Sunday 1/22/23 4 boat Fleet

[digitroll (ron)]

Surprise / Instigator / The Master / Digitroll

After Reggie's solo successful Saturday he returned with Fathead yesterday to join us on the water. The silver weren't as hungry as the prior few weeks but the LT were one after another for our 5 hour shift from 9 am to 2 pm. We lost one nice silver 3 lb fish near the back and another silver later. 1 ft or less chop most of the day. Water temp was from 39.6F to 40F which is amazing for the third week of January. 15 ft - 30 ft was best today. Reggie plowed / salted / sanded the approach and ramp Saturday! 4-8" of snow Wednesday night into Thursday. Could be the end?

Hope to return out again Wednesday between storms! Trip #12 on deck since 12/29/22. March will be here quick now with an early soft water season.

[Surprise]

Ron I'll tack on our report:

I assembled a crew of John McClary and Nick Tonzola to join the fleet Sunday to see if we all could locate any willing salmon to play with. We arrived at Converse at 10AM as Al with his partner Ed on The Master pulled in ahead of us. We were ready to launch and jumped ahead of them as they set up to launch.

Diggitrol and Instigator with Fathead aboard were already on post south of Thompson Point. We motored out and set up by Picket to get a turn around Cedar Point.

As I went to attach my downrigger ball to the release clip and squeezed the clip it broke at the clip bottom .....Whew that was fortunate as the weight would have parted right quick. So lesson learned Change out cable terminal tackle on a timed basis.

We started with a few lakers and continued towards Split Rock. We took a turn into Wallon and then down past the Unicorn and over to Swifts.





Lunch consisted of Shrimp from John and some Creamy White Bean Lemon Soup and Cookies from Kathy that I brought.

Hearing that the other crews had boated a few salmon gave us hope.

Well our day ended with no salmon and a good measure of Lakers. Great late January day shared with friends!





Hope to get back Wednesday.

[Gecha (Gerry)]

Nice reports guys. Always enjoyable to read.

[digitroll (ron)]

Did some snow blowing shortly after Noon time today at Converse. Sanded afterwards with 2 buckets of sand I brought. The blue sand barrel is empty. I put a call into Dylan Smith at Vermont Fish and Wildlife who works with the contractors that plow are launches. They will try and fill the blue barrel by Wednesday before the next storm of 4-8" Wed. night into Thursday. The contractor that plows waits 24 hours after a storm to plow the Converse parking lots and the hill approach and back up spot at the bottom. He won't plow the ramp with fears he will damage his plow blade. Reggie has been getting to it a bit quicker lately helping us in the last week. If everyone could chip in after a storm and get the ramp cleared off so it's not tracked up from truck and trailer tires turning it to ice underneath that would be great! Lets keep this going!

[dry net]

Good going keeping the ramp clear!!!

[Speedy]

Thanks for the report and photos. You guys are Stout-hearted. There should be a special class for you in the Winter Olympics.
Speedy

[striper192001]

Love reading these reports and wish I could join everyone. Will be setting up my vessel so I can in the future. Thanks for all the help and info !

[Detritus]

He won't plow the ramp with fears he will damage his plow blade.

?


Thanks for doing all of that work to the ramp Ron, it looks great. Love the reports too from both you and Randy. I've been taking care of family lately, but I hope to sneak in a trip out there soon.

Here's a few tips for any new guys who might read this and head to the ramp in the winter for the first time.

1. Bring a shovel and sand. Most towns in Vermont let their residents take from their pile for personal use. I carry two 5 gallon buckets all winter. I've never needed to use more than 1 on the ramp to get someone out who was stuck in pretty bad conditions.

2. If you drive old beaters like mine that tend to have crummy brake proportioning, always launch and retrieve in 4wd. It could even help if you lost your front or rear brakes by transferring the stopping power through your drivetrain from the good set to the bad set.

3. In below freezing temperatures, always do Randy's "leave the water in the lake" trick, by pulling up the ramp slowly, and park before the rear of the trailer clears the waters edge for a bit, to let as much water drain back into the lake, instead of making a bobsled track out of the ramp. It really does make a difference.

- Semi Professional Plow Guy, & Amateur Tattoo Artist.

[Detritus]

from the good set to the bad set.

Let's change that to : from the good axle to the bad axle.

Works like a tractor.

[digitroll (ron)]

Thanks Jack! I used two full buckets of sand to do the hill. There will be a full huge blue bucket full of sand. Bring something to scoop it into your 5 gallon pail and spread it. If we all keep the ramp clear after a storm before it gets driven on and pack it into ice this will go along way of people getting stuck on the ramp before the approach. Been there! The contractor for the state that plows takes a day or two to do the hill and turnaround plus the two parking lots. If we can keep that ramp snow free that's half the battle and sand the hill approach after plowing! The ramp can be clear till the end of March would be wonderful