All waters · Virginia · Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake, VA
Reservoir spanning Bedford/Franklin counties, Virginia. A 20,600-acre piedmont reservoir on the Roanoke and Blackwater rivers, Smith Mountain Lake is Virginia's premier striped bass fishery and a top trophy largemouth bass destination. Stripers are strongest in cooler months (Nov-May), while black bass fish well in coves and the upper river arms spring through fall. Crappie, catfish, and sunfish round out a year-round fishery.
Overall bite score
Scored 29 min ago · recomputed every 30 minutes
Each instrument reads 0 to 100. The score is their weighted blend, tuned for lakes and reservoirs. No black box: every reading names its source.
What swims here
6 tracked species in Smith Mountain Lake, with the months each fishes best.
Water facts
Multiple public ramps including Smith Mountain Lake State Park (Bedford side). Special regs: black bass daily limit of 5 with only 2 under 14 in; striped bass 2/day all year, and from Nov 1-May 31 a 30-40 in protective slot (fish 30-40 in must be released). DWR discourages summer catch-and-release of stripers due to low survival.
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