VT free fishing day

[PeterSaloom]

Anyone else planning to take advantage of VT's free fishing day this Saturday?

[bogtrotter]

Yes, going to Lake Paran in Bennington with some friends.

[PeterSaloom]

Yes, going to Lake Paran in Bennington with some friends.

Sounds great! Just looked it up on the map as I haven't heard of it. What are you targeting? Any word on ice conditions up that way? Good luck!

[bogtrotter]

Sounds great! Just looked it up on the map as I haven't heard of it. What are you targeting? Any word on ice conditions up that way? Good luck!

I haven't been up that way yet.  (I only fish in VT on Free Fishing Day) 

But, since I live in the NW corner of MA, and Bennington is in the SW corner of VT, I would think (based on local conditions) Lake Paran should have between 6" and a foot of ice.

We'll take whatever we can catch.

[bootstrap]

they canceled it.

[ctownfisherman]

Ill be up in stowe and planning to try and get a buddys son out on ice. And VT fish and game still shows it as free fishing day this Saturday the 26th.

Flaga up!
Ctown

[Jschumacher]

Waterbury Res. Is a good location close to Stowe Dave. Good luck. A lot of snow on the ice up that way.

[PeterSaloom]

they canceled it.

Do you know why they cancelled it? Was it due to ice conditions? Could you point me to where they made that announcement?

[JFeen82]

Bootstrap is from VT.... Prob just saying that because he doesn't want us massholes going up there.

[PeterSaloom]

Bootstrap is from VT.... Prob just saying that because he doesn't want us massholes going up there.

Maybe. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt though.

[Theshad]

Bootstrap is from VT.... Prob just saying that because he doesn't want us massholes going up there.

 

[bootstrap]

fake news.

[FREEP82]

they canceled it.

 

[KillerFish]

#fakenews 

[bogtrotter]

I went to Lake Paran in North Bennington today with my younger son and three others.

We arrived around 9:30 AM and fished till about 5 PM (except for one of my compadres who had to leave around 2 PM).

Weather was near perfect - - sunny, blue skies, windless, temps around 20 degrees.

Ice conditions near ideal - - about 13 inches of good hard ice - - generally free of snow.

Radio reception was also quite good - - I got to listen to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me."

Between my fire bowl and a buddy's propane stove, we cooked up quite a feast for lunch - - cheeseburgers, bratwurst, marinated chicken breast, butternut squash apple bisque, beer, wine, hot coffee, hot chocolate, tea, apples, peanuts, and chocolate chip cookies.

However, the fishing action  was a bit disappointing.

We had about a 15 or so flags during the course of the day, but they were virtually all of the "hit and drop" variety.   My son iced the only fish of the day on a tipup - - a 2 or 3 pound bass.

The others in my group did a bit better jigging. 

One of my fishing buddies caught about 8 or so fish (perch/sunfish/crappie on his own), and allowed some young kids walking around on the ice with their families reel in a few more.   

Another in my party caught four fish (all perch I believe), and the third landed one perch.  My son and I were the only two who got skunked jigging.

I was the only one of our group who got entirely skunked - - although the fact my son caught the "big fish of the day" made up for it.

About 10 or 12 other fishermen on the Lake during the course of the day - - generally in 1's or 2's.

At one point, I strapped on a pair of ice skates and visited our neighbors. 

Their overall experience was about the same as ours - - a few of them caught some perch, and one guy caught a small pike, while the rest evidently had the same sort of "hit and drop" flags that we did.

A number of the locals reported that Lake Paran was noted for producing big pike, good sized pike and decent trout - - but, for whatever reason, they did not appear to be cooperating today.

[bogtrotter]

So, Peter, how did your outing go?