Post by rgang4 on Dec 9, 2011 21:02:00 GMT -5
Being that I'm done fishing 
I need something to do to occupy my time until the ice sets up. Thought I'd post the pic's of my six Master Angler entries here.
The first entry I made was on the advise of Brian. After he explained the program to me I was happy to enter. We made a trip to Champlain on 4/22. Water was high cold and dirty, but we managed to catch some pike, bass and pickerel. Believe this one came on a spinner bait or chatter bait below Benson in front of some dead cattail.
25.5" chain pickerel.
This was not the only Master Angler fish we got that day.
19" smallie
Next entry was a bluegill caught in the Retreat Meadows. Fished a Bandit Footlose around bedding fish to catch this one, a 9.75" bull that my wife held for the photo. Of all six, this maybe the one I'm most proud of ;D. Also, Brian may have caught and entered this same one!
After this fish I kind of hit a lull as all the fish around the river seemed to be in a post spawn funk and Champlain seemed to risky to fish. But in late June we stayed in Panton and I fished from Larrabee's and had phenomenal fishing all week. After catching lots of 19" fish, finally got this one in the boat. Got it on a Strike King Shadalicous swimbait.
20.5" 5 lb. 4 oz.
Fished Champlain for the next three weeks as the fishing was great and the weather was too! Even managed a Master Angler smallie. Got this one from my largemouth spot on the same swimbait as mentioned earlier.
19" smallie
Also managed to pull some smaller ones out of the way so VTBASS could get a Master Angler largie of his own the first time we fished together.
20.25"? largie
There are some places I know of that hold some big rockies so I tried for a long time to catch one. The best topped out at 9.75" and I was frustrated a bit but figured I'd catch something to fill out the five required to get a pin. Two or three days after putting the panfish rods away for a bit I got this 10" rockie on a pop-r near where a grass bed intersects a gravel bar. Yup, I was fishing for smallies but I'll take it!
That made five but the year was still young. Got a beauty of a smallie fishing with my buddy Ed back in October and entered this one as well.
20" smallie on a swimbait. I do fish other lures sometimes, really, I do.
Late October and most of November can be good for walleye on the CTR, in particular big walleye. All of my best ones have come from this time period with a few exceptions so I fished long and hard for a Master Angler 'eye but had no luck except for another incidental catch.
13.5" yellow perch on Silver Buddy, 1/2 oz. gold.
So thats all so far. If we get some ice I'll set tip up's for 'eyes and pike and jig for crappie and 'seeds, but it looks like there won't be alot of opportunities. We'll see
.
I need something to do to occupy my time until the ice sets up. Thought I'd post the pic's of my six Master Angler entries here.The first entry I made was on the advise of Brian. After he explained the program to me I was happy to enter. We made a trip to Champlain on 4/22. Water was high cold and dirty, but we managed to catch some pike, bass and pickerel. Believe this one came on a spinner bait or chatter bait below Benson in front of some dead cattail.
25.5" chain pickerel.
This was not the only Master Angler fish we got that day.
19" smallie
Next entry was a bluegill caught in the Retreat Meadows. Fished a Bandit Footlose around bedding fish to catch this one, a 9.75" bull that my wife held for the photo. Of all six, this maybe the one I'm most proud of ;D. Also, Brian may have caught and entered this same one!
After this fish I kind of hit a lull as all the fish around the river seemed to be in a post spawn funk and Champlain seemed to risky to fish. But in late June we stayed in Panton and I fished from Larrabee's and had phenomenal fishing all week. After catching lots of 19" fish, finally got this one in the boat. Got it on a Strike King Shadalicous swimbait.
20.5" 5 lb. 4 oz.
Fished Champlain for the next three weeks as the fishing was great and the weather was too! Even managed a Master Angler smallie. Got this one from my largemouth spot on the same swimbait as mentioned earlier.
19" smallie
Also managed to pull some smaller ones out of the way so VTBASS could get a Master Angler largie of his own the first time we fished together.
20.25"? largie
There are some places I know of that hold some big rockies so I tried for a long time to catch one. The best topped out at 9.75" and I was frustrated a bit but figured I'd catch something to fill out the five required to get a pin. Two or three days after putting the panfish rods away for a bit I got this 10" rockie on a pop-r near where a grass bed intersects a gravel bar. Yup, I was fishing for smallies but I'll take it!
That made five but the year was still young. Got a beauty of a smallie fishing with my buddy Ed back in October and entered this one as well.
20" smallie on a swimbait. I do fish other lures sometimes, really, I do.
Late October and most of November can be good for walleye on the CTR, in particular big walleye. All of my best ones have come from this time period with a few exceptions so I fished long and hard for a Master Angler 'eye but had no luck except for another incidental catch.
13.5" yellow perch on Silver Buddy, 1/2 oz. gold.
So thats all so far. If we get some ice I'll set tip up's for 'eyes and pike and jig for crappie and 'seeds, but it looks like there won't be alot of opportunities. We'll see
.
.