5-12-13 – Mother’s Day Panfish

After a morning dedicated to turkeys and our mothers, it was off with the boat to the water we went. With hopes that the crappie were still spawning and some decent bluegill would bite, there was nothing left to do but try it!

Upon our arrival, we saw a few kayaks and one canoe out on the water. The wind was strong and brisk. The skies were dark but it wasn’t raining but it looked like it would. After launching the boat, we realized that our main issue for the day would be dealing with the wind. The worst wind we could have was anything out of the south,south east and yup, you guessed it, that is exactly where it was coming out of.

We were fishing “Live” Baby Shad by Lake Fork Trophy Lures under a bobber.  Last time we had fished this particular spot we found that the crappies were scattered through out the channel at the back most part of the setback.  We decided that we would work our way to that spot fishing a few tress along shore on the way thinking maybe they had began to seek out their cover and shade.  A major difference between today and the last time we were here were the weeds.  It had been a few weeks and with unseasonably warm weather for the end of  April and beginning of May the weeds had really started to grow, some already reaching the surface on the large flats.

Like we said before the wind was a major factor even for the 16.25 foot Lund.  The first hour was slow but we did manage to catch a few small male crappie that were tucked right up on shore.  After fishing the shoreline with little success, we made our way for the channel where the fish were holding weeks ago.  We used the recent weed growth to our advantage, fishing the edges with a little more line under our bobbers.  This pattern payed off as we were able to land several nice spawning colored males.  The fish were still scattered through out the channel but seemed to be concentrated in one specific area.  We worked our way through the channel making long casts, working the weed edge and the shoreline.  We did find some bull gills tucked into shore which made for a nice battle on our ultra light setup.

 

When the wind would die down we found pockets of fish that were busting the surface. With all the activity, we knew that we had to inspect and see what was going on. Drifting over these areas revealed hundreds of beds. The fish would dart out leaving us only mud clouds. From a distance we started pitching baits. We found out that they were all spawning pumpkinseed. Only when the wind was slightly blowing could we catch them though. They were very spooky!

Our timing may have been a little off for the species we intented to target. The conditions were certainly not ideal, but we manged to have a successful day and capture some great photos.

4-28-13 – Long Day Searching

The crappie spawn in Lake Champlain is a fantastic time to catch a lot of fish.  Some years it’s very predictable and others not.  It can start and last a couple of weeks or it can start and stop, then start back up again. The second scenario seemed to be the case this year.  Our last trip was devoted to the big lake with hopes of catching that perfect water temperature where crappies begin their spring ritual.

We arrived at the lake a little late due to the fact that we forgot the graph at home while still in town and we figured it might be a good thing to have.   We headed for our first spot and arrived to find water temperatures in the upper 50′s. With a blue bird day ahead, we knew the water would soon be pushing into the 60′s.  We made our way back into a shallow cut that had produced fish in recent days.  Using a small jig under a bobber tipped with a “Live” Baby Shad from Lake Fork Trophy Lures, we began searching for fish.  It didn’t take long to find a small brush point that seemed to be holding some fish.

We where getting bite after bite which unfortunately was producing miss after miss.  The crappie would take the bobber all the way under, we would set the hook. . . . . nothing.  We started playing with bait color and style until we found a bait that at least the fish would hold on to long enough to hook a few of them.  From what we could tell, we ran into a bit of a timing issue.  The fish were there in large numbers, however, the water temperature was causing them to think less on feeding and more on spawning.

We struggled through the first half of the day and only managed 11 keepers as we were throwing back the bigger fish which were the egg stuffed females.  By noon, we decided to check some other places with hopes that the fish might be more aggressive.  Up the lake we ran and were greeted by a few of our buddies.  They too had struggled in the morning hours and were not on the fish.  We anchored near their boat to catch up and wait the fish out which ultimately worked out.  With a bunch of lines crossing the area, we found a pod of fish staging up right at the mouth in the channel.  Cast after cast produced not only crappie but largemouth bass and bullhead as well.

The fish moved through in small runs where we would catch 4,5 or 6 fish at a time. After a bunch of runs, we endured a long stretch without as much as a bite. We decided to check on some other spots had produced in recent days. We checked a handful of spots and covered close to 8 miles of the lake. We found no other areas to be productive so we returned to where we started the day. Since we had left a few hours earlier the water temperature had stabilized at 66.4 and in the short time we spent in there it dropped a few tenths. Lots of bait fish were busting the surface as there was a big hatch occurring. Along with the bait, there was quite a bit of predator activity chasing. With the crappie focusing on their spawn rather than biting, we parted ways and met back up with our buddies.

The fish were still cruising the channel so we anchored back up and got to catching. We fished for another 1.5 hours before realizing how late it was and that we should head home. The day was tough and certainly not steady but we caught some big fish as well as took home a few meals. Can it get much better than that?!?!

4-23-13 – Tight Lipped Fish

The temperature this week hasn’t cooperated with us. It seems like we are always a day behind the bite with our choice of locations this week. We like to that we are a day ahead though as the bites have alternated days regardless of weather… This morning, the weather said it was suppose to get into the high 50′s with little to no clouds or wind. In reality, it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

On the water just before 8, the morning air was still cool. The water was just under 48 and only rose one degree all day where the fish were holding. We made a long run trying to locate fish only to find 51 degree water void of fish. Still with the cold in the air, we ran back. On the way we took a break to warm up and watch an eagle sitting in a tree.

The rest of the day we putted around and located fish occasionally with no consistency. All the fish that we did find were set up on a shallow island, covered in decaying weeds. We were working a Lake Fork Trophy Lure “Live” Baby Shad 2-3 feet under a bobber at a slow pace. We used pearl and fire perch with equal success.

There isn’t much to say about this day. It seemed like all forward progress to the spawn this week was lost but it is only a matter of time until the water warms up enough for things to really start happening!

Check out the last picture to see the feeding frenzy!

4-21-13 – Pre-Spawn Crappie and Chubby Gills

With temps in the low 20′s, we weren’t rushing out the door this morning. We knew the bite wouldn’t pick up until the water temperature did. We were guessing on the way down that the water would be between 47 and 48 because of the recent weather. Today, it was suppose to warm up but wearing our blue suits from Ice Armor was still a good idea.

After launching the boat and letting the transducer adjust to the water temperature, our guess of 47-48 degrees was a little low. It was actually hovering at 46. For much of the morning, the fish were inactive. It took a while for us to catch a fish and even longer to stay put in one spot that held multiple. We did see that as the water warmed the fish became more active.

At first, the bites were very light. The fish weren’t committing and getting hook ups proved very difficult. As the water warmed the bites came more frequently and much harder. We found one sweet spot as the water temperature peaked. There was a warm pocket of water pushed up in a corner. It was 54 and we were sitting in 52. As we would work our baits from shore back towards the boat, we found that the crappie were stacked up on the edge of an isolated weed patch. They were hanging 2-3 feet down in 8 feet of water.

This bite lasted for a while but we found that it was spotty. We were only able to catch a handful of fish at a time before they would stop biting. The best method we found was to back out after catching a few and then return after checking other spots then to get back in quietly. We could tell the fish were aggressive by the way that our bobbers went down. There was no slow and steady pull. Instead, it was a fast pull and run with no problems with hookups.

The crappie bite only lasted for a little over an hour before shutting off. Fortunately for us, the bluegill finally had woken up and were active. For these, we set our bobbers a little higher and fished in shallower water, in the weeds, and closer to the bottom. Most bites came as soon as a cast hit the water but if not they wanted it moving slowly.

We used three baits today. Because the water was cold, the fish were mostly inactive. We used our go to plastic the “Live” Baby Shad from Lake Fork Trophy Lures. This bait produced some slabs but also quite a few short strikes. For crappie, the best bait was a 1″ Gulp! Minnow. For bluegill, the top producing weight was the old faithful worm.  Sometimes live bait just outproduces everything else!

4-16-13 – Really Chasing Warm Water

So a week ago I was down fishing for staging crappie (Chasing The Warm Water). We had some trouble staying on fish but only when the wind was blowing. When the wind would let up, the sun was warm enough to warm the water up enough to draw the fish out of the deeper, cool water and into the warm shallows. For this trip, we had a warm up over night that cooled down throughout the day. Some spots stayed warmer longer but not all held fish.

We started the day where we had all the luck just a week ago. Cruising in, the fish were no where to be found were they were before but at the very end of navigable water, we found some. We picked about 15 fish before  the wind switched on us and started to cool the water. Th e majority of the fish in there were small. Making radius casts around the boat, an osprey swooped down and grabbed a decent sized crappie from where we motored through to get in. We quickly hoisted anchor and got out to where the fish was taken from. No dice. The fish were either not there or completely inactive. Our best bet was to go searching.

We checked several spots with no luck. We had trouble finding water that reached much more than 47 degrees. With the main lake in dismay because of the steady wind with gusts into the high 20′s, we came up with a plan that, if ineffective, would lead us off the water and to dinner.

The first spot we checked appeared to be cold and vacant. We worked both shores, the middle, and then back towards the main lake. Nothing was happening until the it opened up. I pulled a fish out of rough water but lost it at the boat. For the next half hour, we pulled some of the bigger crappie that I have seen so far this spring. They were coming out of 2 feet of water on a very slow drag. The hot bait for the day was a pearl Lake Fork Trophy Lures – “Live” Baby Shad. As the fish funneled by the wind started to pick back up and the water cooled a few degrees causing the fish to vacate the area. The best part of the day happened as we were about ready to leave. As my friend Jamie worked his bait in, a crappie rose up right by the boat and sucked his bobber in but then immediately spit it out. Within seconds, a bass followed up and grabbed the bobber again. Jamie started to pull it in unhooked but it was once again spit it out. Then believe it or not, a crappie had taken the bait underneath and was hoisted into the boat.

The rest of the day was spent unsuccessfully searching for fish. Without a good idea of what else to do, we packed up the gear and made the rough run back to the launch for the drive back home.

4-9-13 – Chasing The Warm Water

On the road well before the sun would be up, I had high hopes that over night the crappie moved in to stage for the spawn. Much of the water throughout the state is still cold from its recent ice departure and every spawn fisherman knows that finding the warm water is key. Regardless, I was going to be fishing with James Vladyka of Fish Hounds Outdoors all day and fish or no fish we would keep trying. The day before the water had peaked at 52 degrees which should put the fish migrating hard into their spawning areas. For some strange reason though, they were still not present.

As we putted into the area we first intended to fish, the water temperature had held overnight. Surely, the fish had to move in since the night before. We fished the entire area without as much as a bite or seeing a fish rise. The fish must have not noticed that the water had warmed up yet. With a sinking feeling in my gut we started fishing back out into the main lake trying to figure out what to do from there.

As we worked back out, we could see fish popping the surface and moving in towards us. Our casts were reaching out further and further until simultaneously we both hooked up. Crappies in hand, we were pumped. The “Live” Baby Shad by Lake Fork Trophy Lures was back on fish! We both dumped the fish over the side of the boat and got right back to fishing. For the next hour and a half, we caught fish as they cruised in to stage up. The fish were running through a 3′ channel but at times we would pull them off a 1 foot flat surrounding.

The bite was spotty but consistent. We could follow the fish as they came into range all the way till they were past us. They were entering in small pods and were very aggressive. We were able to catch the fish until the wind started to blow and the water went from 54.5 to 48 in just a short period of time. It didn’t take us long to realize that the fish evacuated the area and headed back out to the main lake.

At a loss for ideas of what to do, we went and poked around some other likely areas hoping to find warm water that was not flushed earlier by the steady, high-teens wind. Of all the spots we checked, none offered us the conditions that we were looking for. The two options that we had remaining were to go shore fishing where the fish hadn’t bit yet this year or to return to where we started the day to see if the water had warmed back up.

We opted to return to where it all started for us. Entering the channel we were surprised to see that the temperature had rebounded and was pushing 53 in just a few short hours. We remained fishless the entire way in but similar to the first time, the fish followed us in. We moved back and forth through the productive area from earlier until the fish came to us. Once the fish reached us, the wind pushed us up against shore perfectly so that they were coming right at us.

We sat in the same spot for the remainder of the day catching a fish on just about every cast. There were times when we didn’t have to cast because they were right under the boat and others when we were reaching out as far as we could. Throughout the day, I used “pearl” colored “Live” Baby Shad the entire time. The only thing that switched was the jig color. I broke off a few times and just grabbed the first one I could so I get right back out there!

This was the first time that I had ever experienced the start of a fish migration. Seeing those fish coming in got my blood pumping and it was an experience I will never forget! That is until it happens again!

10-6-12 – Why Hunt When You Can Fish!

While many outdoor recreation friendly Vermonters were taking to the woods for the opening day of archery deer season, we were loading up the row boat to go catch some crappie on the Connecticut River.

The fish we were chasing roam a deep river channel. The school of fish is large and we have found that the largest fish present lead the way for all. To locate the school, we usually begin by cruising around making long, fast casts with or without a bobber. The active fish usually are suspending 5-10 below the surface in 20+ feet of water. Once we start catching large crappie, we know we have hit it. To track the fish as they move around we have to determine if they are moving up or down the channel.      To stay on the school, it is only a matter of staying ahead of their movements. It would be possible if we were to keeping fish to catch a limit in one pass but we have been releasing all fish in order to maintain a healthy population.

The fish seemed much more spread out today than the previous week.  We actually found the largest concentration of fish in an unusual place for the Glory Hole.  Instead of being suspended over the deep water feeding on minnows they moved up on a  flat and seemed to be feeding on a hatch emerging from the soft bottom.  We boated at least a hundred fish in a matter of hours and decided that it was time to get home and get camo-ed up for the afternoon hunt.  Good day of fishing once again using the “Live” Baby Shad made by LFT Lures.

We put together two videos from our glory hole trip. Check out Ice Fishing Teaser and Opening Day Of Deer Season Crappie Fishing on our YouTube page!

9-30-12 – The “Live” Baby Shad Strikes at the Glory Hole

The last day of September brought Vermonters to the realization that summer has come to an end, fall is here and winter is right around the corner.  With all of our tree stands hung for the upcoming bow season, my good friend Mark and I took the opportunity to check on our favorite crappie spot.  We strolled upon this spot last winter and the amount of crappie in this hole is mind boggling, It has been named the Glory Hole.

I hadn’t been to the Glory Hole since spring so I was curious to see what the fish were up to, and see where they were holding up.  To make a long story short, they are right where we catch them through the ice and they were hungry.  The large school of crappie were roaming the basin and a rather larger setback of the Connecticut River.  As long as you know the contour of the setback you could stay on the fish.  It was one of those days where you can’t really explain how good the fishing was, check with our YouTube page soon for a video of the day.

We used two methods of presentation, jigs under a bobber, and a pendulum swing into the boat to a slow drop.
We first located the fish by making long casts with a 1/16oz jig tipped with the LFT Lures “Live” Baby Shad.  A long cast was made, let the bait drop for a few secs and slowly retrieve the bait.  The slow retrieve would cause the bait to pendulum swing through the water column.  This not only allows you to locate active fish but it also gives you and idea of what depth they are holding at without using any electronics.  The fish were suspended at 11 fow in 23 fow normally, when the fish became more active they moved up into the water column, 5 feet or less.  For the first hour and a half or so we had to work to get the fish to bite, this is usually the case when the fish are holding in one spot, somewhat dormant not feeding much.  We were able to connect one some nice fish.  Mark connected on the first big one.

The fish were concentrated right off from some structure on a break in a holding pattern.  Finally the pod of fish started to moved, this means in this particular spot that they are going to feed.  These fish travel together and chase bait through the channel of this setback.  We now changed our tactics and used a fixed bobber.  When the fish start to feed they become more aggressive thus spreading them out in the water column, mostly up.  The more aggressive and often times bigger fish are found higher in the water column.  These are the fish that we targeted while we used the trolling motor to slowly follow the school back and forth and around and around in the setback.  We saw a lot better quality of fish.

The good bite lasted for about an hour.  Now when I say good bite I mean a fish every cast, and a bite soon after the bait hits the water.  By the end our our four hour trip we boated close to 200 crappie, two pike and two perch.  All fish were released to be caught another day.

“Live” Baby Shad by Lake Fork Trophy Lures

9-3-12 – Fishing Lake Champlain For Crappie

We hit the road around 3:30 to make the two hour trip in order to be on the water for sunrise. Our plan worked out and we were at our first spot on time. The fish must have stayed up late because they turned on slow but as the sun started to peak above the trees, the fishing heated up.

We were vertical jigging and making short casts over structure. We mainly used 1/8 ounce jigs tipped with a “Live” Baby Shad by Lake Fork Trophy Lures. Although we found just about any color to be working once the fish started biting, pearl, chartreuse glo, black/pink, and bluegrass were the main colors we utilized.

We worked mainly on the bottom to pick at the fish but when we couldn’t get a bite we would work up and down the water column. Some fish seemed to be just under the surface of the water while others were down 12-14 feet. Other than the depth selection, we found that some fish wanted constant jigging while others wanted no movement at all. By not settling on just one depth and action to target, we were able to make the trip successful. We caught a pile of fish with a solid average of around 11″.

Check out A Quick Limit Of Crappie on our YouTube page!

8-7-12 – Deep Water Perch and Pumpkinseed

We set out today searching for fish. As we rowed on the water, we checked the first weed bed for pumpkinseed. It didn’t take us long to realize that the fish had moved off. The weather has been very warm and dry for quite a while now but the water level on this specific body of water has not dropped.

With the Humminbird 99c SI rigged up portable, we set off looking for structure. As we rowed around we found some good deep water weed mats on a 15-18 foot flat that were holding fish. We began dropping our baits down, finding the fish between 5-6 feet below the surface of the water. The fish were active and there was a good concentration of perch and pumpkinseed.

We started off fishing without bobbers over the side of the boat. We had no issue catching fish as long as we stayed positioned over the weeds. As we drifted off the structure, we would put the bobbers on and cast until we could no longer reach it with casts then row back up so we could jig them again. This method worked well for the entire trip and we found other similar spots on the pond.

Check out Vertical Jigging Perch And Pumpkinseed on our YouTube Page.