Heading for Lake Anna on Jan 24 (Sat)

[ComeOnFish]

I am heading for Lake Anna tomorrow, Jan 24.

Dike 3 Warm Side:
Public Launch: 3611 Moody Town Rd. Bumpass, VA (Dike 3)
No cart is need. Hand carry about 70'
You can carry the kayak to the warm side by crossing the road.

I usually fish Dike 3 cold side for stripers. I can catch LM if I want to even though I am not a LM fisherman. The water temp should be 45-50F with 2 miles of the launch. I usually try to find stripers first by scanning striper images on FF while trolling.
The water depth changes rapidly and frequently. I usually set depth to AUTO.


Warm Side (Private Access Only)
If someone wants to fish for LM (crappie, WP, bluegill too) only, I can invite the person to the warm side. There is no public access to the warm side. I have access to a private boat ramp. I can take one person on First Come First Service basis. PM me.
The water temp on the warm side I fish will be 45 - 70F within 2 miles from the launch. There are many docks, submerged logs points and a bridge. I caught LM in 87F water close the hot water discharge.
I am not a LM fisherman. So I can't help in LM fishing. I usually fish for WP for dinner.

[NateFishyMan]

Looks like the prediction for Sat/24th is 70% snow/ rain, but Sunday looks to be clear with temps at 50 degrees just letting you know, now if you change to Sunday i will tag along that day since i will be off work!

[ComeOnFish]

Looks like the prediction for Sat/24th is 70% snow/ rain, but Sunday looks to be clear with temps at 50 degrees just letting you know, now if you change to Sunday i will tag along that day since i will be off work!

I thought fish don't care about snow/rain.
Yes. Sunday it is.
Which side do you want to fish?

Joe

[NateFishyMan]

It don't matter to me as long as we are catching fish. But i have never been to the warm side

[NateFishyMan]

I thought fish don't care about snow/rain.
Yes. Sunday it is.
Which side do you want to fish?

Joe

I have yet to catch a striper!

[ComeOnFish]

It don't matter to me as long as we are catching fish. But i have never been to the warm side

The warm side through the private access is good for LM fishing. It is where Dike 2 is, about 15 minute drive from the Dike 3 parking lot. The water is warmer. Catching LM is guaranteed. It's more like fishing LM in Fall. We caught only one striper at 22" once. The water is too warm for stripers.

We usually fish the cold side of Dike 3. Catching LM is tougher than the warm side (mentioned above) because the water is colder. Stripers are available but catching stripers isn't guaranteed. Here you will fish with power boaters (not many) fishing for LM and stripers. You (kayakers) can fish on the warm side of Dike 3. Simply carry the kayak to the warm side from parking lot. you will cross a low traffic road. It's not a big deal. As long as you don't break your ankle by jamming foot between rocks, the launch at the warm side isn't bad.

The water warm side is clear always. The water at dike 3 is clear visibility should be 7-12' where we fish. Many bass fishermen use thinner line 10-12# test mono here because of the clear water. But other part of cold side can be stained.

Anyway one good thing about fishing the warm side and Dike 3 is that I rinse the kayaks, PFD, Wader, seat, and even reels at the lunch sites. The water is warm and clear at the launch. I don't have to deal with frozen garden hose at home. Connectors on electronics didn't have to be rinsed. I usually brush off some sands and load the kayak. So when I arrive at home I simply store the kayak, and hang PFD and seat.
Because the water is warm, it is warmer when kayaking than on the land.

If you want to catch many LM, the warm side (private access) is good for you. If you want to catch possible stripers and LM then Dike 3 is the place.

BTW,
at 02:10 you will see the warm side lunch spot at Dike 3 parking lot:

Joe

[daolai]

Joe - let me know the next time you go I am too much of a wimp for the conditions they are predicting tomorrow. I am determined to catch a keeper striper there this winter. I am 0-2 so far.

[ComeOnFish]

I have yet to catch a striper!

OK
Sunday at the Dike 3 public parking lot.
Pick the time you are comfortable with.

Joe

[NateFishyMan]

OK
Sunday at the Dike 3 public parking lot.
Pick the time you are comfortable with.

Joe

The earlier the better for me 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am doesn't matter to me.

FYI- Joe I did receive your voicemail just cant return phone call at this time due to being at work!

If we will catch more fish on Dike 2 side then i prefer that. LMB are always fun

[ComeOnFish]

The earlier the better for me 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am doesn't matter to me.

FYI- Joe I did receive your voicemail just cant return phone call at this time due to being at work!

If we will catch more fish on Dike 2 side then i prefer that. LMB are always fun

Dike 2 warm side (private ramp).
07:00 AM on Sunday
No cart needed

A PM sent with address

joe

[daolai]

How did you guys do? Any stripers?

[ComeOnFish]

Blame it on Bill Dance.

Watching Bill Dance's LM fishing shows didn't help.

As I mentioned, I am not a LM fisherman. I usually don't have game plans for LM to stick with. I don't have LM lures except two deep diving crank-bait. My LM lures are my speck/puppy drum lures. And I brought some 7" rat tail ZOOM - my striper jigging lures.

We went to the warm side for LM. The water temp was 44 - 60F where we fished. Later I recognized that both Nathan and I, were waiting for some kinds of guide from each other. Perhaps, I wasn't quite clear about how hopeless I had been in LM fishing. The most of LM I caught were by catch.

Anyway,
I caught 3 small LM and 1 WP total, 2 LM on a striker King Redfish Magic, and a LM and a WP on a deep diving crank-bait. I missed few hits on the Redfish Magic.
Nathan had few missed hits. He ended with one LM.

Learned:
Depth finder is the must in Lake Anna. The depth of the water changes rapidly and frequently. I don't think I can guess the depth of the target water effectively based on the depth of the water I am in. Without knowing the depth of the water, I don't think a good LM fisherman can adjust the lure type and weight.

Next Plan:
I am planning to fish the cold side of Dike 3 from now on. I think I am more comfortable and have a game plan when fishing for stripers. I think the lake water is getting colder and more stripers will move toward Dike 3, the warmer water. The bottom line is it is easier to catch stripers for me.

Joe