Last week, I posted on the Lake George BS thread that I was going to stop by "The King" with my 14-year-old son on the way home to NJ from a ski trip to VT, and was looking for some general how-to and where-to info. We had never been to Lake George before, never caught a lake trout, and had no electronics -- and had only two hours to fish.
Many thanks to all of the guys who posted various tips and especially thanks for the PMs (you guys know who you are!) -- greatly appreciated.
Spoiler alert: we didn't catch anything...
BUT... here are my impressions on "The King":
1.) It is an unbelievably beautiful lake. Something about its size -- which is enormous -- ringed with those mountains. When we got to the parking spot and walked out on it, it felt like walking into Yankee Stadium for the first time -- you are now ice fishing at the highest level.
2.) Crazy you can walk out 50 yards from shore and be in 100 feet of water, and it takes a crazy-long time for a 5/8 ounce lure to reach the bottom! I am primarily a panfish jigger in relatively small NJ/NY lakes and ponds where 10 feet is on the deep side. Felt like I was fishing the Marianas Trench...
4.) Fellow anglers were really friendly -- one guy leaving the ice gave me a quick report (he did well) and pointed me to his location. He even gave me some spikes to tip my jigs.
5.) My son set up in an abandoned ice hole near a shanty and a guy eventually came out and started talking to him. One thing led to another he came out with his Vexilar and showed him fish holding on the bottom. Next thing his other buddy came out and they showed him how to lower the jig to the marks on the flasher (see pic). Then we watched fish approach -- but not hit. But this was super-exciting to us first-timers, even though we never hooked up. The anglers reported that the fish were doing that all day -- kind of had lockjaw, and they explained how great the fishing can be, and I can see how. It was incredibly nice and generous for these guys to spend so much time with my son.
6.) For the Lake George regulars: you have a great community of anglers and a great fishery. You you should do everything you can to protect it! I hope to be back sometime soon.
7.) Might be time to buy a flasher...
