Where the big bass are: New reports shows where to find trophy largemouths

A largemouth bass is eligible for state citation recognition if it measures more than 22 inches long or if it weighs eight pounds or more.

Here is the ranking based on citations:

• 1. Smith Mountain Lake, 24 Citation Fish
• 2. Briery Creek Lake, 11 Citation Fish
• 3. Lake Burton, 8 Citation Fish
• 4. Sandy River Reservoir, 7 Citation Fish
• 5. Lake Anna, 5 Citation Fish

“We were looking at which waterbodies had the most citations for largemouth bass strictly from what was entered into the program in 2024,” said VDWR Aquatic Education Coordinator Alex McCrickard. ”

McCrickard added that those were only citations that were received; that many citation quality largemouth bass are never reported. He says the citation numbers are a good indicator of where large largemouth bass can be found in Virginia, and that can help anglers narrow down where they want to fish to improve their odds of catching a trophy.

It is also no coincidence that all five lakes are part of the VDWR’s F1 Hybrid Bass stocking program. F1 bass are a cross between a northern strain largemouth and a Florida strain largemouth. Florida strain bass has been scientifically prove to produce larger fish, and they grow at a faster rate, so they get big more quickly.

Many Roanoke and Lynchburg area anglers can attest to the trophy potential in Smith Mountain Lake where huge largemouth are caught on a routine basis.

“Honestly, no surprise,” said McCrickard. “Strong forage base there with a wide variety of habitat, which kind of comes together to produce some really big fish.”