SML BFL tourny 2024
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
Hey everyone, im CJ i live in VA and i fish chesdin about 4 times a week and also venture off the to james, chickohomony, lake kerr and gaston. even hit potomac a few times. im only 23 and work about 50 hours a week but i fish as much as possible. My problem is i wana fish the SML BFL tourny in march but ima have to go as a co angler and everyones tellin me its a ''Sight fishing'' Tournament and i dont wana get fronted by the boat owner. i do believe i am a excellent fisherman and have won many many local tournaments in my 4 years fishin on my own boat. Although im sad to say i know nothing about SML. any help and locations is greatly appreciated. im not gonna have a chance to pre-fish. although i would love to. ive also reviously heard that goin up river is good but fish around here dont pre spawn in rivers' im used to goin to spillways and places that are 2-4 feet deep where water pools up and throwin a spinnerbait or a jerk bait for reaction bite. i guess a long story short i dont wana just go beat banks to death all day and come up empty handed if the boat owner happens to be clueless. id like to help him help me. thanks for everyones answers and help. Very much Appreciated!!!!
Md reply :
No offense, but if you are going as a co-angler and have never been there before, your boater will not listen to your advise from the Internet. Hope you draw a boater on some fish.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
i do understand that but bass fishing wise unless its goin for spotted bass i bring alot to the table. i know how to fish. very well. i just dont know Smith mountain lake. to be honest only places i know very well are chesdin, james river, and chickohomony. but im decent at kerr and potamac. hate flippin docks at gaston. LOL
5bass reply :
Sounds like you need to bring your own boat, then you won't have to worry about getting front ended. You're asking for it signing up as a co-angler during the spawn....that's on any lake.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
yea, ive never fished on a boat with other guy bein against me. well not really but he is.... but the 300$ compared to a 100$ entry fee is a big difference and at least this way ill learn the lake a little and dont worry. ima take in all i can and listen to everyone! lol ima see what others have to say. if i get fronted, ill have to be the better fisherman. 
5bass reply :
There will be some fish on beds then but probably not as many as you might think, but then again, if it stays warm from here on out, the spawn will be a little early.
It's almost springtime and stuff changes on Smith Mtn every day in the spring. It's all about weather and water temps from now until May.
Flukeman reply :
Guy's on here are not going to give you spots on a lake. But here is what I do for a spawning tournament when I go as a Co.
1.) Not all fish spawn at the same time, and hope your boater has half a brain to put you in the right spots.
2.) Take your boat out a head of time and prefish with a hand held GPS/map. You are looking for the best bedding spots, and then turn around and look out deeper. you are looking for slight drops that would hold fish as they move up.
3.) if you are there the week prior you will actually be able to see the beds. When you find a bunch of beds get on the trolling motor and look for that drop. If it is within casting distance mark your GPS.
4.) While your boater is working a bed, check to see if the drop is close enough and begin fan casting to that spot. Does not matter how slight the drop is, your looking for the staging fish not locked on yet.
5.) Other than drops you will want to be looking for edges of weeds or wood out away from the bank.
6.) Some of these bed fish will take a litle work from the boater. So you will want a couple rods rigged with water covering fan cast type baits and a couple rods with bottom dragging banks.
7.) Even in areas where you don't have GPS marks, fan cast first. If the boater starts locking onto a bed, start dragging the bottom. Many times there are beds deeper that a lot of boaters don't even know about.
This will give you the best chance against the other Co's. the Co's that will give you the most trouble will be the ones who draw a boater fishing staging fish. It's a lot harder back boating someone in deeper water.
Even if everything goes right, spawn tournaments are a grind for Co-anglers. I have had some Co's do this to me, so I know it works ;D
SPEEDBEAD. reply :
Fish the outer edges of the spawning areas from the back of the boat.
You will likely be putting your bait in front of more fish than a boater who is sight fishing.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
so dont fish the grass line fish out away from it? thats funny yall say that i went fri and fished the banks which were 2-3 feet of water with a old grass line/ black slime on the whole thing. but the 6 bass i caught were on a jerk bait off of the bank probably 15 yards... in 6-7 feet of water. hmm... :-/
Carrington reply :
Quoteso dont fish the grass line fish out away from it? thats funny yall say that i went fri and fished the banks which were 2-3 feet of water with a old grass line/ black slime on the whole thing. but the 6 bass i caught were on a jerk bait off of the bank probably 15 yards... in 6-7 feet of water. hmm... :-/
dont expect to find a grass line, ive been fishing the lake for about a year now and havnt found one yet. SML has hardly any grass at all.
Flukeman reply :
Quoteso dont fish the grass line fish out away from it? thats funny yall say that i went fri and fished the banks which were 2-3 feet of water with a old grass line/ black slime on the whole thing. but the 6 bass i caught were on a jerk bait off of the bank probably 15 yards... in 6-7 feet of water. hmm... :-/
We were giving alternate options because he is going as a Co-angler and may not get a decent shot at the bank fish.
Rangerphil reply :
I have fished sml tournament since 2004 and believe that most of the bass will not be spawning that early. As far as being back boated, I try very hard as a boater not to do this,I was a co-angler for a few years and hated that. I have even had a bad tournament and tried to put my co-angler in the best spots! Also try a shaky head you can always catch some behind the boater no matter how bad he or she positions you. One thing is always try and help out the boater with gas money, I always did but for some reason I have had very few that has offered me a dime even though I help them out as much as I can!
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
thanks everyone. yea ill give him some gas money and ill bring waters and what not. only sport i know where people competing against each other are still so friendly and good hearted. i love fishin!
vapredhunter reply :
We'll I'm just going to throw in my 2cents. If you've never fished SML before then I suggest you make the trip before you go and spend your cash.
A bass is a bass and they all eat, sleep, and swim the same except here at SML. LOL. I have never fished anywhere like it. The fish here are more moody then anyplace I've ever fished. If you draw a good boater you might do well and not knowing the place might work in your advantage maybe you'll slay them on something no one else would throw.
SML is tough and boat docks are our main structure more boat docks then anything else. The banks are not like anything else you've mentioned. The water is deep, most places if your within casting distance to the shore your boat will be sitting in 50+ ft.
There is plenty of grass in SML but not the kind you can see its deep and only in certain areas. We get a lot of fishing pressure There will be 300 or 400 boats fishing the day of the BFL. The BFL is going out of the State Park and the ABA will be going out of Penhook along with several club and smaller tounrneys so you'll have to be on your game because everything you fish after 9am will be used water more than likely if its a good hole. Anyway not trying to dampen your hopes just painting you a picture of what your going to be up against.
I hope you do well I wouldn't expect to see fish on beds if your fishing the BFL on the 12th. Our water temp average is only about 45deg I did find some 48 on Saturday. We'd have to have some really warm weather over the next 12 days to bring it up to spawning temp. So I dont expect to see bass moving on to beds until late March with warmer weather or full moon in April. They will be up shallow crusing the banks for sure thinking about it.
Good Luck
Chris,
Rangerphil reply :
vapredhunter, any tips or advice on fishing smith mt. I love fishing that lake and always try to go to the bfl tourney down there in the Shenandoah div. It is usually my first fishing trip of the year! This year it is march 26, which is a little earlier than previous years. Over the past 6 years I have found some good areas and some decent patterns. Also have been trying to stay away from the docks and put together a deeper water pattern. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Phil
vapredhunter reply :
Tips for SML !!!! First boat docks fish as many as you can boat docks produce fish on SML. If your not that familiar with the lake they are the easiest structure to figure out. Front, back, under, suspended in front of, deep docks, shallow docks, just pay attention to where the fish come from. There are over 20000 docks on our lake and I'm convinced that at some point each day there is a good bass looking to eat something on each one of them 
As far as a deeper pattern late March that's the last place I'd be looking water temps are going to be close to spawning temp fish are going to be shallow.
Deep or shallow is a state of mind so to speak. What do you consider deep because here on SML 20 ft is still shallow in this clear water. Some of our fish spawn in 10ft. Glad to help shoot me a pm sometime.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
well. im headin out tomorow ''thursaday'' nad ima try to get a feel for the lake. i cahnged all my line from low vis green 14 lbs test tot 10 lb clear. only problem is i have a whole arsenal of murky water baits and very few clear water baits. i have been fishin at chesdin alot this week and ur right. the fish are cruising in a about 4ft of water and my natural shad jerk bait has been killing them! although. fishing clear water. whats a good clear water bait. not lookin for where fish are or anything like that. just needin to find a good decent all around clear water abaits. again i only fish in murky water and i love it! im clueless about clear water. by good clear water baits i was thinkin something anything out of the ordinary. everyone have 10 3/8 and 1/2 ounce white spinnerbaits with silver blades.... thanks again for all the help. and amnyone kno anywhere on the lake where it does get muddy? ill try that out! ill feel more at home!
vapredhunter reply :
Water is pretty muddy up rivers and creeks but worst conditions here on SLM cold muddy water if it were warm you might be into something. Natural colors in clear water.
Intrepid reply :
definately do not ignore the docks on SML. they will produce fish under and around them. underwater stumps can be productive as well(and im not saying that cause of the classic) but from times i have fished SML. It can be a brutally tough lake at times and is heavily pressured from fishing to pleasure boats and jet skis. But it shouldnt be too much traffic to deal with in March. You probably wont see too many bedding fish in March, mid-April/early-May is probably your best bet for that. pearl colored Zoom Super Flukes have worked well for me on SML, and dont be afraid to throw 7in worms on the edges of laid down timber and work them slowly or just use a shakey-head. and i will give you a cove to try if you come across it. Ive had good success in there, if you come across a black and white lighthouse look around for a no-wake cove nearby that has a ton of sailboats and fish in there. dont be afraid to try the shallow back corner of that either, ive seen bass schooled up in there and cruising around together looking for a meal to corral.
Rangerphil reply :
Intrepid, always looking for other spots on sml if you or anyone else would like we can exchange some areas. I have a few good ones that do not include docks! Pm if anyone is interested.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
well i left parkway marina. i think that was the name. its the marina bfl is gonna be at. and i went out and passed the 2 islands and went right into a big cove. there was a secondary point that cane out to about 30ft of water. in 15 min or less i had already caught a 4 lbs. largemouth and i was like d**n. gonna be a good day. for 9 more hours i never got bit again. but i caught it on a natural colored jerkbait. and i never did get used to fishin such clear water. just not my type. but i did fish many many locations and actually got tired of flippin docks. used a 4 inch ringworm. zoom. black with green tail. watermelon seed and watermelon seed with a chart tail. used brown worm orange tail. finess worm. black and blue pig and jig. and even through a chart/blue back 6ft crankbait.... just wasnt a good bite i reckon. i tried and i didnt get skunked. got a 4 lbser!
Intrepid reply :
Quotewell i left parkway marina. i think that was the name. its the marina bfl is gonna be at. and i went out and passed the 2 islands and went right into a big cove. there was a secondary point that cane out to about 30ft of water. in 15 min or less i had already caught a 4 lbs. largemouth and i was like d**n. gonna be a good day. for 9 more hours i never got bit again. but i caught it on a natural colored jerkbait. and i never did get used to fishin such clear water. just not my type. but i did fish many many locations and actually got tired of flippin docks. used a 4 inch ringworm. zoom. black with green tail. watermelon seed and watermelon seed with a chart tail. used brown worm orange tail. finess worm. black and blue pig and jig. and even through a chart/blue back 6ft crankbait.... just wasnt a good bite i reckon. i tried and i didnt get skunked. got a 4 lbser!
thats a beautiful fish. the dock fishing will really turn on more so in middle-spring and summer from my experiences, especially as the fish look for shade and spots to hide and ambush blue gill and other bait fish. last summer i was down on my uncles dock and theres a 2lb LM just chillin next to a dock post and practically blended in next to the green colored dock post. there were nightcrawlers and a fishing pole with a hook and sinker on it down there, i lowered the night crawler in real slow right in front of the basses mouth and he slammed it lol. but this early in the year i havent seen many fish around the docks
vapredhunter reply :
Sounds like a day on SML you get a good fish then nothing. Last week Anglers Choice TX 192 boats 78 teams zeroed.
hookingem reply :
Quotewell i left parkway marina. i think that was the name. its the marina bfl is gonna be at. and i went out and passed the 2 islands and went right into a big cove. there was a secondary point that cane out to about 30ft of water. in 15 min or less i had already caught a 4 lbs. largemouth and i was like d**n. gonna be a good day. for 9 more hours i never got bit again. but i caught it on a natural colored jerkbait. and i never did get used to fishin such clear water. just not my type. but i did fish many many locations and actually got tired of flippin docks. used a 4 inch ringworm. zoom. black with green tail. watermelon seed and watermelon seed with a chart tail. used brown worm orange tail. finess worm. black and blue pig and jig. and even through a chart/blue back 6ft crankbait.... just wasnt a good bite i reckon. i tried and i didnt get skunked. got a 4 lbser!
The coloring on that fish looks beautiful! 8-)
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
so who all plans on bein there tomorow? bfl tournament on smith mountain? ill be there! registration tonight at walmart 6:30!
Rangerphil reply :
I will be there in two weeks for the sheanandoah div. Good luck let me know how you do!
5bass reply :
Took 18-9 to win today.
Rangerphil reply :
It looks like it was feast or famine down there yesterday! Water temp?
vapredhunter reply :
CJ how did you do?
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
i finished 11th got 182 bucks and water temp on points was 44-45 and water temp in the few creeks we were in was bout 48-50. found one creek on complete other side where a bunch of golf carts were that was 52.6 but no fishies wanted to play. plus irt was muddy. the jerk bait bite was off but the winner caught all 5 on jerk bait. so he musta found a few that wanted to play!
vapredhunter reply :
Good job Smith Mountain is a tough lake to come out 11th you did good.
5bass reply :
Yeah, good job CJ. I notice several names on the results board that didnt fare too well yesterday who are normally good sticks on SML.
Rangerphil reply :
Good job! Good points for the season!
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
im fishing piedmont and shenadoah region.. yea jeff freeman was the one i was pushin for besides my boater marty. marty is a cool guy. had a great time. hope to fish with him as a gauranteed co angler for the ones he fishes. i like his style. and im sellin my triton and gettin a skeeter cuz of him. that boat was amazing
Rangerphil reply :
Are you fishing march 26 on smith mt. For the sheanandoah div.
Coming down next week can't wait I love the lake and the area!!
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
yes, my origianal plan was fish shenadoah but fish piedmont SML just toget a feel and see whats gonna be needed so i can preform well in shenadoah division. being i came in 11th ima fish both divisions now!
Rangerphil reply :
Cool, maybe I will see you down there or we could end up being paired up together.
CJ From Dinwiddie,VA reply :
no, marty howard actually didnt sign up as me his co angler like first time but i signed as his but there was no confirmation of something. so i didnt even get a boat,. i was 6th in line for a boat. but he finished 3rd with 17lbs and ghis co angler finished 5th.... really?!? but anyway. its not that hard a lake as everyone says it is. just gotta find um. depth is everything at that lake. and color apparently but i figured that out in 2.5 =) again. not too bad to be 23 yrs old
vapredhunter reply :
Maybe you should fish as a boater next time instead of nonboater it would be good for your profile!!!!!! 
You might even win that would be cool!! 8-)
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