Maidstone Lake

Share info and fishing reports from waters other than Lake Champlain.
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Dilly Worm
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
Species: target salmon & catch togue

Maidstone Lake

Post by Dilly Worm »

Surprisingly, we caught a lake trout in the middle of August by flatlining from a canoe ! Water temp was about 75 F at the surface. Jigging for lakers in the deep water wasn't working as the wind was too strong to stay put and jig vertically. So we stopped targeting lakers, and my daughters and I had been paddling around near shore and catching small perch and tiny sunfish on lightweight tackle.

Canoeing back to camp for lunch, I held my spinning rod with my feet and was trolling a Rapala scatterbait on plain monofilament. We were in about 25 FOW and the lure supposedly swims around 10 feet deep. I was hoping for a smallmouth bass. When the rod bent I couldn't believe there was actually a sizeable fish on the line, and whatever it was put up a big fight, swimming one way then another, stripping line out of the drag, but never jumping, so probably not a bass... finally a small laker got hauled up to the surface.

Fish that size on downriggers are usually hitchhikers that you don't even know are there until you see them, but they can be tons of fun to catch on lightweight tackle. Good reminder of that concept ! I'm just amazed it was that shallow this time of year.

lots of these little fish
lots of these little fish
little_sunfish1.jpg (110.05 KiB) Viewed 2747 times

another little sunfish
another little sunfish
little_sunfish2.jpg (113.36 KiB) Viewed 2747 times

biggest fish of the camping trip !  On lightweight tackle it felt a lot bigger than it looks !
biggest fish of the camping trip ! On lightweight tackle it felt a lot bigger than it looks !
little-togue.jpg (140.11 KiB) Viewed 2747 times
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 !
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Gecha (Gerry)
Posts: 4448
Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:26 pm
Species: whatever crazy enough to bite

Re: Maidstone Lake

Post by Gecha (Gerry) »

The only way to catch fish is to keep a lure in the water :P
Thanks for your post.
Gecha (Gerry North of the Border)
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Reelax
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Posts: 5730
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:27 pm
Species: Salmon, steelhead, brown trout
Location: Fletcher, Vt

Re: Maidstone Lake

Post by Reelax »

Now that is earning a cold water fish! Amazing he was in that shallow of water this late in season. As lakers take over the lake they may be anywhere there is bait it seems. Thanks for sharing the great story!!

Fish on!
Matt B
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