Before Posting, Please Read Our Posting Guidelines Below.
1. Use the full 4 digit year for everything you are asking your question about. Example: 1962, 1988, 2000, 2011 2. Include the correct name of your Whaler model. Example: Montauk 17, Montauk 170, Outrage 26, Outrage 260 3. Include the length when necessary. Example: 16, 17, 18, 20, 22 4. Do not post your email address anywhere on this site as it is already in your user profile.
Anyone have any tips for Smith Mountain Lake? Bored with the typical NJ shore vacations, heard about Smith Mountain Lake and it looks cool and Whaler friendly. Any advice, tips, rental houses etc would be appreciated. Would be towing the 15 SS down from NJ, probably with another family also. Want to plan it for next year...I know, I know....its early.
well here is the skinny on sml it is very nice not sure of all of the accomidations. we have used the state park cottages and the campground, i would say the cottages are the way to go. as for the lake it is very busy with large and fast boats on the weekends and holidays. i prefer the blackwater section myself. there are numerous lakes about 50 or so miles of each other, if you have the time and desire i would try to hit them all. buggs island or lake kerr is a nice big lake on south of sml and is a much better place, less growded. also there is claytor lake, philpott, moomaw and lake anna to the north.
monti
I've stayed at Smith Mt. Lake several times and really enjoyed it. As Monti said it can get very crazy on the weekends and holidays mostly in the main channel but never the less I still enjoyed it. I found that there was enough back water to hide in during the bulk of the day but the views really do the lake justice. As far as fishing I go to Kerr lake mostly just because that is the lake I grew up fishing and know it fairly well.
At Smith Mt. Lake there are tons of houses to rent pretty much in any area of the lake. You might want to stay on the North side of the lake mostly due to ease and convenience of eating out or shopping plus it would probably cut about an 1.5hrs or more out of you trip. I don't recall the rental company we used, I might be able to get it out of my travel agent (wife).
So far out of the 3 ramps that I have used only 1 was kinda treacherous, Anthony ford, It's on a point exposed to the fury of lake traffic.
List of ramps http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/...ction=maps
Those are the public access ramps, there tons of pay launch ramps but I have found most of the houses have their on ramps.
As far as rental property there is to many to list just do a search of what size and price your looking for but I personally prefer the north side of the lake.
The Hales Ford Bridge area would be a spot you might consider driving or boating to at some point during your trip there is plenty of boat docking there also.
The trips I made to SML, I mostly avoided the tourist spot mentioned above as I liked to just boat around the coves.
Edited by Turpin on 08/28/10 - 4:54 PM
1963 13' Sport 50hp Evinrude
Maintaining a level of sanity that is socially acceptable
