Curtis Lake has a good amount of structure all around the lake with the best water near the park opposite the boat ramp. Call (540) 899-4169 for more information on fishing these lakes.

Finally, we travel farther south in the region to visit with Dean Fowler, who covers the waters just north of Richmond. He points to Lake Gordonsville and Lake Fluvanna-Ruritan as good bream destinations. Anglers need to probe coves while looking for beds to find the fish this month. Spawning should begin in earnest once the water temperatures hit the 70-degree mark.

At Lake Gordonsville, bluegills up to 9 inches are present. There are no redears in the lake. However, the numbers of bluegills make up for this fact. Covering the 75 acres is easy in a day of fishing. Sampling shows that bluegills exceeding 8 inches are not uncommon in this lake. The upper end of the lake is very shallow and the entire shoreline has a healthy population of vegetation present, which offers bream excellent habitat. Dipping red wigglers or crickets in the pockets can be very effective.

At Lake Fluvanna-Ruritan, the 50 acres of water are fertilized each year. This DGIF-owned lake has a strong bluegill population. There are some redears in the lake, but their numbers appear to be limited. Concentrate efforts near vegetation to take a few of these larger specimens home. The upper end of the lake has stumps that attract bluegills. More information on these two lakes is available by calling (804) 367-6796

The prospects for full stringers and empty bait cans looks very bright across Virginia this year. Our hope is that you take advantage of it and have a boatload of fun!