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Tournament Information
The ​53rd Annual Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Tournament, a three-day fishing event on the scenic waters of Smith Mountain Lake, will be held May 6 - 8 at Gills Creek Marina in Wirtz. Virginia.  

This tournament was run by and benefitted The Roanoke Optimist Club for 45 years.  They passed it on for the last six years to the Challenger Little League Baseball.  They notified us last year that they were unable to continue the tournament.  Rather than see this once very popular event end after 52 years, Gills Creek Marina decided to host and run it ourselves.  This was a big decision for us because it is a big commitment of time and money.

We have had to make some changes from previous years.  Some of those changes are as follows...

  • Tickets for this year's 3 day tournament will be $75. 
  • This year, a minimum of 50% of the ticket proceeds will be paid out in prize money for the Top 3 winners each day for each of these 5 categories... Large and smallmouth bass, stripers, crappie and catfish. Assuming 400 participants, the pay out each day would be $5000.
  • The remaining profit will be paid out to The Smith Mountain Lake Youth Athletics Association.
  • Fishing begins at 7am on Friday and ends at Noon on Sunday.  
  • Friday's winners will be top on the board at 4pm Friday.
  • Saturday's winners will be top on the board as of 4pm Saturday.
  • Sunday’s winners will be top on the board at 12 noon on Sunday.
  • All fish will be weighed in at Gills Creek Marina anytime between Friday morning and noon on Sunday.  Remember, the board will be cleaned at 4pm each day.  
​​On Saturday, May 7th,  the 2nd Annual Gills Creek Marina Youth Fishing Tournament will take place from 7 a.m. -4 p.m. Youth age 12 and under can participate for free with paying adult or with a one day $25 youth ticket. This competition is for the largest fish in the categories of large fish (Stripper / Catfish / Bass) and small fish (Bluegill / Sunfish).

Tickets will be available online, at one of our regular outlets, and at Gills Creek Marina on April 1, 2022. This event is sponsored  and hosted by Gills Creek Marina.


Prizes by Category ​Each Day
Daily Prize Money Projections
(based on 400  participants)
Category 1 
​STRIPER
1st Place -    $500
2nd Place -  $300
3rd Place -   $200
Category 2 
​SM BASS
1st Place -    $500
2nd Place -  $300
3rd Place -   $200
Category 3 
LM BASS
1st Place -    $500
2nd Place -  $300
3rd Place -   $200
Category 4 
​CATFISH
1st Place -    $500
2nd Place -  $300
3rd Place -   $200
Category 5 
Crappie
1st Place -    $500
2nd Place -  $300
3rd Place -   $200
Tickets can be picked up at the following locations...
Tickets are also available at  these outlets:
Gills Creek Marina          540-721-2451     
790 Fox Chase Rd
Wirtz, VA 24184

SML Tackle Shack           540-912-0201
13326 Booker T Washington Hwy
Suite B1
​Moneta, VA 24121
 
Captain’s Quarters         540-721-1175
16525 Booker T. Washington Hwy
Moneta, VA 24121
 
Bay Rock Marina            540-890-2194
8360 Hardy Rd.
Hardy, VA 24101
 
Trader Jerry’s                   540-389-8095
724 W 4th St
Salem, Va. 24153
 

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