Although most of the catch will consist of smaller bass, Reeser did note that there are fish over 10 pounds in each of the lakes. The lakes are regularly stocked with trout for anglers and the bass eat the trout. Some bass have grown quite large dining on such good food. Be sure and check the regulations because most lakes and ponds require a Forest Service Stamp.

NORTHERN PIEDMONT LARGEMOUTH HOTSPOTS
Lake Anna is the gem of the northern Piedmont region for many species of fish, including largemouth bass. Lake Anna covers more than 9,600 acres of water in Spotsylvania, Orange and Louisa counties.

John Odenkirk is one of the fisheries biologists that we regularly consult on fishing in this region. Odenkirk reported that Anna has always had good bass fishing, with only subtle fluctuations in size structure. He pointed out that the water pool has been stable and that is important to the quality of the fishery.

Odenkirk also noted that the good habitat structures in the upper and middle areas of the lake, which include docks, trees, beaver lodges and the recently expanding willow beds, is just one of the variables that sustain the good fishery. The second variable is good forage in the form of white perch, bluegills, gizzard shad, threadfin and blueback herring. While the lower lake may lack a great amount of structure, the structure that is there is a magnet for fish.

"Habitat structures in the lower lake -- especially Boggs Point and Dike 2 -- are loaded with large fish. There has been a trophy bass at Boggs for at least three years. I think the increase in catch-and-release, combined with the slot limit, boosted this fishery in the mid- to late 1980s."

The most productive areas for bass fishing includes the creek arms just above the "Splits." Odenkirk also commented that the slot is no longer needed because of the amount of catch-and-release practiced at the lake. Over 99 percent of the bass caught are released. The slot limit is due to be dropped within a year.

Odenkirk reported that Anna has always had a good number of fish in the 16- to 18-inch range. The average size of fish being harvested during the last available creel was just about 3 pounds.

Lake Anna recently ranked seventh among northern Virginia impoundments for largemouths when comparing the catch per effort of preferred fish (CPE-P). Anna posted 26 fish per hour that measured over 15 inches. According to Odenkirk, the previous record of CPE-P was 25 per hour back in 2001.

The larger the number, the more abundant large bass are in the lake. When looking at relative stock density of preferred fish (RSD-P), Anna grabbed the fifth slot with a rate of 40 fish, which tells us that there are a good proportion of larger fish in the bass population at Anna. Trophy bass numbers were also up. Odenkirk said that samples reflected that fish over 20 inches tied their existing sampling record of four bass per hour in 2000.

With continued good recruitment at Anna, hawg hunters can expect the fishing to remain stable and continue to offer northern Piedmont anglers a good destination to fish.

Bass angling across the Old Dominion is simply a matter of getting on the water with a rod in hand. Although we only mentioned a handful of waters, there are plenty of destinations that boast great bassing. Visit that small out-of-the-way place this year or one of our featured waters and send us a photo of your trophy.