Lake Champlain United - Forums

Wow, wow WOW! Fishy1, a salmon like that sounds like a good day to me!

I got out on the canoe this morning, even though I had work in the afternoon. Couldn't resist the "calm wind" in the forecast. I worked up the nerve to canoe right across the lake, which was thrilling. There were lots of boats out, so it felt reasonably safe even if I don't trust the wind forecast. As soon as I got past split rock I hooked up on my Big John diver 45' and pulled in a salmon about 17". I hooked up again in the main lake in front of the split, but I lost it. I saw lots of boats netting fish.
Ha! I can't seem to catch a fish in VT anymore. Also getting farther from actual shore fishing

Sawyer wrote:Hey Troutcrazy i would like to know more about your summer smelt fishing.

I was night fishing for them in smaller lakes, in my canoe. I'm pretty sure I could get them in Champlain now, but I don't have the nerve to night fish in the big lake in a little canoe this time of year.

I'd cruise around looking for them with my cheap fishfinder. After dusk they'd show up. Once I found a good area with multiple bait balls, I'd drop a long anchor rope. I was finding them in 45-60fow, if I remember correctly, and sometimes deeper. I used a bright submersible LED light, and boy would that bring them in! I fished with my ice jigging rods, with pieces of crawler, either on a drop shot rig or a Hali jig. I also brought a bigger rod in case the trout showed up and started biting, which they often did.

One of these nights if I'm out at dusk and it's calm I'll stay out on a sheltered bay of Champlain and try it.

12/3/2017 hit the lake and met up with eric at 7:30 am on a cool but now wind day. we fished 2 and 1/2 hours with only 1 hit. saw only 2 bust water.

12/5/2017 hit the lake this morning but the wind was a bit to much went farthur north and hit a river.

12/6/2107 eric hit the lake today and missed 2 on the rainbow krocodile. . justin went down for 45 minutes with no hits but 2 lakers busted water right close to him.

Fishless Friday. I hooked up right away, but it got off-- felt like a small salmon. Hooked up again right by the rock in 20' of water. It was big, and it broke off my only fishy1 Honeybee, along with my 3-way swivel rig while I was fumbling to get my other rod out of the way. I hadn't retied that rig in a long time-- lessons were learned. Those fishy1's are out of stock, too.

I also lost a rainbow Kroc today! Uggh my two favorite lures! Luckily I have two more of those. I also just received my recent order of Honeybees from tamiron, and he threw in some extras.

I watched other boats netting fish. I'm going to get serious about rigging for deeper water. As it is I can only get down 45'.

troutcrazy wrote:Fishless Friday. I hooked up right away, but it got off-- felt like a small salmon. Hooked up again right by the rock in 20' of water. It was big, and it broke off my only fishy1 Honeybee, along with my 3-way swivel rig while I was fumbling to get my other rod out of the way. I hadn't retied that rig in a long time-- lessons were learned. Those fishy1's are out of stock, too.

I also lost a rainbow Kroc today! Uggh my two favorite lures! Luckily I have two more of those. I also just received my recent order of Honeybees from tamiron, and he threw in some extras.

I watched other boats netting fish. I'm going to get serious about rigging for deeper water. As it is I can only get down 45'.

sorry to hear you lost fishy1 and jim is out of stock. i might have one extra for you . will check with john at fmb to see if he has anymore in stock. he is due to open back up.
that must have been a good fish to break you off like that. were you charting lots of fish there?

If you find an extra f1 around, I'd be excited to it buy or trade for it! PM sent.
The cheap fishfinder showed bait out deep, like 100 or 150 feet of water. Bigger marks by the bait, too .
Nice marks out by the rock, without visible bait.

I ended my Fall laker fishing from shore today and it was pretty slow. One fish to show for it. Had an incredible time this year in new places, learning new things. I managed to land about 75 lakers this Fall

The boat never saw water this Fall. I was waiting for a calm, sunny weekend day....never happened. Every warm day was 20 mph winds! Hopefully next Fall, then I can make my way to areas I have always wanted to try.

Matt wrote:I ended my Fall laker fishing from shore today and it was pretty slow. One fish to show for it. Had an incredible time this year in new places, learning new things. I managed to land about 75 lakers this Fall

The boat never saw water this Fall. I was waiting for a calm, sunny weekend day....never happened. Every warm day was 20 mph winds! Hopefully next Fall, then I can make my way to areas I have always wanted to try.

great report matt thanks for chiming in. wished it was the same where i have been fishing but its been a down fall for me. didnt see the bait hit the shore until middle of november and left just as fast as arriving. for one week the salmon and lakers were busting water in casting distance but not many takers. then there gone. im not giving up though and will frostbite all winter and maybe we will even have ice to try for whitefish.

Wind was rough today from the VT side, went 3 for 3 on the fly from shore. 2 were pretty clean fish, looked good. The other had a 16" or so lamprey still on it, which is happily dead now.

thats awsome z.g. wind wasnt bad where i was christmas shopping. thanks for the pics i like them.

Nice pics. Looks pretty windy too.

Definitely windy, wasn't able to cast past 60+/- feet with the 9wt and a stripping basket. All three fish were super hefty and well fed, no snakes. The 3rd was actually foul hooked in the pectoral, which is why there was no photo taken. Still surprised to foul hook one of these fish in 30-40 FOW.

Great Looking fish! Nice job! Thanks for sharing./Jim