Post by rgang4 on May 3, 2018 20:47:32 GMT -5
Fished out of Benson Saturday. Got a late start which put me there after the morning showers just as the sun popped out. Lite S wind making a slight ripple. Lake was noticeably higher than last weekend but hard to gauge just how high being Benson is not a regular launch site for me. Even better than the improving weather was the water temp. Perfect temp of 52 for prespawn fishing. Makes just about any technique work.
First thing I wanted to do was get into some bass. Took ten minutes or so to pop one off some structure in 8 ft. with a jig. Lots of marks deeper but no takers. Moved to another location and started searching with my ‘Trap. Has yet to let me down this year.
Got a nice mix of LM and SM with the LM topping out in the high three’s. When they turned off I switched baits and cleaned up with a suspending jerkbait. Water was not clear by any means but bass were having no trouble finding it. Best one of the bunch was this 20” 4-9 SM. Very happy to get one being it was my pin fish Vermont Master Angler 2018. I have a crappie, bluegill, fallfish, drum and smallmouth bass. Noiticeably absent is a largemouth entry. Should have one or two but forgot the camera once and the tape once too🙄
Tried a few marshy backwater areas but like last trip no life anywhere. Being I put in at Benson so I could try for drum I figured it was time because I was not planning on doing much bass fishing down that way. Drum were where they should be and were more than cooperative. I caught four that were between 26.5 and 30.5”. Two on a finnnese jig on 8# line. Not recommended. Best of the bunch was 14-10.
Headed north with what I thought was a good plan and that was foregoing backwaters and hitting points and other hard things that are present. It worked, sort of. Most every point held a fish or two but never three. Saved our best spot from last week for last. Knew what to throw there so put everything else away but the ‘Trap and jerkbait. Could have put the ‘Trap away too being the jerkbait was just what they wanted. No LM present but SM were stacked up in all shapes and sizes. Caught them every cast until I had to race back to beat a T storm to the truck.
Sunday was camper moving day and a nasty cold wet day. Figured the weather on Sunday would have wrecked the fair fishing I had Saturday. Glad I was wrong.
Though it was cold and wet Sunday into Monday water temps did not drop much. 48 at Larrabee’s at 9 a.m. when I launched. Water color was nice most everywhere. No wind and no sun, dead calm water😁 Jerkbait that worked Saturday was on fire Monday. Again stayed with points and hard spots. Most held nothing for me no matter I threw, but when I found them I found the mother load😱. Stayed on them for a long time, maybe two hours. Seemed like an alewife bite was going on. Fish were busting bait on the surface every now and then and were keyed in on jerkbaits fished kind of fast. At the end I scratched a few more bites on a crank bait including the biggest one, a 19.5” 4-12 LM.
Eventually I had to look at some back bays. Managed to catch my first bass in a back bay on a CB. Come to think of it that was my first bass on Champlain with the chatterbait this year. Are you kidding me?! Also got some nice pickerel and a small pike too which is not great but way better than last trip on 4/22 when backbays were lifeless.
Pretty quiet out there Saturday. Saw three boats all day. Monday, ZERO. I really think things are looking good. Water temp is rising, lake level is rising and so is my confidence.
If the weather holds this weekend could be a good one. Suppose if the lake doesn’t work I could go get some more of these from a nearby Creek.
Got seven of these on my way home Monday night. Stocked fish but some real beauties, 15-17”.
First thing I wanted to do was get into some bass. Took ten minutes or so to pop one off some structure in 8 ft. with a jig. Lots of marks deeper but no takers. Moved to another location and started searching with my ‘Trap. Has yet to let me down this year.
Got a nice mix of LM and SM with the LM topping out in the high three’s. When they turned off I switched baits and cleaned up with a suspending jerkbait. Water was not clear by any means but bass were having no trouble finding it. Best one of the bunch was this 20” 4-9 SM. Very happy to get one being it was my pin fish Vermont Master Angler 2018. I have a crappie, bluegill, fallfish, drum and smallmouth bass. Noiticeably absent is a largemouth entry. Should have one or two but forgot the camera once and the tape once too🙄
Tried a few marshy backwater areas but like last trip no life anywhere. Being I put in at Benson so I could try for drum I figured it was time because I was not planning on doing much bass fishing down that way. Drum were where they should be and were more than cooperative. I caught four that were between 26.5 and 30.5”. Two on a finnnese jig on 8# line. Not recommended. Best of the bunch was 14-10.
Headed north with what I thought was a good plan and that was foregoing backwaters and hitting points and other hard things that are present. It worked, sort of. Most every point held a fish or two but never three. Saved our best spot from last week for last. Knew what to throw there so put everything else away but the ‘Trap and jerkbait. Could have put the ‘Trap away too being the jerkbait was just what they wanted. No LM present but SM were stacked up in all shapes and sizes. Caught them every cast until I had to race back to beat a T storm to the truck.
Sunday was camper moving day and a nasty cold wet day. Figured the weather on Sunday would have wrecked the fair fishing I had Saturday. Glad I was wrong.
Though it was cold and wet Sunday into Monday water temps did not drop much. 48 at Larrabee’s at 9 a.m. when I launched. Water color was nice most everywhere. No wind and no sun, dead calm water😁 Jerkbait that worked Saturday was on fire Monday. Again stayed with points and hard spots. Most held nothing for me no matter I threw, but when I found them I found the mother load😱. Stayed on them for a long time, maybe two hours. Seemed like an alewife bite was going on. Fish were busting bait on the surface every now and then and were keyed in on jerkbaits fished kind of fast. At the end I scratched a few more bites on a crank bait including the biggest one, a 19.5” 4-12 LM.
Eventually I had to look at some back bays. Managed to catch my first bass in a back bay on a CB. Come to think of it that was my first bass on Champlain with the chatterbait this year. Are you kidding me?! Also got some nice pickerel and a small pike too which is not great but way better than last trip on 4/22 when backbays were lifeless.
Pretty quiet out there Saturday. Saw three boats all day. Monday, ZERO. I really think things are looking good. Water temp is rising, lake level is rising and so is my confidence.
If the weather holds this weekend could be a good one. Suppose if the lake doesn’t work I could go get some more of these from a nearby Creek.
Got seven of these on my way home Monday night. Stocked fish but some real beauties, 15-17”.
