Virginia fishermen headed back to school

By Jim Brewer For the News & Messenger
Published: August 21, 2008

It’s back to school time in Virginia, even for fishermen. One of the most enjoyable types of fishing of all is now underway at Lake Anna – casting to and catching schooling largemouth bass.
A favorite destination for many northern Virginia anglers, Lake Anna has a bumper crop of herring and shad this year. As the days grow short and water temperatures mercifully drop a little, the bait is ganging up and so are both stripers and bass.
Usually thought of as lone predators, largemouth bass at Anna often use the school concept to attack the vulnerable pods of baitfish. Anglers at Anna can often see bass “busting” the herring and shad from quite a distance away. Easing their boats within casting distance, fishermen are often rewarded with 4 or 5 bass out of each school.
Though the lunkers are rarely found in schools feeding on top, lots of 12 to 15-inch bass – real battlers on light tackle – are most apt to be schooling.
Hotspots include points in the mid-lake region. Fish have been seen schooling on a regular basis in mid-afternoon, around 3 to 4 p.m. Lake Anna guides suggest having a top-water bait rigged and ready to go at all times, since you never know exactly when or where feeding schools will emerge.
Recommended baits include Zara Spooks, Pop R’s and soft jerk baits, such as Berkley’s Jerkshad or the Realistix Minnow.
Be prepared for anything, stripers may well be feeding along with the bass.
Reports indicate that there is a top water striper bait almost every morning.
Most of the surfacing stripers are smallish (under 20-inches) but put up quite a scrap on light tackle. The bigger stripers are deeper, but can be had if you get your bait down where they are eating.
Here’s another tip. Drop a deep diving crank bait well beneath the feeding schools and you may hit a walleye or two in even deeper water.
A Great Escape
It’s hot now, summer in the city, but it’s cool in the mountains. A perfect time to slip away and escape to Wintergreen, in the Blue Ridge mountains of Nelson County, and learn a little bit about fly fishing.
According to the Wintergreen people, you do not need to be an expert with a rod and reel to enjoy Wintergreen Resort’s new, two-day “Fish, Sleep, Fish” fly-fishing package, which includes everything but the actual catching part. 
About two hours from Manassas, Wintergreen Resort has introduced a new fly-fishing package for everyone who’s been harboring a desire to reel in a prize-winning trout or to savor the serenity of fly-fishing in the streams of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. 
Debuting this fall on weekends from Sept. 6 through Nov. 30, guests at Wintergreen will receive expert, individualized and detailed information from Orvis-endorsed guides who will accompany guests along three miles of Blue Ribbon trout streams.
The expert guides are intimate with the river’s hatches and water flows, with full knowledge of where to find the best fishing possible given current conditions. The package begins at $299 per person, to reserve a spot in the fly fishing package, call (434) 325-2200 or visit http://www.wintergreenresort.com.
Morning and afternoon fly fishing sessions (catch-and-release only) are available each day.  Anglers can choose to wade or float via drift boat, which is a comfortable raft equipped with swivel-mounted seats fore and aft (a great way to fish areas of the river that are otherwise inaccessible).  All the equipment, flies, a commemorative gift and a gourmet lunch at Stoney Creek Bar and Grill at Stoney Creek Golf Course are included. 
While guests may bring their own equipment, they may wish to take advantage of the official Orvis outfitter on hand at the resort to provide complete equipment fittings.  Outings are designed for all ranges of experience and will feature lessons in casting, as well as other inside tips on fly fishing. 
Sounds like fun. Sign me up.