FISHING REPORTS
Lake Anna June 2026
Jim Hemby, Lake Anna Striper Guide Service
STRIPERS: Stripers have migrated to the mid lake regions of the lake and are aggressively feeding on 25 to 30 foot flats gorging themselves on 4 and 5 inch Herring. In low light conditions they are feeding heavily in the upper water column. Early and late in the day fish topwater with Redfins, Zara Spooks, Chug Baits and Pencil Poppers. When the fish move deep start trolling with the Redfin CD 9, Bandit Deep or Manns DD22. You can also cast Sea Shads, Rapala Mayor or your favorite paddle tail bait, along with vertical jigging spoons. Umbrella and drop rigs will also produce fish. Another great method to catch Striper is to use live bait rigged downlines putting the baits at the exact depth the fish are using to maximize your catches.
BASS: The largemouths are in post spawn and summer patterns now and have retreated to deeper water to replenish their energy. They also are feeding aggressively and suckers for top water baits. Bass will rise out of 20 feet of water to hit a Pop R, especially in clear water. The deeper the water you fish over the slower you should work your bait, giving the Bass time to locate and blow up on the bait. Spooks also work well fishing parallel to bluff banks like those in Contrary Creek. Carolina rigs tipped with your favorite Lizzard or worm also work well. Use heavy sinkers and cover water quickly till you feel structure then hold on! Another good technique is to throw Swimbaits counting them down using a slow retrieve.
CRAPPIE: The slabs have pulled out and are being caught on deeper points with brush piles and on the deeper bridge pilings in the 10 to 20 foot ranges. They continue to hit small minnows and jigs. The fish are also stacking up on ledges in the rivers in the 8 to 15 foot depths. Crappie rigs [two hook rigs] tipped with minnows are deadly now too. Simply lower your offerings to the depth of the fish and once you start catching doubles mark your line at that depth and fill your cooler up.
CATFISH: Cats are very plentiful this year and are feeding everywhere on the lake. Catfish are feeding aggressively on live bait using the lower third of the water column to feed.
Lake level is about 18” low, temps in the mid to upper 70’s
MLAGS
Bass - Bass fishing trips should target schooled fish from
the 208 region down to the power plant with soft plastic jerkbaits and
topwater plugs as well as bass on off-shore structure like rocks and
brush in the mid and up lake regions with crankbaits and worms.The best schooling
spots are next to 40' feet of water. The best off shore spots tend to
consist of natural cover. You can still catch bass shallow early in
the morning using buzzbaits and wacky-rigged worms - mostly in the mid
and lower up lake regions.
Striper - It's time to tune up your depth finder and interpretation
skills and start looking for fish in the region from Rose Valley to
Stubbs Bridge on down to the mouth of Sturgeon Creek. The
fish will roam around a bit, possibly even feeding on the surface from
dawn to about 7:30 am some mornings then they will school up deep
where you can target them in 25-35’ of water using trolled Redfin 917s
DD-22, and Bandit Deeps. If casting use sassy shads, Sea Shads,
umbrella rigs and KT Slab spoons. Live bait will catch them but
keeping the bait alive and away from catfish is difficult now.
Crappie - Fish have moved deep, from 15-25' in most areas of the lake.
Bridge pilings, deep brush, channel edges and cool tributaries are
where the best action will be this month. Get a couple dozen small
minnows, some slip bobber rigs and head for a bridge like Stubbs or
Holladay Mill and fish from 7 am until 9 am for your limit. Some up
lake crappie will take small crankbaits on rocky channel bends if you
are up for a challenge and looking for bigger fish.
Water Temps in the upper 70’s to low 80’s