Lake Gaston
By mid-August the water level on Gaston was around 199.90’ (200’ is full pool) and Dominion was doing well to hold the level steady for summer time. Water temperatures ranged from 78-86 degrees with the up lake section just below Kerr Dam the coolest. Anglers can expect 70-75-degree water temperatures for September in most parts of the main lake.
Guide Rick Morris has begun his fall season. He’s putting clients on largemouth and spunky spotted bass, even crappie and white perch using a variety of tactics while sharing stories of fishing the BASSMaster Elite events.
For October on Gaston, Morris says you continue to target largemouth bass schooled on and feeding on baitfish using topwaters, then soft plastic jerkbaits, then swimbaits and crankbaits and finally a Ned rig or shakey worm. You can also skip an almost endless supply of docks with a jigs.
Try stickbaits and soft plastic jerkbaits around hydrilla possibly found in the extreme upper end of the lake. Some bass will begin to school at bridges like the one found in Holly Grove Creek. Small swimbaits are best.
Morris targets the lake’s ample spotted bass population using shaky head worms and drop shot rigs in 10-20’ of water around rocks and main lake points. Birds will indicate schools of baitfish now and bass (both largemouth and spots) can be under them.
Call or email Morris for guided trips on Gaston.
Holly Grove Marina is a family-friendly tackle shop, boat ramp, restaurant/gathering place on the lake and we’re glad to have them with us. Holly Grove is located about 10 minutes off I-95 at the Bracey exit on Rt. 903.
Kerr Reservoir
The water level on Kerr Lake by the W2 late September deadline was 299.44’ and steady. 300’ is full pool so this was a good level for late summer. Daytime water temperatures varied from 78-82 degrees depending on the region of the lake late last month. This month, anglers should expect a significant decrease in water temperatures – to around 65-72 degrees.
This month you’ll find large schools of baitfish in most creeks – you just have to find the creeks with bass in them!
Many bass anglers use crankbaits on the lake in October. Some like to use swimbaits. If you find some off-color water you can also use a spinnerbait. You can also try fishing shakey head worms and crankbaits around humps and points with underwater cover like rocks and brushpiles.
Fishing around bait in the larger creeks like Nutbush, Bluestone, Rudd’s, Butcher’s and Eastland should be the pattern now as long as we don’t get any major rainfall.
Striper anglers are looking forward to the return of the stripers to the Clarksville area where they can target them under birds and busting bait using a variety of methods.
Casters will want to use three-inch spoons like the KT Slab/Toothache spoon around the mouth of creeks and on main lake channel bends. Many striper anglers will troll umbrella rigs this month tipped with swimbaits.
Before you head out onto the lake, be sure to stop by Bobcat’s Bait and Tackle to get a current fishing report and all the gear you could possibly need. The first VA/NC Crappie Trail will be held October 8 and the second November 5.
The lake’s big blue catfish are also feeding heavily now. This is where the state and world record came from, so if you like catching big catfish, Buggs is a fine place to start.
Before you head out onto the lake, be sure to stop by Bobcat’s to get a current fishing report and all the gear you could possibly need.
Congratulations to Josh Morris and Ryan Smith for winning the final event of the VA/NC Cappie Masters Trail with a two-day total of 14 fish weighing 22.03 – good for $970. Team Whitlow was second with 22.22 and won $530. Frank Nelson took third with 21.99 and won $260. The Whitlows took Team of The Year.
Stinger Supply in nearby Boydton is the area headquarters for Garmin gear. You’ll find excellent in stock supplies of Garmin Livescope sonar units, Force trolling motors and Alpha dog tracking collars.
