Post by rgang4 on Nov 10, 2020 17:28:07 GMT -5
Took advantage of the great weather last weekend and made a trip to Champlain. To say the weather was outstanding for November would be an understatement. Last year at this time air temps were ridiculously cold and I never fished the lake in November.
Sunday started out at 34 down here but by the time I got to Rockingham it was 44. By the time I got to RT.73 the air temp was 54! Water temp was 47 to start and by days end it was 51 in a protected area.
There is a heron in the tree that probably felt pretty well camouflaged😉
I’d like to say it was great fishing from start to finish but it wasn’t. This year being what it’s been I expected a slow start but was confident the late afternoon bite would be good.
Tried all my favorite baits on outer weedlines in the morning but nothing worked. Fished in the grass for a few hours trying a more vertical approach. Finally saw a little activity around 11 in an open pocket in some milfoil and tossed a swim jig into the spot. Finally got the skunk out😎
Next cast produced another one. Not long after a smallie on a swimbait over open water nearby.
About 12:30 or so I decided it was time to see if my afternoon strategy would pay off. Headed to the spot only to find one of the only three or four boats out was already there
and were making a second pass. Not a problem because I had three more spots to try and was sure at least one would work. Put the swim jig to work and got bit immediately. Not long after the best of the day ate my swim jig.
21”, no weight scale broken
Caught a bunch of fish in the late afternoon but things tapered off as the sun set but did manage one more nice bass and one smaller one on a buzzbait😎
It’s always great ending the day on topwater and especially in November!
In the morning it looked like it would be tough to catch a limit by noon and it was. I had three at midday. By days end though I had lost count of bass. Pike were easy to count (1)
and even I can count to six for pickerel but I tend to lose count on bass because on Champlain when you find them it’s fast and furious. Sunday was no exception.
My thumb looks like it saw quite a few bass👍😁
If this was my last trip I’ll feel okay. If I squeeze in one more that will be awesome because every year I hope to be fishing on opening day of hunting season. Hope I make it.
Sunday started out at 34 down here but by the time I got to Rockingham it was 44. By the time I got to RT.73 the air temp was 54! Water temp was 47 to start and by days end it was 51 in a protected area.
There is a heron in the tree that probably felt pretty well camouflaged😉
I’d like to say it was great fishing from start to finish but it wasn’t. This year being what it’s been I expected a slow start but was confident the late afternoon bite would be good.
Tried all my favorite baits on outer weedlines in the morning but nothing worked. Fished in the grass for a few hours trying a more vertical approach. Finally saw a little activity around 11 in an open pocket in some milfoil and tossed a swim jig into the spot. Finally got the skunk out😎
Next cast produced another one. Not long after a smallie on a swimbait over open water nearby.
About 12:30 or so I decided it was time to see if my afternoon strategy would pay off. Headed to the spot only to find one of the only three or four boats out was already there
and were making a second pass. Not a problem because I had three more spots to try and was sure at least one would work. Put the swim jig to work and got bit immediately. Not long after the best of the day ate my swim jig.
21”, no weight scale broken
Caught a bunch of fish in the late afternoon but things tapered off as the sun set but did manage one more nice bass and one smaller one on a buzzbait😎
It’s always great ending the day on topwater and especially in November!
In the morning it looked like it would be tough to catch a limit by noon and it was. I had three at midday. By days end though I had lost count of bass. Pike were easy to count (1)
and even I can count to six for pickerel but I tend to lose count on bass because on Champlain when you find them it’s fast and furious. Sunday was no exception.
My thumb looks like it saw quite a few bass👍😁
If this was my last trip I’ll feel okay. If I squeeze in one more that will be awesome because every year I hope to be fishing on opening day of hunting season. Hope I make it.
