Caspian

[Vrmontrout]

The Dead Sea today!!  Nice to meet you JMailbox, how did you guys do??

[JMailbox8]

We did alright. We caught 5 fish with 2 being keepers. One was caught on a tip-up and the rest were caught jigging. The highlight of the day was spot fishing in the hub shanty and watching a lunker swim by. It was huge. Too bad it wasn't hungry.

Both keepers had tape worms. Pretty friggin gross. The fillets all went in the freezer, which apparently kills the worms, but I was really careful about cleaning them off. Anyone else have issues with tape worms in lake trout?

[Registered Kayak]

Yeah, champlain and Colchester pond have them. If you ever pay attention to your carcass after filleting, the intestines will move if they are there. I always treat them to Clorox soaks and sometimes a good ole fashioned propane torch .
I just make sure to deep fry my fish afterwards for and extra minute or 5 haha. Nothing comes out of the pan alive after being deep fried. Just make sure.......... You don't contaminate anything while handling the raw fish parts though, just to be safe.

[Vrmontrout]

Never seen that in fish out of Caspian, will look for them now though!

[koissu]

We did alright. We caught 5 fish with 2 being keepers. One was caught on a tip-up and the rest were caught jigging. The highlight of the day was spot fishing in the hub shanty and watching a lunker swim by. It was huge. Too bad it wasn't hungry.

TheFishingWeatherman and I were doing that a bit a few weeks ago. The water was super clear and we could see them from about 15ft under the ice to the surface. Really fun!

[FishinDJ]

I was the other guy with JMailbox8 out there, and I must say, I am officially hooked on jigging for trout lake trout! Despite being a slow day, seeing them chase on the Vex was a blast.

[peteinvermont]

I was the other guy with JMailbox8 out there, and I must say, I am officially hooked on jigging for trout lake trout! Despite being a slow day, seeing them chase on the Vex was a blast.

See, this isn't helpful....I'm trying to avoid buying electronics, and pretending that I wouldn't enjoy jigging for lakers. 

[thefishingweatherman]

I have never had a tapeworm in a fish from Caspian. Lake Champlain though? Different story. See my rather gross video:

The tapeworms hang out in the digestive tract I found. Never seen any worms in laker flesh before. I recommend you pull the guts out before you cut the fillets off to avoid an cross contamination, and to keep the worms in it's guts. Pretty nasty stuff!

[FishinDJ]

See, this isn't helpful....I'm trying to avoid buying electronics, and pretending that I wouldn't enjoy jigging for lakers.

........probably some pretty good late season deals on electronics right now

[bigredonice]

any places to avoid on caspian's ice right now?   thinking about maybe hitting it for the first time saturday morning to jig some lakers

[TRT]

Don't forget your spud...

[Vrmontrout]

I'll agree, a few years back was jigging inside the pop up and saw what I thought was a 7-8 lb laker chasing the jig.  Would not commit!  When they're on the bite there it is a blast.  And watching them on the Vex race up from bottom and hammer your jig as you're reeling up fast as you can is pretty fun as well.  As far as ice, there were a few places that looked like old holes that had melted out then froze back over and were in the process of melting again yesterday, but overall ice was 12"-16" with 8" good black ice.  I'd check as you go with the weather we've had lately though.

[topgun280]

   Can anyone tell me the ice conditions on Caspian ?  Safe for 4-wheelers / snowmachines ?  Thanks

[Vrmontrout]

Read previous post.  I would only walk out myself.

[vtcountrychamp]

I wouldn't use a wheeler, but from someone there yesterday people still had shanties out there.

[802Reelers]

Does anybody know if the derby is still on for Saturday?

[JMailbox8]

The worms I found were not in the meat, they were only the digestive tract. The second one I filleted I was really careful to avoid the abdomen. I would imagine they find their way into lakes via birds. Makes me wonder if the skinny 40 inch laker I got earlier this season was infected with tapeworms.

I wonder, since the fish weren't biting well that day, if the only reason I caught the ones I did was because they had worms in them - which would cause them to feed more often?

[802keeper1122]

From what I saw on Facebook is that the Fire Department has cancelled the Derby this year due to the wind chills.  This is the post that they made:

"Due to dangerously cold wind chills and weather predicted for this coming Saturday, the fishing derby on Caspian Lake will be cancelled. Anyone who pre-purchased tickets will receive a full refund. Hopefully next year will be better weather. Please share to get the word out. Thank you."

[FishinDJ]

I went back today, got a super late start and got skunked. I hooked up on 2 but lost them. They were chasing all the way up the water column all day but just wouldn't commit. Still pretty new to jigging for lakers-any pointers for when they want to aggressively chase but wont strike?

[koissu]

I went back today, got a super late start and got skunked. I hooked up on 2 but lost them. They were chasing all the way up the water column all day but just wouldn't commit. Still pretty new to jigging for lakers-any pointers for when they want to aggressively chase but wont strike?

I only started jigging for them this year, but I've found switching to a smaller presentation worked. Although, that depends on what you are starting with. When the swim shads weren't working, I downsized to a small tungsten jig with a maki and immediately got bites.

[Vrmontrout]

I was out with another guy early yesterday and we got 3 lakers, 2 keepers.  Been mostly using a white tube jig but haven't found the solution to fish that look but won't commit.  If that happens I'll usually go fish another few holes then go back to original hole and not always but occasionally will get fish to eat.  Will be back out tomorrow.

[FishinDJ]

I usually bounce around a bit too but the wind kept me in the hub shelter yesterday. I had a nice one chase up to about 15 ft under the ice, and being in the shelter I was able to look down and watch him taking swipes at my bucktail. Pretty exciting to watch.

[NHHARDWATER]

Headed for caspian this morning. Anyone else? Hope to see some IS embers out there. We will be in a clam voyager. Probably gonna be near the north end there abouts.

[Maxxis31]

Wont be there today, plan on a trip next Saturday hopefully the ice will hold until then, coming from southern VT, first time fishing Caspian our thought was the Burlington cove area, any advice on this location would b e helpful, good luck to all those fishing Caspian today.

[NHHARDWATER]

14" everywhere I have drilled so far. Solid no slop, auger is working to get through ir, so it's not rotten. Got Jimmy's  side by side out here no issues

[Vrmontrout]

We were out there until 10 or so, off Birch Point in a black Frabill.  Only got one laker jigging between the 2 of us.  How did you guys do?

[rbobby]

We were out there today jigged up 4 Lakers biggest was 20"
Caught 20-30 yellows.
There's some big perch in that lake!
Ice was better than I thought it would be.

[Maxxis31]

Good to hear there is still plenty of ice, 14" damn that's enough to bring the wheeler on, cant wait to get up there next Saturday, thanks for the info gentlemen.

[NHHARDWATER]

We were out there until 10 or so, off Birch Point in a black Frabill.  Only got one laker jigging between the 2 of us.  How did you guys do?

I think we saw you off the point. Frabil Hub shack right near shore?
WE came around to the north of you guys and jigged for a bit with the white side by side towing a clam flipover.
We went home empty handed, had a bunch of chasers and 2 drops on tip-ups earlier in the day. but I wasn't too discouraged. Bluebird sky, high pressure. I think under the right conditions, that place could be very productive.

[rbobby]

Yes,
We were lucky Caspian is hit or miss.
Orange and red worked for us jigging.