Smith Mountain Lake Fishing
This reservoir lies in Franklin County, 20,600 acres.
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Smith Mountain Lake in brief
Smith Mountain Lake is a Virginia reservoir in Franklin County, listed at 20,600 acres. The nearest community on the Census list is North Shore, some 3 miles distant.
Boaters can use 6 boat ramps from the DWR list. There are 2 fishing piers on the DWR fishing pier layer. Further down, its digest exception changes a statewide row.
Acres as stated on the Virginia DWR waterbody page, read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026. Census 2023 places.
Smith Mountain Lake in the words of Virginia DWR
Smith Mountain Lake is a 20,600-acre impoundment located near Roanoke in Bedford and Franklin counties. This reservoir is one of Virginia’s premier fisheries, offering outstanding fishing and other recreational opportunities. The reservoir was constructed in the early 1960s and is owned by American Electric Power Company and is managed primarily for hydroelectric power generation.
DWR wrote the passage above about Smith Mountain Lake; check its page for updates.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Site amenities DWR lists for Smith Mountain Lake
- Boat motors (DWR layer)Unlimited HP
- DWR region numberDWR Region 2
The rows on Smith Mountain Lake mirror DWR records.
Virginia DWR Public Fishing Lakes layer (outline, motor rule, region number), read November 6, 2026.
Species on the DWR page for Smith Mountain Lake
DWR wording drives the Smith Mountain Lake species list; generic labels stay unlinked.
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
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| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Ford boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | From Penhook, Rt 40 East (2); L on Rt 626 (6) |
| Hales Ford boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | From Moneta, Rt122 S(1.5),LRt695(1.25),R Rt828(1.5)R Meadow Pt. Dr(.25)R OakHollowRd(.25 |
| Hardy Ford boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | 2 ramps, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | From Stewertsville, Rt 24 West (2.4); L on Rt 635 (1.5);L on Rt 634(3.7) |
| Oak Grove boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | dock and ramp, 2 ramps, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | Rt. 122,. left nto Rt. 666, left on Oldfield Rd.,right on Oak Grove Dr. |
| Penhook boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | 2 ramps, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | From Penhook, Rt 660 North (.8); R on Rt 966 (1.4) |
| Scruggs boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake | 1 ramp, barrier-free, freshwater | Appalachian Power | From Moneta southwest on Rt 122 (7); L on Rt 616 (5.7); R on Rt 601 (2) |
Bank fishing spots on Smith Mountain Lake
- Smith Mtn. Lake S.P. fishing pier on Smith Mountain Lakefishing pier
- Smith Mountain Lake Community Parkfishing pier
More DWR launches near Smith Mountain Lake
- Myer's Creek boat ramp on Leesville ReservoirLeesville Reservoir, 13 miles southeast
- Leesville Dam boat rampLeesville Reservoir, 14 miles east
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026. Virginia DWR Fishing Piers layer (name and water only), read November 6, 2026.
Virginia limits in force on Smith Mountain Lake
| Species as printed | Applies to | Creel | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Alabama, Spotted Bass | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | statewide | 4 per day in the aggregate | No fish less than 20 inches |
| Striped Bass | Anadromous (coastal) striped bass above the fall line in all coastal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay and Crane Lake (City of Suffolk) | Creel and length limits shall be as set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission for recreational fishing in tidal waters | no length limit printed |
| Striped Bass | Striped bass in the Meherrin, Nottoway, Blackwater (Chowan Drainage), North Landing and Northwest rivers and their tributaries plus Back Bay | No possession | no length limit printed |
| Walleye, Saugeye | statewide | 5 per day in the aggregate | No walleye or saugeye less than 18 inches |
| Sauger | statewide | 2 per day | No statewide length limits |
| White Bass | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Chain Pickerel and Northern Pike | statewide | 5 per day | No statewide length limits |
| Muskellunge | statewide | 1 per day | No muskellunge less than 40 inches |
| Bluegill (bream) and other sunfish excluding Crappie, Rock Bass (redeye) and Roanoke Bass | statewide | 50 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Crappie (black or white) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate (combined) | No statewide length limits |
| Rock Bass (redeye) | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with Roanoke bass | No statewide length limits |
| Roanoke Bass | statewide | 25 per day in the aggregate with rock bass | No statewide length limits |
| Perch (yellow and white) | statewide | No statewide daily limit | No statewide length limit |
| Trout | statewide | 6 per day | 7 inch minimum size |
| Channel, White, and Flathead | statewide | 20 per day | No length limits |
| Blue | statewide | 20 per day | No statewide length limits |
Those statewide digest rows govern Smith Mountain Lake unless an exception below names it.
DWR regulation notes on Smith Mountain Lake
- Black Bass (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted)
- 5 per day, including two bass less than 14 inches
- Only 2 less than 14 inches
- Striped Bass
- June 1 – October 31
- 2 per day
- No length limit
- November 1 – May 31
- 2 per day
- 30 inch – 40 inch protective slot limit (all striped bass caught between 30 and 40 inches must be immediately released unharmed, fish under 30 inches and over 40 inches may be creeled)
- Bluegill / Sunfish
- No length limits
- 50 per day in the aggregate
- Channel Catfish (Channel, Flathead and White)
Virginia DWR waterbody page (updated 11/17/2023), read November 6, 2026.
Digest exceptions written for Smith Mountain Lake
| Water as printed | Species | Rule as printed |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Mt. Lake and its tributaries below Niagara Dam | Largemouth, Smallmouth Bass | Only 2 of 5 largemouth or smallmouth bass less than 14 inches |
| Smith Mountain Lake and its tributaries, including the Roanoke River upstream to Niagara Dam | Landlocked Striped Bass and Landlocked Striped Bass X White Bass Hybrids | 2 per day in the aggregate (combined); November 1–May 31: No striped bass 30 to 40 inches; June 1–October 31: No length limit |
Water-specific exceptions as printed, 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026.
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Statewide creel and length limits as printed (page updated August 17, 2026), 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (eRegulations, linked from the Virginia DWR regulations page), read November 6, 2026. Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026.
Bass events at Smith Mountain Lake
Upcoming takeoffs and sourced weigh-ins for Smith Mountain Lake share a page.
Smith Mountain Lake next to its Virginia neighbours
If Smith Mountain Lake feels crowded, Leesville Reservoir spreads across 3,400 acres.
| Water | Distance | Size | DWR ramps | Trout stocking dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith Mountain Lake | this water | 20,600 acres | 6 | 0 |
| Leesville Reservoir | 11 miles southeast | 3,400 acres | 2 | 0 |
| Liberty Lake | 15 miles northeast | 2 acres | 0 | 27 |
| Franklin County Park Pond | 17 miles southwest | 2 acres (DWR outline area) | 0 | 11 |
| Lake Burton | 19 miles south | 76 acres | 1 | 0 |
| Abbott Lake | 23 miles north | 24 acres | 0 | 0 |
Virginia DWR waterbody pages and Public Fishing Lakes layer, NHD outline areas, DWR Boating Access Locations and stocking schedule; read November 6, 2026.
Around Smith Mountain Lake, within a Virginia drive
Other Virginia reservoirs close to Smith Mountain Lake
- Leesville Reservoir11 miles southeast
- Liberty Lake15 miles northeast
- Franklin County Park Pond17 miles southwest
- Lake Burton19 miles south
- Abbott Lake23 miles north
Where to buy bait before Smith Mountain Lake
- Halesford Harbour Boat Rentalsbait and tackle shop, Moneta, 3 miles
- SML Tackle Shackbait and tackle shop, Moneta, 3 miles
- Indian Pointe Marinamarina, Hardy, 3 miles
- Tj's Sporting Goodsbait and tackle shop, Moneta, 3 miles
- Crazy Horse Marinamarina, Moneta, 4 miles
- Mariners Landing Hospitalitymarina, Huddleston, 5 miles
Virginia towns close to Smith Mountain Lake
- North Shore3 miles, Franklin County
- Rocky Mount15 miles, Franklin County
- Vinton17 miles, Roanoke County
- Bedford17 miles, Bedford County
The localities Smith Mountain Lake runs through
- Franklin Countycounty seat Rocky Mount
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Smith Mountain Lake
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Shorelines around Smith Mountain Lake through a camera
Photo: Matt Walter, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Virginia State Parks, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nannette Turner, CC BY 2.0
Smith Mountain Lake: what Old Dominion anglers keep asking
Which Virginia locality holds Smith Mountain Lake?
Look in Franklin County, about 3 miles from North Shore.
Roughly how much water is Smith Mountain Lake?
About 20,600 acres.
Which DWR access site suits a first trip to Smith Mountain Lake?
DWR maps 6 boating access sites; Anthony Ford boat ramp on Smith Mountain Lake is one.
What might bite for a Virginia angler at Smith Mountain Lake?
DWR lists channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass and white catfish.
Which digest bass row covers Smith Mountain Lake?
The statewide digest row for largemouth and smallmouth bass reads: 5 per day in the aggregate (combined); No statewide length limits. Its own digest line sits in the limits band.
Does a Virginia freshwater license cover Smith Mountain Lake?
A Virginia freshwater license is $23 a year for residents and $47 for nonresidents 16 and older. Under-16 anglers are exempt.
Can a bank angler work the shoreline of Smith Mountain Lake?
Try Smith Mtn. Lake S.P. fishing pier on Smith Mountain Lake, one of 2 fishing piers.
Which shop is on the way to Smith Mountain Lake?
Stop at Halesford Harbour Boat Rentals (about 3 miles away).
Plan a Saturday on Smith Mountain Lake
Check the digest, then pick a ramp.