Glen Moorer of Marion with a nice Claytor Lake smallmouth. Hitting cooler lakes and rivers for smallmouths is one way to beat the heat this summer and still catch bass. In the summer, the best fishing on Claytor is typically at night. Photo by Bruce Ingram.

August is a month when Virginia anglers need to become creative if they want to experience bass fishing success on the state's impoundments and rivers. The tried-and-true tactics of spring and early summer are now overused and progressively less effective. Let's look at some possible destinations, as well as lures and new bass-fishing patterns that will help us score there.

CLAYTOR: CLASSIC NIGHTTIME BASSING
John Copeland, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) biologist for Claytor, suggests that anglers head for the Blacksburg-area lake after sundown.

"I know that summertime night-fishing for bass is popular on Claytor Lake," Copeland told me. "With the busy nature of the lake recreationally during the summer, the anglers have figured out that night-fishing leads to success -- and fewer hassles. The night-fishing is significant enough that we do evening angler surveys during the summer months at Claytor Lake when we are running angler surveys there."

The 4,475-acre Pulaski County impoundment is one of the few in the state that host largemouths, smallmouths and spots, and the biologist relates that some 60 percent of the anglers that visit the lake target black bass. The smallmouth bass fishery is perhaps the most enticing one, as it has a reputation for producing citations (smallies measuring 20 or more inches and weighing 5 or more pounds).

The biologist recommended that anglers after nighttime bronzebacks concentrate on the middle and lower lake regions, specifically from the mouth of Peak Creek downlake. He further recommended the coves between Claytor Lake State Park and the dam.

For largemouth bass, Copeland said that the Peak Creek arm is a major hotspot. Also good are some of the coves uplake from Peak Creek, as well coves near the state park.

Spotted bass are the least-targeted member of the black bass trio and rarely attain the 2-pound mark. They flourish in the upper lake region, especially above Peak Creek, the major tributary. For nighttime action, or action anytime, Copeland said that, based on studies, Claytor's smallmouths and spots most frequently consume crayfish, so lures imitating that prey item should be considered. Largemouths consume mostly minnows, shad and bluegills, so artificial choices should reflect that.

Copeland added that an excellent source of information is Mike Burchett who manages Rockhouse Marina, (540) 980-1488.

POTOMAC: PEAK OF THE SEASON
While some Virginia bass fisheries are on the decline come the dog days, the Tidal Potomac is often at its peak. The ebbs and flows of this waterway ensure that the action can be quite good. Guide Teddy Carr emphasized that various kinds of aquatic vegetation along the shoreline of the main river can really draw largemouths.

Anglers should concentrate on such grass as milfoil, coontail and hydrilla.

Buzzbaits and X-Calibur X3 jerkbaits worked parallel to this vegetation or (in the case of the buzzbaits) churned across the thick stuff can provoke some scintillating strikes.

Rock and wood cover will also produce. Chunk rock and rocky points constitute the former, while barges, docks and old wharves make up the latter. For both, the guide suggests Booyah spinnerbaits and Carolina-rigged 4-inch YUM Dingers in green pumpkin or Mardi Gras.

These same forms of cover also exist in many of the creeks that feed into the waterway. Among the possibilities are Broad Run, Chicamuxen, Mattawoman and Aquia creeks; also worth checking out are Arkendale Flats and Wades Bay.

For guided trips, contact Teddy Carr at (540) 854-4271 or e-mail him at fshwtc@ns.gemlink.com.

BUGGS: BEST AT DAYBREAK
Guide Roger Jones of Richmond said that it is usually crucial for anglers visiting 48,900-acre Buggs Island during August to be on the water at daybreak.

"The early-morning period gives fishermen their best chance to catch quality bass now," he confirmed. "Boating pressure is not the problem because the lake is so huge and there are so many places to fish. The heat can be a real problem, though.

"Right at sunrise, I try to be in mid-lake tributaries, such as Butchers, Mill and Grassy creeks or the midlake area itself. Some of the deeper water on the lake is in this area and that seems to give bass a sanctuary they can go to during the afternoon."

Interestingly, Jones related that certain areas of the lake draw more bass at certain times of the year. For instance, the guide believes that the lower lake area entices more largemouths during the spring, the midlake does the same during the summer, and the upper lake region performs best during autumn.