Rural Retreat Lake 5-12-14

[rthensley]

Made my third trip to Rural Retreat Lake today.

The first two trips I caught 8 crappie each trip. Today I fished the same small, chartreuse, twister tail grub and managed to boat 26 crappie and 10 bluegills.

No size to the crappie. I did keep 6. They will be dinner tomorrow.

This is the first year I have tried to catch crappie. I'll probably be able to make another day trip in a couple of weeks. Would love to catch some keeper crappie. Any suggestions in far SW Virginia?

[VaCrappieMan]

Try hidden valley... Glad you caught some and just curious where you found them... We caught some last trip but all small... I'm on my honeymoon now in fl so won't be fishing back home this week... Lol

[rthensley]

VaCrappieMan.........congrats on the marriage. Hey, fishing should be hot in FL right now.

I left the dock, went left, and fished right up against the bank. Used a lite weight, 10' pole and flipped the little grub up against the bank and vegetation. I pretty much fished most of the perimeter of the lake (except that little section to the right of the dock.....I was tired.), but most of the crappie were caught to the left of the dock on both sides of the lake. Hope that makes sense. It is hard to explain.

[VaCrappieMan]

Yeah I know where your talking about did you catch any off the old road bed? That is sometimes a good spot but last time I was up there they were glued to the bank in the same areas you talked about

[rthensley]

Where is the old road bed?

[VaCrappieMan]

When coming up that left side from where you put in if you look to the right when you get up in there you will see the houses on the other side that road goes out into the water all the way to the other side (it's broken up in places but sometimes it holds fish)

[rthensley]

Never have noticed that road. Will try to look the next time I am up there.

I did see a trail/path going around the lake, on the other side of the lake in the general area you are talking about. There was a gate down near the lake. I caught several crappie right near the bank, to the left of that gate. The bank of that little section of the lake is grass. No trees to speak of. Not sure why the crappie were holding there. Of course I have never tried to catch crappie before this year.