Lonesome Lake 11/13

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Dilly Worm
Posts: 276
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
Species: target salmon & catch togue

Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by Dilly Worm »

Not many boats on Champlain today - I actually saw more salmon (5) than other boats (3) !

Good conditions for salmon trolling with rain, north wind, and a few whitecaps. Water temp was 51 F at the surface. I didn't bother with a Fishhawk when there's no 55 F to be found, so don't know what it was further down.

Launched at Arnold Bay and headed north, stopping to check the sonar for fish here and there, but didn't find anything interesting until Town Farm Bay so I set lines in at Converse and trolled back south. Talked with Homewrecker and got some good advice on lure color, and started picking up fish soon after that.

Fishing solo, so set 2 downriggers with sliding cheaters on each to maximize the # of lures in the water. Ran vertical flashers on 1 line and the other plain. The first 4 fish only wanted a CI Fat Buzzy so the other 3 lures were starting to seem unnecessary, but eventually that changed. That lure was on the main line with the flashers, so figured flashers were the key and added flashers to the other rigger and it started to pick up some fish.

The Fat Buzzy caught 2, 2-foot lakers and 2 salmon around 14 to 15 inches. A CI Hot Hooker used as a cheater picked up another salmon, and a repainted Speedy Shiner (Ford tractor blue) that was the cheater on the other line, picked up a 16" steelhead and a 16" salmon. This lure probably hooked a bigger salmon that made a spectacular leap way out of the water right after the rod fired, and spit the hook - but hard to tell whether it hit that lure or the CI Purple Brown Trout that was on the main line - it all happened so fast !

Riggers were set 35 to 40 feet down, and mostly trolled at 2.7 to 3 mph, a little faster when the tailwind picked up and the steelhead hit the cheater when the boat was going 3.3.

Did anyone else get out on the Lake this weekend ? Any luck finding bigger fish ?
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)
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Joined: Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:26 pm
Species: whatever crazy enough to bite

Re: Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by Gecha (Gerry) »

Nice report Meddie, glad you got some tight lines.
Gecha (Gerry North of the Border)
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flyguy
Posts: 256
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:21 am
Species: atlantic salmon

Re: Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by flyguy »

great report - thanks for sharing! Probably see a few more boats out once deer season ends - thsi is the best time of year to be on the water. You need a partner to go with you - VT law says two lines per angler.
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Detritus
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Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:50 pm
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Location: Vergennes

Re: Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by Detritus »

flyguy wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 8:31 am You need a partner to go with you - VT law says two lines per angler.
From the 2022 VT Fish and wildlife regs:

"Whether still fishing, casting, or trolling in Vermont waters, a person may take fish only by using not more than two lines over which he or she has immediate control and to each of which lines is attached not more than two baited hooks, or more than three artificial flies, or more than two lures with or without bait."

He only had 2 rods (lines) out, each with not more than 2 lures attached. He's legal.

But I for one, appreciate the friendly approach to your advice, as well as the reason behind it.
"Country Angler" - '93 Trophy 2002 - Cold water boat
"Strike Three" - '04 Triton SF21 - Warm water boat
"The Dumpster" - '90 Starcraft SF14 - Camping Boat

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Dilly Worm
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Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:22 pm
Species: target salmon & catch togue

Re: Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by Dilly Worm »

flyguy wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 8:31 am great report - thanks for sharing! Probably see a few more boats out once deer season ends - thsi is the best time of year to be on the water. You need a partner to go with you - VT law says two lines per angler.
I like to have a partner or two with me - my usual "fishing buddies" are my daughters, but something about the 40-degree weather, wind, and rain made them want to stay home... and my adult fishing buddies were out of state or deer hunting, so for a solo trip I went with the legal max of 2 lines, and 2 hooks per line using a sliding cheater on each.

Like Detritus pointed out, 2 lures per line is allowed in all of VT and on Champlain.

Sliding cheaters are a great way to up your odds of hooking a fish, I just use a 3-foot length of fluoro line with the lure tied to one end and a small snap swivel at the other. When your downrigger is set up, clip the snap to the line from your rod to the downrigger ball, and it will slide about halfway down, to the bow in the line. When a fish hits the cheater, it slides down the main line, so it often feels like you lost the fish for a couple seconds, until it hits the end. And once in a while you'll have 2 fish at once on the same rod !
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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flyguy
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Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2013 10:21 am
Species: atlantic salmon

Re: Lonesome Lake 11/13

Post by flyguy »

Thanks for the tip - sounds like a good setup!
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