Post by Brian on Sept 22, 2010 14:01:05 GMT -5
We had the chance to get up to Champlain for two days this week. First trip there since 7/27. Pretty much missed the entire summer bass pattern there. 
. I found the lake to be in fall transition this week. Water was clean, weeds were dense and clean, lake level was 95.04, water temps were 63 to 64. Monday was a frontal high pressure bluebird day with strong N wind. Tuesday had strong wind from the south and included a brief period of clouds and showers.
Hit the ramp in Ti at 11:30 Monday. Motored north into the chop for a few miles. Then ground our way through the weeds to the bank. Figuring maybe there was a sliver of hope for skinny water fishing. Because if it's happening that's what we do at Champlain. It was not happening. Really no big surprise, but we tried and then tried again on Tuesday, with same result....zero. Then we fished with the rollers all the way back to the ramp at Ti. In and out, from the break line to the inside flats. One 2 1/2 lb LM to show for it. I figured the strong wind and wave action would help the bite, it didn't. We were moving pretty fast and covered a lot of water. Then went to more protected water and got a few pike, not big ones but pretty nice girth for mid 20"ers. I was happy the LuckyCraft BDCB I was chucking wasn't bitten off
. Stayed out until 6:30 and couldn't rent a bass on a buzzbait but had some pike take a look. All day we got a total of 3 LM and 4 pike. A very nice day on the pond.
On Tuesday we re-tooled the tackle some (the 17 heavy rods between us). Loaded up more on the TX rigs. Hit the ramp at 9:15. Fished south most of the day. Caught nothing for the first three hours. Even the Ospreys and Kingfishers were only looking. Decided to hit a community hole with a deep crankbait and scored the first two bass of the day. The only ones on a crankbait all day, and I tried it hard. So....time to dig them out with the TX rigs. Around 2:00 a sort of pattern was developing, 3/8 oz. rigs in 6' of dense pure milfoil. Any other weeds in the patches was a deal breaker. Trouble was finding such areas and getting a bite before the strong wind blew us out. Had fun with it and except for a nice bass Diane got on the giant spoon during a rain squall, it accounted for most of our bites. We took the cable ferry back to VT at 5:30. Over all we caught and released 9 LM (best five would weigh over 16 lb.), 2 pike and 2 pickerel. The pickerel were big the pike small. Looking forward to the next trip.
Best bass of the trip 18.25" (
. I didn't hang the lure on it's lip. That's all that held it on...one hook. It pulled so hard I thought it a pike.
Di un-hooks one that ate her TX rigged Chigger Craw. Note the two frog rods, a die hard. I put mine in the box back at the hotel.
. I found the lake to be in fall transition this week. Water was clean, weeds were dense and clean, lake level was 95.04, water temps were 63 to 64. Monday was a frontal high pressure bluebird day with strong N wind. Tuesday had strong wind from the south and included a brief period of clouds and showers.Hit the ramp in Ti at 11:30 Monday. Motored north into the chop for a few miles. Then ground our way through the weeds to the bank. Figuring maybe there was a sliver of hope for skinny water fishing. Because if it's happening that's what we do at Champlain. It was not happening. Really no big surprise, but we tried and then tried again on Tuesday, with same result....zero. Then we fished with the rollers all the way back to the ramp at Ti. In and out, from the break line to the inside flats. One 2 1/2 lb LM to show for it. I figured the strong wind and wave action would help the bite, it didn't. We were moving pretty fast and covered a lot of water. Then went to more protected water and got a few pike, not big ones but pretty nice girth for mid 20"ers. I was happy the LuckyCraft BDCB I was chucking wasn't bitten off
. Stayed out until 6:30 and couldn't rent a bass on a buzzbait but had some pike take a look. All day we got a total of 3 LM and 4 pike. A very nice day on the pond.On Tuesday we re-tooled the tackle some (the 17 heavy rods between us). Loaded up more on the TX rigs. Hit the ramp at 9:15. Fished south most of the day. Caught nothing for the first three hours. Even the Ospreys and Kingfishers were only looking. Decided to hit a community hole with a deep crankbait and scored the first two bass of the day. The only ones on a crankbait all day, and I tried it hard. So....time to dig them out with the TX rigs. Around 2:00 a sort of pattern was developing, 3/8 oz. rigs in 6' of dense pure milfoil. Any other weeds in the patches was a deal breaker. Trouble was finding such areas and getting a bite before the strong wind blew us out. Had fun with it and except for a nice bass Diane got on the giant spoon during a rain squall, it accounted for most of our bites. We took the cable ferry back to VT at 5:30. Over all we caught and released 9 LM (best five would weigh over 16 lb.), 2 pike and 2 pickerel. The pickerel were big the pike small. Looking forward to the next trip.
Best bass of the trip 18.25" (
. I didn't hang the lure on it's lip. That's all that held it on...one hook. It pulled so hard I thought it a pike.Di un-hooks one that ate her TX rigged Chigger Craw. Note the two frog rods, a die hard. I put mine in the box back at the hotel.
