Post by rgang4 on Nov 25, 2013 20:52:27 GMT -5
I'm already looking for something fishing related to do and I've only been off the water a week 
.
Thought I'd recap the year starting with Master Angler entries for 2013.
After a very short and non productive icefishing season the prospect for surpassing the good year I had in 2012 did not look good but things came together nicely and I had a great year catching 11 different species and entering 36 fish which included 11 LMB, 3 SMB,3 crappie, 1 sheephead, 4 bluegill, 1 channel catfish, 2 chain pickerel, 7 rock bass,1 yellow perch, 1 fallfish and 2 walleye.
Got my 1st entry on 4/3 a 20" LMB from the Hunt's Meadows setback on the CTR. Caught it and a bunch more one afternoon about a week after the ice went off the pond. Many of the entries for LMB came from the river. They tend to grow longer there than on Champlain but not as heavy. A 10" Power worm produced the best though a Zara Spook, Jointed Rapala, dropshot worm, Senko and a crankbait each caught some nice fish. On Champlain it was Chatterbaits, cranks and 'Traps. Suprisingly none on a swimbait, T-Rig or topwater from the lake like in past years;
Got these two fishing with my son Matt. One on a 'Trap and one on a "secret" color crankbait that the schodackbassman likes
Smallies aren't really my favorite though I do target them now and then. Got the first entry on my first trip on the CTR on 4/6 and then two more from Woodward Resevoir in Plymouth in September. The resevoir has some nice smallies in it. Got this one on the "secret" color crankbait;
Crappie were hard to come by again this year. They'd move to the bank when it warmed and then pull out when it was cold. Seemed the spawn was broken up into two distinct phases, a very early one and then again later towards the middle of May. My first cast of the year for crappie produced one of three entries for the year;
This one was from the latter part of the season. A horizontal approach worked very well during this period
Fishing the Benson area one warm spring day for bass turned into a sheephead outing. Tons, literally of big sheephead were high in the water column enjoying the warm spring sun. They were visible for hours and were driving me crazy with their lack of interest. A little change in wind direction and some cloud cover seemed to change their mood. No more were they visible and I wondered where did they go? Noticed a bit of wind driven current a long a point. Good place to look;
15 LB. 30" Sheephead
Bluegill fishing is usually outstanding on the CTR during the hardwater season and during the spawn. I caught a grand total of about 0 thru the ice this year of any size. Was really wondering that something catastrophic had occurred to the population of big 'gills. Once they came to the bank it was clear they were just holding somewhere that I was not looking or maybe even out on the main river where you don't get ice, don't know. Do know it was the best year ever for big 'gills this spring. Entered four but it could have been twice that many;
We had big plans this year to do a lot of catfishing on Champlain. The lousy and unpredcitable weather fouled that up
. My wife and I did not hardly fish together at all this year which was disappointing. Bought more cat stuff at BPS this spring than bass tackle 
One day back in June noticed some muddied up water with the wind blowing into a little pocket. Given what the bottom was made of and the rip rap along the bank, decided to turn the boat around and hoped for a cat. As luck would have it got this 34.5" cat on a 1/2 oz. chart. CB;
Big pickerel are a favorite of mine and often target them on Champlain or other places that have big ones. Not too may this year but did find a few;
Was not having any luck with rock bass all year until one morning I got held up in the fog near what looked like a good place to try for rockies. Ended up finding the mother load! Could have stayed for much longer on this one spot but after taking three over 10" I moved on. Many more would come later on in the year walleye fishing but it felt good to get them that day as they were the "target" at that time;
11" rockie I got waiting for the 'eyes to bite. Had good luck using a small Berkley boot tail shad in the fall. Also used the same to catch my MA perch. Just like with the crappie one cast was all it took................this year. Last year never got one even close to 13".
Missing two photos one for an 18.5" fallfish and the yellow perch mentioned above. Have caught lots of fallfsih but never had a big one til this year. Was always in awe of some of the specimens entered in the Master Angler program
They are a very nice looking and unique fish and fight hard too!
Ended the year as always trying for walleye. Its nice to get a big one for pictures but I like catching the small ones for eating. Got two this year and really believe it was the same fish two weeks apart;
Regardless, we all know C+R works!
Will be trying for a pike but it won't mean as much catching it on bait thru the ice. Maybe next year?
?
.Thought I'd recap the year starting with Master Angler entries for 2013.
After a very short and non productive icefishing season the prospect for surpassing the good year I had in 2012 did not look good but things came together nicely and I had a great year catching 11 different species and entering 36 fish which included 11 LMB, 3 SMB,3 crappie, 1 sheephead, 4 bluegill, 1 channel catfish, 2 chain pickerel, 7 rock bass,1 yellow perch, 1 fallfish and 2 walleye.
Got my 1st entry on 4/3 a 20" LMB from the Hunt's Meadows setback on the CTR. Caught it and a bunch more one afternoon about a week after the ice went off the pond. Many of the entries for LMB came from the river. They tend to grow longer there than on Champlain but not as heavy. A 10" Power worm produced the best though a Zara Spook, Jointed Rapala, dropshot worm, Senko and a crankbait each caught some nice fish. On Champlain it was Chatterbaits, cranks and 'Traps. Suprisingly none on a swimbait, T-Rig or topwater from the lake like in past years;
Got these two fishing with my son Matt. One on a 'Trap and one on a "secret" color crankbait that the schodackbassman likes
Smallies aren't really my favorite though I do target them now and then. Got the first entry on my first trip on the CTR on 4/6 and then two more from Woodward Resevoir in Plymouth in September. The resevoir has some nice smallies in it. Got this one on the "secret" color crankbait;
Crappie were hard to come by again this year. They'd move to the bank when it warmed and then pull out when it was cold. Seemed the spawn was broken up into two distinct phases, a very early one and then again later towards the middle of May. My first cast of the year for crappie produced one of three entries for the year;
This one was from the latter part of the season. A horizontal approach worked very well during this period
Fishing the Benson area one warm spring day for bass turned into a sheephead outing. Tons, literally of big sheephead were high in the water column enjoying the warm spring sun. They were visible for hours and were driving me crazy with their lack of interest. A little change in wind direction and some cloud cover seemed to change their mood. No more were they visible and I wondered where did they go? Noticed a bit of wind driven current a long a point. Good place to look;
15 LB. 30" Sheephead
Bluegill fishing is usually outstanding on the CTR during the hardwater season and during the spawn. I caught a grand total of about 0 thru the ice this year of any size. Was really wondering that something catastrophic had occurred to the population of big 'gills. Once they came to the bank it was clear they were just holding somewhere that I was not looking or maybe even out on the main river where you don't get ice, don't know. Do know it was the best year ever for big 'gills this spring. Entered four but it could have been twice that many;
We had big plans this year to do a lot of catfishing on Champlain. The lousy and unpredcitable weather fouled that up
. My wife and I did not hardly fish together at all this year which was disappointing. Bought more cat stuff at BPS this spring than bass tackle 
One day back in June noticed some muddied up water with the wind blowing into a little pocket. Given what the bottom was made of and the rip rap along the bank, decided to turn the boat around and hoped for a cat. As luck would have it got this 34.5" cat on a 1/2 oz. chart. CB;
Big pickerel are a favorite of mine and often target them on Champlain or other places that have big ones. Not too may this year but did find a few;
Was not having any luck with rock bass all year until one morning I got held up in the fog near what looked like a good place to try for rockies. Ended up finding the mother load! Could have stayed for much longer on this one spot but after taking three over 10" I moved on. Many more would come later on in the year walleye fishing but it felt good to get them that day as they were the "target" at that time;
11" rockie I got waiting for the 'eyes to bite. Had good luck using a small Berkley boot tail shad in the fall. Also used the same to catch my MA perch. Just like with the crappie one cast was all it took................this year. Last year never got one even close to 13".
Missing two photos one for an 18.5" fallfish and the yellow perch mentioned above. Have caught lots of fallfsih but never had a big one til this year. Was always in awe of some of the specimens entered in the Master Angler program
They are a very nice looking and unique fish and fight hard too!
Ended the year as always trying for walleye. Its nice to get a big one for pictures but I like catching the small ones for eating. Got two this year and really believe it was the same fish two weeks apart;
Regardless, we all know C+R works!
Will be trying for a pike but it won't mean as much catching it on bait thru the ice. Maybe next year?
?
Can't imagine there are any 10' gar and haven't heard of any gar in the Hudson River either. Oh boy, I hadn't even had a beer when that happened. Neeevvvvvveeeeer mind, move along, nothing to laugh at here folks........