish up your VDGIF angler diaries and send them in. Where else can to go fishing and get paid for it?

It may be a little cold out but the fish are there. Ask me about Dec 13th. See you on the water.

Joel

Well, this is really happening. Our 2012 year ends soon and I am stepping down as both your President and Bulletin Editor. It is time for me to take the time to stop talking and writing about fishing for Stripers and finally take the time to get out there and do it. My biggest hope is that I made some sort of difference with the Striper Club. For me it has been quite a journey. One of the most significant results I can think of is that I had the chance to work and know our members. What a great group you are. I am proud to have had this  opportunity. Thank you.

(Click "Read More" on the right for the rest of this article.)

The year is starting to come to an end. And my working on Bulletins is also coming to that same end. I plan on writing the bulletin in December using this same format. Then for January, Mike Ward and I will collaborate on getting something out there for our non-computer (for lack of a better description) members. There will important information in that issue such as your new board members and how to contact them, the dates for
2013’s meetings and so forth. After that, Mike and I will have to think it out as to how much or how frequent we can prepare them. More on this in future articles.

(Click "Read More" on the right for the rest of this article.)

Well, it seems the weather is finally turning cooler on us. It appears to be time to get started on some great fall striper fishing. There are many reports of what is going on with the changing patterns which you can follow on Facebook, or our new website— www.SmithMountainStriperClub.com, and finally the informative articles that Mike Snead is still writing for our area fishermen to enjoy.


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I am having a hard time finding much that happened this summer that is really worth writing about.
But a few things that do come to mind are the changing patterns of the Striped Bass and their reluctance to bit when you are right over the top of them. At least this is the story I am repeatedly hearing from other anglers and have even experienced myself. I guess the solution as with everything, is to just keep on trying.

(Click "Read More" on the right for the rest of this article.)

Some exciting things are starting to develop in your club.  Member Mike Ward has been working hard on setting up a website for us and if you are reading this post, then it means you have found it.  It is in the infancy stage, but it is looking as it has some great possibilities for us.  Not only does it bring our club into the mainstream way of connecting with our members, but it offers alternatives to our monthly bulletins, allows for real time information being posted for our members to read, and offers us a chance to provide links to numerous other sites which would otherwise not be possible with our traditional ways.