South Lake - Easter
- Dilly Worm
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
- Species: target salmon & catch togue
South Lake - Easter
lots of miles in the boat and finally 1 brown trout in Bulwagga Bay, which was the last place I tried after fishing all over ! No good fish stories, but hopefully here's some helpful info:
Water temperatures were very interesting, here's what I found on my forays:
Arnold Bay - 36 F, no fish on the finder, and I didn't try fishing here
Button Bay - 35 F, no fish on finder, none caught
Scotch Bonnet - fish finder said 34 F, there were patches of ice just a skin thick. No fish
Barber Point - 35 F, no fish
Cole Bay - ditto
Stevenson Bay - ditto
Mullen Bay - suddenly the water warmed up to 38, but I was running out of time and wanted to try Bulwagga, so I didn't try fishing. This would be the first place I'd try if I had another day.
Bulwagga Bay - 43-45 F, finally saw another boat for the first time all day, there were 4 other boats in the bay when I got there just after noon. Until then the lake was deserted except for 1 shore fisherman at Button Bay and smooth as glass.
Water temperatures were very interesting, here's what I found on my forays:
Arnold Bay - 36 F, no fish on the finder, and I didn't try fishing here
Button Bay - 35 F, no fish on finder, none caught
Scotch Bonnet - fish finder said 34 F, there were patches of ice just a skin thick. No fish
Barber Point - 35 F, no fish
Cole Bay - ditto
Stevenson Bay - ditto
Mullen Bay - suddenly the water warmed up to 38, but I was running out of time and wanted to try Bulwagga, so I didn't try fishing. This would be the first place I'd try if I had another day.
Bulwagga Bay - 43-45 F, finally saw another boat for the first time all day, there were 4 other boats in the bay when I got there just after noon. Until then the lake was deserted except for 1 shore fisherman at Button Bay and smooth as glass.
I do not exaggerate when I talk about fishing - I underestimate, like I say "just one more cast honey, then I'll come home" !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Re: South Lake - Easter
Nice fat brown!
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- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2020 10:25 pm
- Species: Those who thrive in Cold H20
- Location: Burlington, Vt
Re: South Lake - Easter
Thanks for the info!
Re: South Lake - Easter
Great Report Dilly Worm and nice picture of your pudgy brown and the lure you caught him on. It was chilly this morning and your first picture shows how easy it is to form ice again at this time of the year. The fishing will just get better and better and maybe peak at the DYP!
Re: South Lake - Easter
wow a football brown thanks for the pics and a excellent report. i can wait to get down there. keep chasing,
- raz
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 6:02 am
- Species: Coldwater fishes!!!
- Location: LAKE CHAMPLAIN UNITED!
Re: South Lake - Easter
That Brown is quite the reward...nicely done.
Catch and serve with lemon.
Gerry
Gerry
- Dilly Worm
- Posts: 276
- Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
- Species: target salmon & catch togue
Re: South Lake - Easter
thanks, everyone !
btw, the brown was caught on 1 color of lead w/ an inline planer board, in 20 FOW more or less in the middle of the bay. trolling around 2.7 mph on the GPS.
it was a big relief to get it in the net after it went on several runs and thrashed around every time it got near the boat. When it was in close, I could see it was just barely hooked with the lure so far out of its mouth it must have had just one tine of the treble hook right in the end of its mouth. I figured it would shake free, but somehow it stayed on just long enough. But it did unhook itself in the net, so seems it might almost have gotten away...
btw, the brown was caught on 1 color of lead w/ an inline planer board, in 20 FOW more or less in the middle of the bay. trolling around 2.7 mph on the GPS.
it was a big relief to get it in the net after it went on several runs and thrashed around every time it got near the boat. When it was in close, I could see it was just barely hooked with the lure so far out of its mouth it must have had just one tine of the treble hook right in the end of its mouth. I figured it would shake free, but somehow it stayed on just long enough. But it did unhook itself in the net, so seems it might almost have gotten away...
I do not exaggerate when I talk about fishing - I underestimate, like I say "just one more cast honey, then I'll come home" !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
Keep Calm and... Fish On !
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- Posts: 4462
- Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:26 pm
- Species: whatever crazy enough to bite
Re: South Lake - Easter
If you only catch one fish, it has to be a nice one.... and you did. Congrats.
Gecha (Gerry North of the Border)
- Detritus
- Posts: 538
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:50 pm
- Species: Anything we can catch
- Location: Vergennes
Re: South Lake - Easter
That's a cool fish for sure. We've only ever boated 1. Lots of guys have never boated any.
Is that a Minn Kota powerdrive V2 on the front of your boat? I can't tell from the picture. If it is, you can get new electronic guts for the head unit, and upgrade it to have spot lock and wireless remote steering. Pretty sure you get heading lock as well, but not follow contours. Some guys use the electric up front to steer, and the big motor for speed while trolling. I think the parts cost about $450 or so. From what I understand, it's an easy conversion.
Nice job on the brown.
Is that a Minn Kota powerdrive V2 on the front of your boat? I can't tell from the picture. If it is, you can get new electronic guts for the head unit, and upgrade it to have spot lock and wireless remote steering. Pretty sure you get heading lock as well, but not follow contours. Some guys use the electric up front to steer, and the big motor for speed while trolling. I think the parts cost about $450 or so. From what I understand, it's an easy conversion.
Nice job on the brown.
"Country Angler" - '93 Trophy 2002 - Cold water boat
"Strike Three" - '04 Triton SF21 - Warm water boat
"The Dumpster" - '90 Starcraft SF14 - Camping Boat
Jack
"Strike Three" - '04 Triton SF21 - Warm water boat
"The Dumpster" - '90 Starcraft SF14 - Camping Boat
Jack
Re: South Lake - Easter
Beautiful FAT brown! We've taken a few in the lake over the years, and while most are short and FAT like that one, a few have stretched the tape and leaned a bit. It'd be awesome to have an Ontario like early season brown fishery here!
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- Species: any
Re: South Lake - Easter
Nice brownie. First one I've heard of this year being caught.