| Observations on the Suffolk Lakes – by Rob Brewer
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| The following information is a mix of fact and opinion. I was asked to write an article on bass fishing the Suffolk Lakes. While I’m no expert on any given lake, I have fished them all, some more than others. What follows are the observations I have made, mixed with facts from the Norfolk area lakes website. While not specific in terms of how to catch bass, it is my hope that what follows will help you in choosing an area lake to fish. Consider time of year, migrational patterns and your specific style of fishing when determining what water to fish. Remember, all these lakes are fished with permit only. There is no bank fishing except in designated areas. Lake Meade - This is a Portsmouth owned/managed lake. At 510 acres (full pool), it is filled from Lake Cohoon and drains off two dams. One into Lake Kilby and the other into what I believe to be the Nansemond River. It has a ten horsepower motor limit and receives what I deem to be moderate fishing pressure. It is the only Portsmouth Lake containing Striped Bass. Key structure in the lake is some old house foundations, an old roadbed and some old bridge pylons. The lake holds good numbers of small bass with some good ones amongst the mix. There are a fair amount of blowdowns, stumps and other shoreline cover awaiting one who wants flip or pitch. Lake Cohoon - Another Portsmouth owned/managed lake. This one at 512 acres (full pool), it is filled via a small stream beyond the railroad tracks and drains into Lake Meade. Again, there is a ten horsepower motor limit. In my opinion, this is one of the better lakes to fish. It has numbers of quality fish and they gladly oblige a well-made presentation. The lake has a good number of cypress trees, willow trees along with several blowdowns. The lake contains two sets of old bridge remnants that I am aware of. This lake is prone to low water conditions depending on weather and other conditions. When the water is low enough and you can pass under the railroad tracks, there is a nice chunk of cypress swamp in the back by the feeder stream. But cypress is strewn throughout this lake so be sure to fish its root systems. Late May and early June are prime times to hit this lake. Lake Prince - This Norfolk managed lake probably gets more pressure than all the other lakes. Once you experience a good day there, you’ll know why. This place has some serious bass in it. It’s in the top ten statewide for trophy fish citations issued. It’s 810 acres (full pool) and has 62.4 miles of shoreline. This is more shoreline to fish than any other area lake. If you’re a “bank-beater” this is the place. Not only are there so many miles of shoreline to fish, the place has more blowdowns and logjams than you can shake a stick at. You cannot fish this lake in one day. It also has some choice humps, bars and islands in it too. The lake is often frequented by those pursuing striped bass. It holds a good number of them and it is not uncommon to catch some while targeting largemouth. This lake contains city maintained aerators and they seem to be hot spots for the stripers. Other underwater structure includes and old roadbed near Gardner Lane Bridge. There is an old bridge underwater right next to Lake Prince Drive Bridge. This lake also has a considerable abundance of cypress flats to fish. Lake Prince is second only to Burnt Mills in the abundance of grass. I’ve also noticed more alligator gar in this lake than any other. They are always willing to nail a fluke or slug-go thrown their way. There’s also a nice population of shellcracker, bream and other panfish for the cane poler who has a tub of crickets. This lake has a 12 hp maximum horsepower limit. Western Branch - This Norfolk managed watershed is the biggest of the Suffolk Lakes. It contains 1,253 acres at full pool. Don’t let the size fool you though. It only has 40 miles of shoreline and doesn’t have nearly the cover it should have. I have noticed this lake contains more rocks, marl and clay bottom (hard bottoms) than any of the other lakes. This lake is another striper haven. Again, they seem to like the aerators quite a bit. This lake is a great spawning season lake to fish. It has numerous flats of considerable size and they are peppered with stumps. There’s also a well-defined creek channel with many turns and bends if you like to fish deeper water. I estimate this lake to have more islands than any of the other lakes. I have seen hundreds, if not thousands of small bass schooling this past summer. So it is apparent that it had a very successful spawn this past year. They actually became a nuisance during some tournaments. While fun to catch, you couldn’t weigh them in. If there is a topwater lake in the area, this one is it. Because the cover is not visible in a lot of places, a pop-r or other chugger seems to be a good choice here. Again, the stripers will oblige when you least expect it. This lake has the best ramp facility of all the Suffolk lakes. It’s a two laner with a dock to tie off on running down the middle. This lake has a 12 horsepower maximum limit. Burnt Mills - Norfolk owned/managed. This too, has a 12 horsepower limit. Burnt Mills is definitely the clearest of the Suffolk Lakes. Because of this clarity, it has the most grass of any of the Suffolk Lakes. It has a 590 acre surface area at full pool, containing 36 miles of shoreline to fish. The “ramp” is quite primitive. In fact, it’s only a bare piece of shore with an insufficient grade to launch most boats, so plan on getting your feet wet if the lake is not at full pool. This lake has some serious bottom contour changes. It will go from eight feet to thirty feet in a blink. It is a great crankbait lake, especially with all the humps, points and bars it contains. The clarity of the water helps too. While there are no stripers in this lake, it makes up for it in chain pickerel. You will see a number of them following your bait to the boat if not already hooked. Burnt Mills has more stumps and standing timber that is flush with the water’s surface than any other Suffolk Lake. So be certain to go through it at a slow throttle unless you want to break something on your boat or motor. This lake has no aerators in it. This lake is a great early spring lake to fish and it does hold some dandies in it. I would rate it only second to Prince for big fish. It probably has as many or more, but since it doesn’t receive the pressure Prince does, the numbers don’t reflect it. Fishing is life, Rob Brewer |
