LCI Weekend Shelburne Report

[keithm87]

With the hot bite we found in the bay last weekend, and forecasted winds of 20kts from the south we made the decision saturday to spend the day in the bay. My initial fear was that the prior south blows would have pulled in cold water and pushed out fish, but we arrived saturday to screens full of bait. From the Yacht buoy to the cliffs and south to where the water hits 40fow it was bait stacked 20 ft. We set gear for salmon with one laker rod (spin n glo) in a light chop at 4:45 and soon had our first fish on the Spin N Glo a 6lb laker. we worked an east west troll at 2.1 with gear down 30-40. Lakers were happy to bite on most lures, and we found some feeding salmon on a cheater (Mottled Blue HB with the white taped over with silver reflective tape) the wind picked up quick as was forecast and our east west troll became unbearable, we had landed 10 fish by that point, 4 salmon and the rest lakers. The north south troll was less effective. I could not control my speed with a 15-20kt wind. Going north I couldnt drop under 2.3 SOG, and south I couldnt get it up to speed. There was an insane current creating an upwell of cold water and throughout the day the temp dropped from 59 to 53 in the bay.

We kept at it picking away at lakers and trying to find some bigger salmon, to no avail. at around 2pm we decided to try to brave a new part of the bay and worked north, but after 1/2 miles of trolling we noticed that conditions were getting much worse the further up the bay we went. We turned south and started to troll into the wind. After a couple minutes, the wind picked up, and waves grew. We were using my bow mount MK for steering, and took a wave over the bow that went over the top of the motor submerging it in water. the boat popped back up, but the motor wouldnt turn. It was stuck at a 30degree angle, and turning the boat. We tried to get it working to no avail, and made a very fast turn with the big motor to aim north with the wind to get the TM pulled up so we could regain control. in the process we crossed all of our lines. We got everything situated and finally worked back south in the bay to the calmer water. around 3 the wind died down and the waves subsided a little. We were able to resume our east west troll, but the bait had scattered and the fish were not active. We called it at 5:30 with 19 fish boated, and no derby weigh ins. At the launch I messed with the TM and got it working again.

Saturday we again headed for the bay. We found bait stacked again, but the fish were not as active. We picked up 2 lakers in the bay both small, and decided to move out. We headed toward the shoals outside the bay and set all laker gear, picking away throughout the day. Lakers were active on the shoal and seemingly everywhere we went, but we couldnt find any size, with only a couple 8-9lb fish.We had a little scare around 1pm out by juniper when the boat sputtered and shut off. After doing so 4 times, I checked the fuel bulb and it was empty. A few squeezed and it pulled in gas. We sent into the bay for gas to be safe but it wasnt really low, just being difficult. The highlight of the day came when we were leaving 802fishtail had fathers day obligations and needed to be off the water at 4:15. We decided to troll from the hump north of juniper back to shelburne area. I had been hesitant as thats often a death troll with little action, but we had releases on the hump, as we touched to very tip of the ledge that sticks out from juniper, and as we ran up the ledge north of shelburne 2 rods fired. We landed both fish which were 2 of the best fish of the day. We got him back to shore a few minutes late, but the ending the day with doubles was a nice ending to the day.

Sunday we again headed out of shelburne. We went straight out of the bay and had gear in the water by 5:15. Having left them biting the day before I was hopeful they would great us with some action, and I was not disappointed. We got the 4 rods in the water in calm wind, but a lot more chop than I expected, and ran line off the edge of the ledge. We had a slide rigger fire but no one home, then a slide diver fired. I grab that and the opposite slide diver fires. Doubled up to start the day! We land the 2 biggest fish so far of the derby, but both are still under 10lb. We spent the next 4-5 hours hammering the drop off, and picking up fish with consistency before the switch turned off and the bite died. We landed 19 fish in that area, and then started the troll to new grounds. we picked up fish near dunder, circled juniper and picked up fish on the west side, got one on the ledge to the north, and then headed for the hump.

We were greeted by NO boats on the hump, and immediate doubles. a couple passes there and we moved on to the north. We found more active fish, and kept picking away. We picked up on fish that came close to 10lb (9.8) but couldnt break that threshold. With the derby drawing to a close, and over 30 fish boated for the day we decided at 3:55 to troll in. We were going to pull gear after crossing the hump if there were no bites, but if we got a bite we would keep trolling. As we crossed the hump the clock hit 4:00 derby is over, and a diver fires, fish on, and it feels big. Then a rigger fires, I grab that to set the hook and hand it off. That fish gets to the boat, I am still fighting mine and the other rigger fires, with noone to tend it we let it sit in the holder pulsating. we boat the first fish, and then mine, then notice that the other diver has also tripped. We only managed to boat 2 of the 4 but decided that all 4 rods firing was a sign that we should call it a day.

All told we landed 78 fish over the 3 days, put in 34 hours on the water, and had a blast. We washed a lot of lures, caught fish on some stuff I had never tried, and had no luck on some of my go to lures. It was a good time, and we started a streak I hope to continue, we have ended 2 straight trips on doubles landed. I also want the doubles to start to be a trend that keeps going! I didnt take many pictures but will look and see what we have. 802fishtail had recorded some, including a few strikes and when he doubled up on one rod.

[keithm87]

These are apparently the only pics I took all weekend.

[fishy1]

keith great reports on all 3 days. i i enjoyed your reports. 78 fish in 30 plus hours thats great i think maybe it will sink in now what i am been saying right along millions in champlain and someone keeping there limit will not even dent it. great job out there and i bet it was a blast.

[keithm87]

we Only kept one fish all weekend and it was the last fish caught. A bigger laker that took a speedyshiner almost to its belly when it hit, never seen a lure so far down a fishes throat, a real bloodbath. Otherwise we had 77 fish swim away to be caught again, we dispatched a bunch of lamprey over the weekend as well like 15 or so. All coming Sunday and monday


The bad news of the weekend is that we also saw the first water flea of the year a single one on my slide diver Sunday.

[fishy1]

wow a laker swallowed it never had that happen to me even casting but with bait alot. keep killing those lampreys ugh. what do you think the ratio was of the 77 you released that would make it.

[pfu]

Keith for all your mishaps I am very impressed. Your near misses far outweigh my lack of fishing this year. Keep the reports coming!

[Vtmopar]

Nice report.
Thats a good weekend of fishing.
We smallmouth bass fished, started early Saturday morning. First few hours of light they were on.
We caught 8-10 , best one was my sons 19 1/2 4.24 lb.
Few pike nothing huge.
Then the wind came, 3-4' waves. Rest of the day was slow.
Got back out early sunday beautiful calm lake.
Again first few hours was ok. Few small ones.
We covered some water between the draw bridge and north of isle lamotte.
Few here and there but pretty slow.
My son ended up with 2nd in the junior cool water.
Found some interesting spots on the broad lake I want to revisit this weekend.

[wesson357]

Nice report ! As always.
How deep have you found the lakers?

[riddlervt]

Great report! Thanks for sharing
Riddler

[Gecha (Gerry)]

Very documented report Keith. Thanks for sharing such detailed info. You put a lot of hours on the water during the LCI weekend, and boated/released an impressive number of fish. Love your report.

[Reelax]

Great report and story... loved reading it.... thanks for the post.

[keithm87]

Nice report ! As always.
How deep have you found the lakers?

I was running gear down 30-40 in the bay, and outside the bay I had it down 55-65. Cheaters took fish each day too, so they are not yet settled to a certain depth yet. We marked fish everywhere in the column, and saw fish breaking the surface, and bait was also not really any one place, some big clouds down 100, some at 80, some at 40, and even some at 15. The warm weather will start to change all that, and I would expect to see the fish that were in the bay. My guess is the surface warming we saw over the last few days will be the end of productive inner shelburne bay fishing. A strong north wind is forecast tomorrow-sunday, and that will push all the surface water into the bay and bring it into the mid 60's. but that should get the other areas even more active as all the bait that has been holding in the bay will move out.

[troutcrazy]

Awesome report, Keith! It was nice to see you out there... I think it was Monday morning. I have a feeling that I'll be seeing you, because I plan to focus on that area for a while.

I managed a few lakers in the kayak, but they weren't what I was after. I did see a big fish busting water in about 50' near where you described.

Caught a really nice laker, by my standards-- maybe my PB, but I didn't measure it. Boy, those big lakers are hard work in the kayak.