Fishing Report - Beaverdam Swamp 10-7

[PanMan_VA]

I took the day off from work and decided to do a little fishing. I got the boat in the water at 8:20 and started trolling my favorite spots. The crank baits were not doing much and all the tube jigs were getting were 9" crappie concentrated around smaller areas than on previous trips. I spent about 1-1/2 hours trolling the reservoir searching for more and bigger crappie and finally found them on a flat near the intersection of the route 606 channel and the main reservoir channel. It appears they are beginning to school for the fall feed. I ended up with one bass, two bluegill, and 73 crappie caught over a three hour period. Many of the crappie were 10-1/2" to 11" long. I kept six in the 11-1/2" to 12" range for dinner. The two biggest and the smallest crappie were taken on a crank bait. The bait was almost as big as the crappie. They preferred something with pink in it today. The most productive bait was a hot pink 1/16 ounce jig head with a chartruse 1-1/2" tube jig injected with crappie nibbles. I got about 1/2 of the fish with that bait. Water temperature started at 67-69 in the morning and was 71-73 by the afternoon. I could see many fish sunning themselves to warm up today.

[Barnacle Bill]

Way to go PanMan. I think we seen you when you were heading in. We brought home 44 over 10". That lake is something else. I've never fished a lake with so much underwater grass, so it was a complete new experience for us. We really didn't know where to go, but the ranger told us of a few places near the ramp. We caught most in 6-7 ft water fishing 5-6 ft deep. And like you, they seem to like something pink. We had minnows, but a lot were caught on just jigs on a spinner. I did real well with a bait that Boscoe sent me. Looks like the water was cooler where you were. It got up to 76 this afternoon.

[PanMan_VA]

I'm glad you did well. I really don't think there is a bad spot to fish for crappie at Beaverdam. I ended up on the north end of the reservoir and the water was a few degrees cooler up there because of the feeder creeks. The flat I was on is 8 feet deep with coon-tail grass 4 feet deep. I was trolling just over top of the grass.

Were you the boat not far from the ramp near the recreation area?

The next time you go to Beaverdam, wonder up to the northern end. You'll see timber and stumps like you have never seen anywhere else.

[Joe Tilghman]

Is Beverdam a no gas motor lake?

[Boscoe]

Bill let me guess, pink head, white tail with chartruse flash? Scott caught a bunch up there in the spring out of the grass on the bead head scuds, said there bellys were full of scuds and little grass shrimp. Joe I think somebody posted the regs for Beaverdam a while back, it is electric motor only, you have to take your prop of your gas motor if I remember correctly.

[Barnacle Bill]

That's close. It was the one with chartuse head, red eyes and thread, white tail with chartuse flash. I hope you can remember that. Iwant to buy some from you when I can get up with you. Next week, I'll be putting a new phone system in at the CompUSA on Va Beach Blvd. If you find yourself anywhere close give me a call on my cell ad I'll meet you somewhere. 804-640-5305

[Boscoe]

I'll be on the Hampton side working on Monday, but should be on the southside the rest of the week, I'll call you on Tues. I tied up some 1/2 oz that same color patten and am going down to Lynnhaven in the morning and try for some stripers off the beach at sunrise.