Larrabee’s 10/13

[rgang4]

I was hoping to do a lot of fishing over the Columbus holiday weekend but was summoned to my fathers side on Thursday because it seemed like he was at the end after a good run of 87 years. Don’t know what changed but he seemed to rally Friday. Did all I could do around the house while my sisters did the best to make him comfortable. Saturday he was good in the morning so I was thinking of heading out early Sunday morning and heading to Champlain. But Saturday afternoon he was failing again and everyone thought it was the end, including him but not me. I could sense he was not done yet.Very emotional night, lots of tears but a few good chuckles too.

We stayed as long as we could Sunday and said another emotional goodbye and headed home, exhausted. Figured I’d be okay to fish the river before I went to bed even though I was wiped out. And of course as is usually the case when I’m over tired I couldn’t sleep. Got out of bed at 4 and said screw it I’m going to Champlain. About halfway there I really regretted my decision. When I got there at 7:08 I was glad I did.



Nice and calm, water up a bit and clear in the bay. Water much warmer than expected at 57. Was sure I was in for a good day even though fishing for bass has been tough for me lately. Pike on the other hand have more than made up for it. Regardless the target this day was bass. Fished where I thought they might be this time of year and went wireless for the whole day.
Took all of one cast to get bit by a pickerel. Three more casts and three more bites from what I expected were some type of toothy critter. Wasn’t sure so I threw everything I had on deck. Never got bit again🤔
Moved shallower and tried my toad which has been my savior this year. Explosions on most every cast, one hookup. If you guessed pickerel you are correct.
Made a move deeper, no pickerel but no bites either. Was thinking of trying hard stuff when suddenly something did not feel right with my chatterbait. One of those when you don’t feel a strike and there is no blade vibration either because.....




4-8, best of the day on a white 5/8 oz. CB fished slow and low on a deep weededge. Only one though so I did move to rocks. Good move. Found a bunch right tight to the bank on a 3/8 oz. green pumpkin jig. Seven bass or so in an hour is a fast start for me lately. Honestly there have been days where I might only get seven this year. But not today. All my stuff worked, all my adjustments worked and so did my midday just for kicks topwater bite😎
Best bait of the day was a white swim jig. Same deal on the chatterbait. White toad too until I ran out and switched to black with no drop off in production. When I found dirtier water I threw a black blue swim jig. Never caught a bass but had plenty of interest from pike and pickerel.




By days end I had a ton of bass. Fewer pike but all good ones. Bass were mostly three or better. Inside weededge was money. Rock was good but fish were the smallest there. Nice to see some good milfoil and clean water. How about this? Not another boat on a holiday weekend 😎👍

No telling when I might get back up so I fished til dark. Hope to split time with my dad and the lake this weekend but dam that is a lot of driving.

Hope everyone has good fishing the next few weeks.
I’ll be enjoying some fishing in the evening until water temps dip too low



Lake conditions were great and I hope they hold up for all of us.

[schodackbassman]

Sorry about your dad, went through the same thing a couple years ago. Not easy. Enjoyed the report and had much the same results except found tons of large even huge pike. Lost a bunch of baits too. But over two fishing days managed 3 over 5 pounds so they helped ease the pain....

[rgang4]

Thanks Brian. Saturday he was kind of in a dream state but with anxiety. The good part of that was he thought he was on Champlain! But he was worried a storm was coming and his boat was going to get swamped. Told him I had pulled it up to a safe place. That calmed him down for a minute or so until the next episode hit. After an hour or so of that he fell asleep and had a restful night.

The pike gods have shown me mercy this year. Of course during the blitzkrieg I was using a 5" x15# leader whenever possible. But lately while targeting bass I have been tying up without. Lost one old torn up swim jig all day but then on the last cast that I knew I should not have made I lost a brand new project z chatterbait.

[schodackbassman]

Them pike love those brand new shinny lures. Especially the expensive ones! Heading up tomorrow 4-5 days.