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Post by bronzeback17 on Apr 1, 2019 15:31:29 GMT -5
Hey Champlain Bass Heads, I'm a MN bass fisherman heading out to Vermont. My Kids go to college and play hockey out there and so I am picking them up with boat in tow! Plan on hanging around Burlington for a week or so and exploring Lake Champlain. Going to arrive around May 8th. Probably spend most of our time chasing bass but may bring a little gear for some other things. I see it will be bass catch and release only, which is what we do anyway. In MN we eat the walleyes I have already bought the Lakemaster chip and will be in my 21' Skeeter with a 250 Yamaha. I understand it's a big body of water and am used to navigating Lake of the Woods, Mille Lacs and Rainy Lake size lakes. Any helpful hints, navigation warnings, boat launches to use etc.... would be much appreciated. Trying to research a starting point and figure out what the bass might be doing at that time of year out there. Will be neat to have a few days on the famous pond. Hoping to get a peek at Champ too. Thanks!
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Post by rgang4 on Apr 2, 2019 17:26:45 GMT -5
Easiest question to answer is the access question. The best are on the NY side of the lake. You can drive to Plattsburgh from Burlington if you want to see the area. Ferry service from Burlington too. NY has access in Whitehall at the extreme southern end where the lake is more river like, Ticonderoga, Monitor Bay, a smaller but decent ramp, Port Henry, Westport and Plattsburgh. Vermont access directions and access type can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website. Here’s a link. vtfishandwildlife.com/node/475You’ll be here at a good time. Fish will be mostly prespawn. There may be some earlier spawners but post spawn will not be a problem. Have fun!
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Post by webertime on Apr 3, 2019 10:51:32 GMT -5
I am assuming your kids go to UVM or St Mikes? Congrats! Honestly at that time your most convenient launch will be Malletts Bay. Jerkbaits, Swimbaits, Chatterbaits, some cranks. Work the shorelines/points where there is black rock visible on shore. Malletts Bay itself can get you 100+ smallies a day during that time. Malletts Creek on the east side and Niquettes will have largemouths for you. Water will be high enough to get under the sandbar and up into Keeler Bay or run a bit further into St Albans for more largemouth oriented stuff. Honestly Malletts itself is big enough to get a 10 hour day in it alone.
Chris
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Post by bronzeback17 on Apr 4, 2019 14:57:00 GMT -5
Easiest question to answer is the access question. The best are on the NY side of the lake. You can drive to Plattsburgh from Burlington if you want to see the area. Ferry service from Burlington too. NY has access in Whitehall at the extreme southern end where the lake is more river like, Ticonderoga, Monitor Bay, a smaller but decent ramp, Port Henry, Westport and Plattsburgh. Vermont access directions and access type can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website. Here’s a link. vtfishandwildlife.com/node/475You’ll be here at a good time. Fish will be mostly prespawn. There may be some earlier spawners but post spawn will not be a problem. Have fun! Thanks rgang4!! Appreciate the help.
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Post by bronzeback17 on Apr 4, 2019 15:11:57 GMT -5
I am assuming your kids go to UVM or St Mikes? Congrats! Honestly at that time your most convenient launch will be Malletts Bay. Jerkbaits, Swimbaits, Chatterbaits, some cranks. Work the shorelines/points where there is black rock visible on shore. Malletts Bay itself can get you 100+ smallies a day during that time. Malletts Creek on the east side and Niquettes will have largemouths for you. Water will be high enough to get under the sandbar and up into Keeler Bay or run a bit further into St Albans for more largemouth oriented stuff. Honestly Malletts itself is big enough to get a 10 hour day in it alone. Chris 1 Norwich and 1 UVM. Thank you for the great info Chris! Really appreciate it!
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Post by bronzeback17 on Apr 4, 2019 15:13:30 GMT -5
Easiest question to answer is the access question. The best are on the NY side of the lake. You can drive to Plattsburgh from Burlington if you want to see the area. Ferry service from Burlington too. NY has access in Whitehall at the extreme southern end where the lake is more river like, Ticonderoga, Monitor Bay, a smaller but decent ramp, Port Henry, Westport and Plattsburgh. Vermont access directions and access type can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website. Here’s a link. vtfishandwildlife.com/node/475You’ll be here at a good time. Fish will be mostly prespawn. There may be some earlier spawners but post spawn will not be a problem. Have fun! Question rang4: What is better about the ramps in NY? Closer to better fishing, Nicer facility.... just trying to understand.
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Post by rgang4 on Apr 4, 2019 19:18:29 GMT -5
You won’t have to ride down any dirt roads for any of the NY ramps. All of them are paved, have docks and lots of parking and toilet facilities.
For a small state with very little federal funding Vermont does very well providing access but they are all very different where as the NY accesses are pretty much all the same. We have some very nice ramps like the Mallets Bay access Chris mentioned, but others are a bit primitive but adequate.
You’ll see photos of the ramps if you look them up on the VTFW website.
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