Post by rgang4 on Jun 29, 2020 16:41:10 GMT -5
This years vacation week was similar in ways to last year but with one huge difference. I really had a wonderful, relaxing and spiritual vacation.
Similar because I caught more (maybe not, never counted) bass from my kayak than my bass boat.
That was more or less by design though this year. Only went out twice with the boat. First trip was from the bridge. Went to my hot spot of two years ago because for one it was close and secondly it was an epic spot two years ago. This year with low water and no alewives it produced nothing but a bit of disappointment. But not for long. Got in some good topwater action from 5:30 a.m. until the sun hit the water. From 7-10:30 I never got bit. Nice weeds up by the bridge and nice water too but the LM though I bet were there would not bite. Worms, jigs, swimbaits and chatterbait, nada. Happy to catch what I did being they were all quality fish and all but one on top but I was really puzzled by the lack of bites after sun up.
So I decided to check nearby smallies spots north of the bridge that I have not been able to get to for sometime due to the crazy wind we’ve had for too long. Last time I was there the fish were just coming in. I thought maybe I’d find some not on beds and I did. Big fat females up high cruising along the drop offs in some of the bays north of the bridge looked catchable and showed some interest in flukes and Ned rigs but they never did eat them. But their male counterparts would hit anything. I settled on a Ned rig being the hook is so small and extracts easily and one bait goes a long way. Color not important though I do like natural vs bright stuff even for bed fishing. Most I’ve bed fished in years. Usually no need for it but I have to admit I needed it! Fishing has been too slow on Champlain since the spawn started. Most fish were big, 18-20”. A few in the 13-16” range.
Had to cut my first day short because my sister was coming up and I haven’t seen her now since March. It sure felt good to see her after all we’ve been thru. Geez, I never asked her how she felt on Father’s Day being it was our first year without dad.
My dad in Korea during the war.
I had a tough day at times but also celebrated a lot using his old poles to catch some nice bass up near our cottage. Had some good action in the evenings. Some on top, some on Neds and some on stuff nobody uses anymore except maybe Bri and Di😉
My sister likes to fish, her husband not so much or so he thought until he got into some lake Champlain smallies in a kayak.
After they left I had a small window to get out in the boat again on Thursday. Stopped at the bridge and took a look. Yuk. Too much SW wind. Headed to Larrabee’s. Darn good thing I did not go to TI! Very big tourney for a weekday. I was a bit dismayed. Monday lake and ramps were nuts from the LCI, Thursday I don’t know what that was but they were on the water at 5:30. Fortunately I had settled in and was catching and most everyone ran by me or did not stay long. No topwater but the swimbait was catching them slow and steady and good ones at that. Moved about a little but found a nice weedbed and milked that for hours. Some fish on the outer edge but most were in open pockets in the middle. Swim jig time 😎👊
Again though my day cut short but for good reason. I had great children coming. Kind of like grandchildren but we don’t have any of those😢🤬 only got one topwater bite Thursday but it was a good one.
Don’t know how my toad survives the attack.
For the next few days we did lots of dock fishing, kayak fishing and some from my Skeeter. Tried real hard to get a Master Angler smallie for Gavin, especially after he got his fourth species.
I had a bit better luck landing them than Gavy. Don’t think I lost a fish all week which is rare for me. Sometimes I seem to lose more than I catch.
Gavin had one hooked twice but once he got broke off and then after hooking up the same fish again the fish threw the hook and never bit again. Big smallie, maybe a four pounder.
Next day his sister wanted a boat ride. We set out for a ride but also to look for a smallie that was big enough for Master Angler. Found the perfect set up shallow in a protected cove but the fish looked too small. Told Rachel she should try to catch it. Gave her my sunglasses and a quick tutorial on bed fishing. Should have known what would happen next. She executed the cast perfectly and hooked up. When the fish jumped I knew it was bigger than I thought.
15” was actually 17.5”😱
I was worried Gavin was going to be upset that big sister got a bass and he did not but it didn’t phase him and we all went on to have a great day and evening fishing from the dock.
And before I knew it my week was over. Could not have been better. Celebrated my dad, spent time with one of my four sisters, spent time with some great children and relaxed a lot which we all need these days. Watching sunsets is about as relaxing as it gets.
Hoping to fish a lot over the Fourth. Maybe make up for some lost fishing time, but may never again have so much fun.
Similar because I caught more (maybe not, never counted) bass from my kayak than my bass boat.
That was more or less by design though this year. Only went out twice with the boat. First trip was from the bridge. Went to my hot spot of two years ago because for one it was close and secondly it was an epic spot two years ago. This year with low water and no alewives it produced nothing but a bit of disappointment. But not for long. Got in some good topwater action from 5:30 a.m. until the sun hit the water. From 7-10:30 I never got bit. Nice weeds up by the bridge and nice water too but the LM though I bet were there would not bite. Worms, jigs, swimbaits and chatterbait, nada. Happy to catch what I did being they were all quality fish and all but one on top but I was really puzzled by the lack of bites after sun up.
So I decided to check nearby smallies spots north of the bridge that I have not been able to get to for sometime due to the crazy wind we’ve had for too long. Last time I was there the fish were just coming in. I thought maybe I’d find some not on beds and I did. Big fat females up high cruising along the drop offs in some of the bays north of the bridge looked catchable and showed some interest in flukes and Ned rigs but they never did eat them. But their male counterparts would hit anything. I settled on a Ned rig being the hook is so small and extracts easily and one bait goes a long way. Color not important though I do like natural vs bright stuff even for bed fishing. Most I’ve bed fished in years. Usually no need for it but I have to admit I needed it! Fishing has been too slow on Champlain since the spawn started. Most fish were big, 18-20”. A few in the 13-16” range.
Had to cut my first day short because my sister was coming up and I haven’t seen her now since March. It sure felt good to see her after all we’ve been thru. Geez, I never asked her how she felt on Father’s Day being it was our first year without dad.
My dad in Korea during the war.
I had a tough day at times but also celebrated a lot using his old poles to catch some nice bass up near our cottage. Had some good action in the evenings. Some on top, some on Neds and some on stuff nobody uses anymore except maybe Bri and Di😉
My sister likes to fish, her husband not so much or so he thought until he got into some lake Champlain smallies in a kayak.
After they left I had a small window to get out in the boat again on Thursday. Stopped at the bridge and took a look. Yuk. Too much SW wind. Headed to Larrabee’s. Darn good thing I did not go to TI! Very big tourney for a weekday. I was a bit dismayed. Monday lake and ramps were nuts from the LCI, Thursday I don’t know what that was but they were on the water at 5:30. Fortunately I had settled in and was catching and most everyone ran by me or did not stay long. No topwater but the swimbait was catching them slow and steady and good ones at that. Moved about a little but found a nice weedbed and milked that for hours. Some fish on the outer edge but most were in open pockets in the middle. Swim jig time 😎👊
Again though my day cut short but for good reason. I had great children coming. Kind of like grandchildren but we don’t have any of those😢🤬 only got one topwater bite Thursday but it was a good one.
Don’t know how my toad survives the attack.
For the next few days we did lots of dock fishing, kayak fishing and some from my Skeeter. Tried real hard to get a Master Angler smallie for Gavin, especially after he got his fourth species.
I had a bit better luck landing them than Gavy. Don’t think I lost a fish all week which is rare for me. Sometimes I seem to lose more than I catch.
Gavin had one hooked twice but once he got broke off and then after hooking up the same fish again the fish threw the hook and never bit again. Big smallie, maybe a four pounder.
Next day his sister wanted a boat ride. We set out for a ride but also to look for a smallie that was big enough for Master Angler. Found the perfect set up shallow in a protected cove but the fish looked too small. Told Rachel she should try to catch it. Gave her my sunglasses and a quick tutorial on bed fishing. Should have known what would happen next. She executed the cast perfectly and hooked up. When the fish jumped I knew it was bigger than I thought.
15” was actually 17.5”😱
I was worried Gavin was going to be upset that big sister got a bass and he did not but it didn’t phase him and we all went on to have a great day and evening fishing from the dock.
And before I knew it my week was over. Could not have been better. Celebrated my dad, spent time with one of my four sisters, spent time with some great children and relaxed a lot which we all need these days. Watching sunsets is about as relaxing as it gets.
Hoping to fish a lot over the Fourth. Maybe make up for some lost fishing time, but may never again have so much fun.
. Back in early June there was kid on the dock at Harriman who really wanted to catch a trout. He had a little tackle box with knock offs of classic lures. Holding up to us various lures asking if they would work. Not really trout lures we said. I gave him a #2 gold Mepps w/ red and white sticker. We left, but I'm guessing he caught one 
.