St. Albans Bay - Ice - White Perch

[TroutWhisperer]

If I want to fish near somebody, I always park my machine or flipover at least 50 to 100 yards away and walk over to them.  I introduce myself and actually have a meaningful conversation with them.  I ask them how close it "too close" before I even think of fishing or drilling holes.   

I find a little courtesy and friendliness goes a long ways.

[varmonter]

I guess I think if I was in a boat I would not set up
Within 50 yards or so of someone else.
If I am trout fishing in a stream I won't fish the same
Hole as someone else.I personally won't
Go out on the ice without the equipment
To fish..like an auger..had a guy ask us on dillenbek
If he could use our power auger.said all he had was
A hand auger .
  That being said this is public waters.
If you come on the ice and drill holes a hundred yards
In each direction of the compass.that does
Not entitle you to that 200 yard circle you just
Drew around you.you can only fish one hole at a time.

[fishingidjit]

These folks are catching fish to sell and they will sit in your back pocket for a buck ! ::)It's been happening on Lake Champlain since I was kid and that was in the 60's !

[VTMatt]

I guess I think if I was in a boat I would not set up
Within 50 yards or so of someone else.
If I am trout fishing in a stream I won't fish the same
Hole as someone else.I personally won't
Go out on the ice without the equipment
To fish..like an auger..had a guy ask us on dillenbek
If he could use our power auger.said all he had was
A hand auger .
  That being said this is public waters.
If you come on the ice and drill holes a hundred yards
In each direction of the compass.that does
Not entitle you to that 200 yard circle you just
Drew around you.you can only fish one hole at a time.

There's a difference between someone fishing close to you and someone following you purposely to fish near you. The other guys could have at least cut their own holes instead of using my freshly drilled ones. 

[fishy1]

I'm sure the ice is fine right now with the cold weather. Next weekend will be troublesome and the snow we have coming will make mobility hard.

Sunday the bite was slow, and the fish were constantly on the move. Auger drilling was literally sending the fish running for their lives. We had 6 occasions where we checked a single pre drilled hole that was loaded with fish and by the time we cut another the fish were completely gone. Almost used both Ion batteries again, but instead of 10 buckets we got 2. What made things harder were the people that thought it was OK to hop in our line of holes from 30 min prior and setup a shanties on our holes. Yeah I get you want to catch fish but don't be so lazy and cut your own holes and try being a little more courteous of others.   

sounds like some of the fisherman we dealt with on the rivers or wherever we went. last winter on the ice i put out 6 or 7 tips for yellows and started to catch some nice yellows and 2 fisherman pulled up with a 4 wheeler right next to my tip ups and drilled holes with their power augers in between my tip ups. i was fishing 5 feet of water so you know the rest of the story. its a public lake but some just arnt very courteous when it comes to fishing since these 2 fisherman sold all of their fish.

[thefishingweatherman]

sounds like some of the fisherman we dealt with on the rivers or wherever we went. last winter on the ice i put out 6 or 7 tips for yellows and started to catch some nice yellows and 2 fisherman pulled up with a 4 wheeler right next to my tip ups and drilled holes with their power augers in between my tip ups. i was fishing 5 feet of water so you know the rest of the story. its a public lake but some just arnt very courteous when it comes to fishing since these 2 fisherman sold all of their fish.

In Maine, people try that crap sometimes in the lobster business. they put therir traps next to yours. 9 times out of ten, guess what happens? They get their bouys cut, leaving your hundred dollars a pop lobster trap down on bottom...

[NHHARDWATER]

I had this happen to me at Winni over the weekend... F@#$ Jerks heard me cussing when I lost a nice 4-5# Laker.... not 5 mins later, they were LITERALLY 15 ft from my flip over drilling holes, and didn't even ask if it was okay... Least they could have done was twirl my hair in their fingers for a minute before trying to @$%# me lol.

I am thinking about taking a ride up with my kiddos to St A bay this weekend to give them a day they will remember! If anyone feels Generous enough, could you please PM me some intel on where the whities might be found as well as updated Ice conditions? Its much appreciated, and I always try to pay back, or forward the favors.
BTW, Im not looking to sell them, Im looking to fill the freezer before I have no more Ice to chase down.
Thanks,
NH20

[spot]

If someone starts fishing too close and I decide I don't like them there I just start talking loudly to myself and practice tomahawk-throwing... often they move away. 

[thefishingweatherman]

If someone starts fishing too close and I decide I don't like them there I just start talking loudly to myself and practice tomahawk-throwing... often they move away. 

I like that. I'm going to try that next time. That, or start lighting off firecrackers in my shanty. Sorta ala Home Alone:

[thefishingweatherman]

I am thinking about taking a ride up with my kiddos to St A bay this weekend to give them a day they will remember! If anyone feels Generous enough, could you please PM me some intel on where the whities might be found as well as updated Ice conditions? Its much appreciated, and I always try to pay back, or forward the favors.
BTW, Im not looking to sell them, Im looking to fill the freezer before I have no more Ice to chase down.
Thanks,
NH20

They've been around Hathaway point at last check. They move around a bit, but they should be there. Ice should be good this weekend. Just bring some mace in case someone tries to fish out of your hole, touch your hair, or make love to your wife.

[VTMatt]

With all the noise and traffic on the ice out there I doubt fish will stay in one area for long.  Especially with how many people are probably going to be there. Christmas tree on the flasher turned blank every time we drilled.

[mudchuck]

LOL, gonna be a squirrel circus come this weekend, can you see it...

[Light liner]

Good place to stay right away from this weekend.

[JMailbox8]

Or maybe we should have an Ice Shanty get together on Sunday to close out the season. We could box out the crowd and try to keep the noise to a minimum.

[NHHARDWATER]

Lol. Should I be taking a hint here??? Welcoming *****s aren't you   

[JMailbox8]

No, by 'crowd' I meant the jerks that have no shame in fishing the holes you just drilled or asking if they can fish near you.

I like and appreciate our IceShanty community of fisherman. I think a get together would be fun. We can learn some things from each other and get to see the faces behind the screen names. I am planning on being at St. Albans Bay on Sunday. If anyone wants to join me, PM me. This will be my first time out there, so it's not like I will have a lot of knowledge on the whites, but I will be out there looking and having fun.

[shiveringjoe]

I'll be there on Saturday trying to fill my freezer before the ice melts. Say hi if you see a tall guy in grey/black bibs, brown/black jacket, and an orange hat. I would rather you fish in a hole I drilled then drill one next to me and scare away the school!

[mudchuck]

I'll be out Sunday afternoon with a small group of hardwater newbies that want to experience this white perch phenomenon.
Probably putting the ice gear after that.

[vermont mike]

Don't you guys get bored of fishing the same place all the time?

[mudchuck]

Not when I bring newbies to hardwater action and they get on fish and come off the ice with great memories and asking when they can do it again!
If I take a half dozen newbies out during a season, and one or two become regular, then that's far better than filling buckets by myself.
Heck, I actually convinced my wife to try it this year, and she went unconditionally, which is rare and I think she'd try it again, which I hope she does as that would make this even better.

[Bailbuster]

I guess you have to expect a crowd if you post how many pails you fill on an open forum, Just say the bite is slow or they are done  ....LOL

[mudchuck]

When it comes to white perch, the more the merrier, there's plenty to go around, but people should be mindful & respect others and not be rude, again, there are PLENTY of white perch to go around...

[fishstalker]

I fished out there all day Monday, drilled 40 holes all over, and caught 3 whites.

[lowaccord66]

When it comes to white perch, the more the merrier, there's plenty to go around, but people should be mindful & respect others and not be rude, again, there are PLENTY of white perch to go around...

Right on! 

[NHHARDWATER]

So, I will be out there Saturday. Long haul for me, just wondering if anyone has an update on ice condition and thickness? I am wondering if it would be good enough for a side by side?
any input is appreciated.

[ice fiend]

Good luck I fished Monday caught maybe 8 fish lol not worth it

[vermont mike]

Couple of us fished today for a few hours.
Tricky getting on we each filled almost a bucket.

[thefishingweatherman]

Good luck I fished Monday caught maybe 8 fish lol not worth it

Were you using a flasher? First step is to find the fish with one, and then the second step is figuring out what they are biting on. Last time I was there, I had to drill a number of holes until I found them. Then, it took me a while to figure out what they wanted. They wouldn't bite bibbets, they wouldn't bite kast masters, nor swedish pimples... Wouldn't even bite green hali jigs with crawlers! But once I put on a pink and orange hali, they were ALL OVER IT! Pulled a bucket and a half off the ice in 3 hours.

[Bailbuster]

I hope the ice holds another week I am on call this week would like to catch a few, if not the boat is ready to go...

[spb802]

They are being really picky this year, gotta find the right color and bait...managed 3 -5 gallon buckets in four hours mid day today... Located then find out what they are into....