Post by Brian on Nov 7, 2012 11:42:41 GMT -5
It was 18 degrees out when we headed out for Champlain Tuesday morning. Not too early either, around 8:00 a.m. Earlier it was 15 degrees 
.
Well, we'd voted early ballot, the boat was loaded, covered with frost and the weather forecast was calling for sun and light wind. Not bad. If we were going ice fishing it would be a beauty of a day. So, we dressed accordingly and had a fine trip to Champlain. All three ski areas we passed by were busy making snow.
When we launched at Larabee's at 10:20 the water was 42 degrees, but motoring out through the channel markers the temp steadily climbed up the the days high of 49 degrees. Water was stained with 2.5' visibility and 95.6' at the Ferry dock in Burlington.
Target specie was VT Master Angler pickerel (24"). Went to the best area I knew and crapped out. Nothing at all. Saw bowfin breaking well off of the breakline, let them torture us for a while. Then got busy with LM bass. Crankbaits deep and mid produced some action, a good pattern but not one we are both comfy with. So, off to pickerel local #2, again zippo. No fish at all. Went back to bassin'. Missed one on a tX rig in 6' grass, kept at it for a spell. Bailed on that pattern. As it was sunny and calm tried to get a shallow shore line bite going. Not a great pattern after such a cold night but it yielded a few bass in 3 'to 4'. Just as I was getting ready to quit the area I had a hit. Then a big pike was on for a battle...until it spit the chatterbait back at me in a spectacular out of the water head shake. Magazine photo quality stuff ;D. Hung on in the area and Diane hooks up....pickerel! A good one but is it big enough?
YES!!!!!!!! 24.5" and her fifth Master Angler entry for 2012. A pin!
We finished up the day with at another area with pike, pickerel and LM bass. Bowfin were again eyeballing me....and laughing.
A good one for the well dressed Diane.
We quit at dark (not hard to do now) with 14 lm, 1 pike and 2 pickerel between us. A beauty of a day. Saw only one boat all day, a man rowing his Dory.
. Well, we'd voted early ballot, the boat was loaded, covered with frost and the weather forecast was calling for sun and light wind. Not bad. If we were going ice fishing it would be a beauty of a day. So, we dressed accordingly and had a fine trip to Champlain. All three ski areas we passed by were busy making snow.
When we launched at Larabee's at 10:20 the water was 42 degrees, but motoring out through the channel markers the temp steadily climbed up the the days high of 49 degrees. Water was stained with 2.5' visibility and 95.6' at the Ferry dock in Burlington.
Target specie was VT Master Angler pickerel (24"). Went to the best area I knew and crapped out. Nothing at all. Saw bowfin breaking well off of the breakline, let them torture us for a while. Then got busy with LM bass. Crankbaits deep and mid produced some action, a good pattern but not one we are both comfy with. So, off to pickerel local #2, again zippo. No fish at all. Went back to bassin'. Missed one on a tX rig in 6' grass, kept at it for a spell. Bailed on that pattern. As it was sunny and calm tried to get a shallow shore line bite going. Not a great pattern after such a cold night but it yielded a few bass in 3 'to 4'. Just as I was getting ready to quit the area I had a hit. Then a big pike was on for a battle...until it spit the chatterbait back at me in a spectacular out of the water head shake. Magazine photo quality stuff ;D. Hung on in the area and Diane hooks up....pickerel! A good one but is it big enough?
YES!!!!!!!! 24.5" and her fifth Master Angler entry for 2012. A pin!
We finished up the day with at another area with pike, pickerel and LM bass. Bowfin were again eyeballing me....and laughing.
A good one for the well dressed Diane.
We quit at dark (not hard to do now) with 14 lm, 1 pike and 2 pickerel between us. A beauty of a day. Saw only one boat all day, a man rowing his Dory.
;
.
