Five Tips for Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Virginia

Although certain states are well known for their bass fishing action, if asked many enthusiasts would say that Virginia is not one of them. However, contrary to popular belief, Virginia is a fantastic state if you want to go smallmouth bass fishing. It has healthy populations of bass and numerous lakes, pools and rivers that are suitable for smallmouth bass. As such, it can offer anyone a fantastic experience regardless of their level of experience. However, there are certain facts that you might want to know and tips that you might want to take on board before you go fish!

Do Your Homework - If you go fishing for smallmouth bass in Virginia then you need to do your homework first. Check out bass fishing reports to see if there are any factors that you need to take into consideration, such as the presence of any fish kills or pollution that could not only damage your chance of catching any bass but indeed harm the fish themselves.

For example, Shenandoah River has had numerous fish kills in recent years, with the last one being as recent as 2008. This has decimated the population of smallmouth bass in some areas, such as North Fork and South Fork. The cause in unknown but it has dramatically reduced the level of the population that can be found there.

Fishing reports will also detail other factors that may affect the bass action, such as droughts or flooding. If you have only just taken up bass fishing or are not familiar with the area then this information can be invaluable.

Choose The Right Lakes - Not only should you take a look at reports for fish kills and other such information but you should also look at the overall bass populations on them. In fact, fish reports can give you a great insight into where to go for the best fishing action. They will tell you which waters have the healthiest populations of bass, which waters have the largest fish and which waters have had consistently high quality levels of smallmouth bass in previous years. In 2009, Maury River and Rappahannock River are looking the best for great fishing action.

Use The Best Baits For The Season - Many keen and experienced bass fishing enthusiasts will tell you that fishing for bass is an art and one that you have to be flexible to enjoy. Some bass fishing enthusiasts will only use spinnerbaits and crankbaits all year round but if you take a more objective view then you will find your catch rates improve. You may have personal preferences but it is important to adapt to the smallmouth bass and not your own penchant for certain baits and lures. Use crankbaits in spring and summer but try jigs in autumn and winter. Always take plastic worms with you as a last resort if you are having a bad day. In fact, always take several baits and lures with you just in case. It is all about knowing what will work best at certain times of the year so make sure that you know everything you need to.