Lake Champlain

[Benfishin]

Howdy guys, I've fished a few places on Lake Champlain over the years with some success. West Port for smelt, Port Henry for Smelt and Bulwagga Bay and Crown Point Bridge area for smelt and perch. Lake Champlain is a huge lake with a lot of fish in it. I was hoping that some of you guys would share some of your favorite areas to fish on the lake, preferrably south of West Port, what you catch, where there is public access. Even shoot us a message when the different parts of the lake lock up.  I'm a perch and crappies fisherman myself and would enjoy finding some new spots, but I'm sure other guys would like hearing reports on other types of fish and where they can be located.  We don't want to hog your spot out, just find more options on such a big lake.         Thanks for any info.

[Benfishin]

Another area I use to fish years ago, that was pretty good was a couple miles south of West Port by a light house on the west side of the lake. Great for smelt. And just south of the lighthouse there was a little bay. In the bay you could  catch plenty of perch and there are some nice pike in there. And just outside of the bay as you drop off in the channel you hit the smelt. Use to be my favorite spot but then they posted the access. I think it was because of the junk people left on the guys land.  It's a real shame because it alway produced fish.

[PikeCatch104]

myself i love pike nice fight on them and i only go for pike there or bass for fun swanton,VT

[Benfishin]

Have your pike been clean or are those Sea lamprey still messing witht he big fish?

[finlessbrown]

larabees point dring ice out way down in east creek can be good for crappies. i fish there at that time for the monster northerns

[Benfishin]

Last year I heard that some guys were fishing down in the Champlain canal (I guess some down by (Comstock). Does anyboy know what they catch down there and is it good any place else on the canal?

[iceplank]

That's mullens bay or soemthing like that south of westportmwide open now.some good perch spots sout of bridge.half mile north of monotor camp gound you will see boulders protruding out through the ice a ways then a channel marker.very diverse depths.get them 7 to 40 fow.my biggest chaplain perch rt there.open water westport is my favorite for perch. In the 7 yrs I have known my wife never been frozen enough ..inlaws live 5 miles away.have another great spot south of bridge I keep 2 myself. Llots of areas to explore.a great map is priceless.

[hairbone]

Last year I heard that some guys were fishing down in the Champlain canal (I guess some down by (Comstock). Does anyboy know what they catch down there and is it good any place else on the canal?

There is one access spot in comstock and I have tried to go there numerous times in the past.  I have never once fished it as the ice conditions are iffy even on the coldest of days from water flow under the ice. Wally can be caught there, but it is not worth risking your life for a fish!!

[hairbone]

That's mullens bay or soemthing like that south of westportmwide open now.some good perch spots sout of bridge.half mile north of monotor camp gound you will see boulders protruding out through the ice a ways then a channel marker.very diverse depths.get them 7 to 40 fow.my biggest chaplain perch rt there.open water westport is my favorite for perch. In the 7 yrs I have known my wife never been frozen enough ..inlaws live 5 miles away.have another great spot south of bridge I keep 2 myself. Llots of areas to explore.a great map is priceless.

iceplank,

There is no fish in westport    If by any chance your inlaws are looking for a long lost uncle I am available! You struck gold my friend

[combsey]

I fish southbay putnam Dresden  and comstock( canal).   And can catch anything from perch to walleyes, pike and crappies     

[Sunsation]

HOW MUCH ICE ON SOUTH BAY BAR SIDE LOOKING TO GO

[Mentiply]

I've fished off the Fort View Inn before and caught some perch.

[Benfishin]

Monitor bay Campground??? is that in the town of Crown point and is there public parking there? And is it froze yet?

[iceplank]

Yes yes and yes

[carcaju]

fish are hitting good in dresden

[Benfishin]

Hey Mentiply,
Where is Fort View Inn??

[cpmaple]

Fort View inn is located just south of Ticonderoga on rt22 you have to cross rr tracks to get out there.

[myemmy]

Parking at Dresden  is it still by the old hotel ??/ , and can you still park at Putman Station .?

[Benfishin]

Is there a difference between Dresden and Dresden Station. Years ago I use to fish at a place
I think was called Dresden Station. I remember it was a little bay off the main channel and you had to cross the RR track to get to it. Last time I heard I thought that the access was posted..

[jeg in albany]

Speaking of that area (Dresden), a friend and I used to fish Putnam during open water back in the early 80's.  There was a little bar (The Putnam House, maybe?) just up the hill from where we parked.

You had to cross the tracks to get to the water and there was an old cement dock that we would set up our sleeping bags on.

Does anybody happen to know if that bar or that dock are still there?

Apologies to the thread starter for going a little off topic here.

[Berkley4life]

you can park in putnam across from benson, vermont, but there is no legal crossing for the railroad tracks, so that would be cross at your own risk.  I crossed a couple times there last year with no problems just letting you know there is a possibilty of gettig a ticket.

[Benfishin]

How are the ice conditions around Bulwaga bay and Crown point after the warm up and heavy wind this past weekend. I hope to come up there this week?  Is there a bait shop in Whitehall or Crown Point? if so where?

[pikepauly]

why dont you talk to anyone? i thought we were your friends man?

[Benfishin]

Went to Monitor bay at Crown Point Friday, good Ice but was a bit dissappointed...nothin g but dinks.. Must have drilled a dozen holes out on the north end of the bay and did catch about a dozen 5 inch perch in about an hour but I decided to go someplace else to look for bigger fish. On the way back to the car I talked to a couple of guys further in who weren't even catching anything. Headed up to Bulwagga bay, was dissappointed to see that the ice hadn't froze up to the sandy beach yet. Parked on the side of 9N crossed the tracks and headed out into the bay. Good Ice, around 5-6 inches but had a real hard time finding fish. Must have drilled 10-12 holes all over before I finally caught one good perch up by the out-cropping of rock. By then it was almost noon and decided I was done for the day... Lake George I'm waiting for you to freeze!!!!

[The Rev. Chuck]

Speaking of that area (Dresden), a friend and I used to fish Putnam during open water back in the early 80's.  There was a little bar (The Putnam House, maybe?) just up the hill from where we parked.

You had to cross the tracks to get to the water and there was an old cement dock that we would set up our sleeping bags on.



Does anybody happen to know if that bar or that dock are still there?

Apologies to the thread starter for going a little off topic here.

my girlfriends faimly has a camp right at putnam station, the official word from the rail road is that there is no parking there  and also you are not allowed to cross the tracks. that being said I see lots of people fish there, but you can and will be issued tickets for parking and trespassing. so use caution when fishing there.

[jeg in albany]

Thanks for the response.  I wasn't planning on heading there again, was just curious about that area.

Doesn't surprise me that things have been closed up.  Seems to be the trend everywhere.