SCHROON LAKE and Surrounding Ponds Thread

[icecaptain14]

Is the north side marina accessible

[step2jimi]

I got to that ridge and my legs turned to rubber.
Tony was on the other side probably laughing at a few of the texts that won't be shared here.
I stuck one fish before I crossed it in 20fow or so. Set the hook a foot or so under the ice and had it on top with zero retrieve.
Has anyone noticed better luck with plastics as opposed to spoons? I'm still learning.
I had a harder time getting them to follow any pimples or buckshots. Big or small.
The few fish that I did catch all hit a plastic. I must've had 20 fish follow within 10' of the surface jigging a plastic bait. The spoons never got chased for more than 5 or 10'.

I only fished it once this year and it was slow. Landed 7 and my buddy 8. All on plastics. Actually plastic. I was turned on to a specific plastic from a member of this site a couple years ago and haven't really found a reason to fish anything else sens. I did try a couple different pimples at schroon when we there when the fish stopped chasing and they wouldn't even react to the spoons. One thing i notice about schroon and see other guys mention i think low accord said something along the lines. When they get picky and wont really chase or are chasing and not hitting, i have found that if i open the bail and let it fall to the bottom, sometimes you'll see it disappear but line will continue to spool off. Or you see the fish following you down and all of a sudden the fish will stop and so will your bait. And when all else fails, i lift the bait a couple inchs off the bottom and slowly drop back to the bottom. Just kinda pumping it off the bottom a few inchs. Sometimes they will slam it like that and sometimes you will just feel something different. Hope that helps slyr, I still have my best luck with perch on a jig you turned me onto so if your interested in the plastic i speak of shoot me a message and ill pay it forward.

[AriettaBob]

If it makes you feel any better, it has a nickname:  Screw'em Lake.   The fish in the lake get funky at times.   Very frustrating lake until you can start putting patterns together.

So my 2 main lakes are Screw'em Lake and The Dead Sea. Fine choices I've made for myself lol. Oh well, I'll keep learning. Lots of tips to be had here by just reading.

[wranglerdrvr]

I only fished it once this year and it was slow. Landed 7 and my buddy 8........

Sounds like a great day to me jimi, guess I have low expectations when it comes to fishing 

[Growler_]

Fished schooner this weekend. 1 keeper laker and a few drinks. Fished in 40-60fow. Had several hookups but dropped 4 fish. First time there, beautiful lake and my buddy and I had a blast.

[hot tuna]

So we were fishing the southern end and there were some guys out by the pressure ridge and open water area.
After awhile and a few snow squalls everyone seemed to dissappear,  except 3 tip ups.
Noticed 1 had a flag so I watched awhile.  After about an hr nobody was even near the tip up so I said screw it and went over to find a spooled trap and it was hung up on the bottom. Was able to retrieve about 30' of line and gave up not wanting to break someone's gear , just yet. By that I mean pulling the line until it broke or came free.
Laid the trap on the ice and went back to my shanty,  decided if those traps are still there when I leave they are coming outta the water. We're they mine , nope , we're they attended , nope.
An hour later a guy comes out and starts jigging around so I go talk , he asked if I found an ice anchor,  yup I did , it was screwed in and forgotten when they left the day before.  Was it mine to unscrew from the ice and put in my sled , no and yes . I told him I was glad to return it to its owner that came back to retrieve it.

Now back to the traps,  after another hr of the trap lying on the ice this group show up from way over on the east end to pick up gear from the west side which you clearly couldn't see from that distance.
Turns out the fish unsnagged it's self from being wrapped around something and a 26" laker was iced .

Please folks , I don't want to take your gear , I don't like seeing things just left on the ice . Things happen and things get lost or forgotten.  Let's just try and do the right thing as sportsman

[step2jimi]

Sounds like a great day to me jimi, guess I have low expectations when it comes to fishing 

Wasnt a bad day by any means just couldnt find bigger fish. Might head out that way on saturday morning, not quite sure yet.

[hot tuna]

Got some feedback about my post and nothing was intentional,  the traps were just forgot upon a move and I understand the situation.  It was no harm no foul. If the flag didn't go off I wouldn't have even bothered.

My post was just to make folks aware that you need by regulations be in attendance of "live" fishing gear.
If it were to happen to me again,  I'd do the same thing.  Pull the traps as technical,  they are in violation.
No I'm not the law and I'm not calling the Dec either,  just trying to do the right thing from a sportsman point of view.

Good luck to all that head out to enjoy the fisheries. 
Don't forget your stuff, I got enough of my own  lol

[nitzer]

it is beyond me how when you decide to pick up and move locations, you don't have all your gear. I can understand forgetting an ice scooper, or a thing of grubs...but to forget 3 tip ups? give me a break!! when I pick up , I count. its not like you are picking up 25 tip ups. you are picking up A WHOLE WHOPPING 7!!!! even less at times. there is no excuse in daylight hours to leave 3 tipups and using the excuse...."oops I forgot"

[delawareriver]

it is beyond me how when you decide to pick up and move locations, you don't have all your gear. I can understand forgetting an ice scooper, or a thing of grubs...but to forget 3 tip ups? give me a break!! when I pick up , I count. its not like you are picking up 25 tip ups. you are picking up A WHOLE WHOPPING 7!!!! even less at times. there is no excuse in daylight hours to leave 3 tipups and using the excuse...."oops I forgot"

was thinking the same thing. Sure The guy didn't feel like winding them up and moving them so just let them.fish while he went to another area. You don't just forget tip ups

[bigredonice]

Got some feedback about my post and nothing was intentional,  the traps were just forgot upon a move and I understand the situation.  It was no harm no foul. If the flag didn't go off I wouldn't have even bothered.

My post was just to make folks aware that you need by regulations be in attendance of "live" fishing gear.
If it were to happen to me again,  I'd do the same thing.  Pull the traps as technical,  they are in violation.
No I'm not the law and I'm not calling the Dec either,  just trying to do the right thing from a sportsman point of view.

Good luck to all that head out to enjoy the fisheries. 
Don't forget your stuff, I got enough of my own  lol

Good on you Tuna.   Mistakes happen, you were the good guy here (as always).   Hope to see you on the king!

[hot tuna]

Let's not beat this up, it wasn't intentionally done and explained what happened and I understand.  Based on the situation as I know now, I'm actually glad he Iced the fish and someone was able to get this person out there fishing. I hope someday someone would be as kind to take me if I was in that position. 
More care will be taken next time I was assured. 

Lance,  looks like I might just have planned my vacation of Feb 20th week just right
See you on the hhardwater

[adktony]

it is beyond me how when you decide to pick up and move locations, you don't have all your gear. I can understand forgetting an ice scooper, or a thing of grubs...but to forget 3 tip ups? give me a break!! when I pick up , I count. its not like you are picking up 25 tip ups. you are picking up A WHOLE WHOPPING 7!!!! even less at times. there is no excuse in daylight hours to leave 3 tipups and using the excuse...."oops I forgot"

to set the record straight he did not pick up and move locations he picked up and moved about 100 yards away. Unfortunately the person in question has brain cancer and is partially blind. We were all keeping an eye on the tipups and then we had the rolling whiteouts come through and yes we could not see them during that time. then we ended up grilling on the ice and yes for a little while we neglected looking at them but for a little while but we were in no way breaking any laws. we could clearly see the with binoculars which ik many people do on the regular. just happened we had rolling whiteouts that blocked our view for some time. I was just happy to see his face light up when he had a nice meal on the end of his line for the night. Guy is tough as nails and to still be enjoying the sport while being in his situation, i only hope if that ever happens to me i still have the will to do what i love

[hot tuna]

Well, you're 100 yards and mine might just be a little different,  lol.
You guys we way over on the other side of the lake.  We thought the owner left the ice and could barely see the group over there.  For sure not in attendance,  if you knew they were there then that's not cool.

[step2jimi]

hey tony you still at 307? Iv only been in twice this year but didnt see you there either time.

[beachwoods 16]

What I am going to take away from this, is if I encounter tip ups like that I will wind them up to keep them from being spooled and having ghost line in the water. Then I will refrain from thinking the worst about the person (which is something I have done).  Wish you still had to have your name on your gear.

[lowaccord66]

Somethings are better left for the law to handle...thus avoiding such a situation. 

[adktony]

unfortunately  after the snow stopped when were were looking at the tipups the tipup was laying on the ground so we wouldnt have been able to see it ragardless. Ive got nothing against what you did tending to it... but when a heritage tipup is laying on the ground you wouldn't be able to see it even if you were 100 ft away...

[o2rmk800]

I was always told, "if its not yours, don't touch it" same applies here. I have my name and number on mine incase one falls out of the sled on the way to or from the lake. 

[Neil McCauley]

I fished by someone's unattended tip up for 8 hours Sunday on Schroon. Northwest corner of Clarke's Island in 30 fow. No one checked it all day, no one appeared to stay within eyesight of it.

[beachwoods 16]

I give everyone's stuff respect. But line spooled out strewn across the lake is a potential hazard to wildlife and people. When a swimmer gets caught in ice fishing line, or someone finds an eagle wrapped up in it we all look bad.

[nitzer]

hahahaha. whatever, it doesn't matter. this just gives us all reasons to complain and vent our opinions. all in all, we are all right and no one is wrong

[EatenByLimestone]

I got out for a few hours this morning.  It was brutal.  I couldn't keep my fingers warm.  But the ice was growing fast and singing all around me!   

[hot tuna]

And for the record,  they were NOT herratige lakers and not very tall traps. They did have a name on the trap. The 1 that was stuck on the bottom was laid on the ground,  the other 2 were still in a "live" position.  We were about 75 yards  from the traps and could see them plain as day.  It sat with the flag up for about an hr AFTER the squalls moved through.

IMO , they were unattended and not cool

[o2rmk800]

again, they weren't yours, if you have a problem with the way they were left call DEC

[beachwoods 16]

hahahaha. whatever, it doesn't matter. this just gives us all reasons to complain and vent our opinions. all in all, we are all right and no one is wrong

Couldn't agree more I consider it the great hall of ice fishing philosophers

[Spoondangler]

Back to reports, went out or of adirondack today, 9 inches most spots, and of course crazy loud with the temps today.  Did not get to touch a fish though, first one lost on the ducer, second shook of while trying to turn on camera, and then my battery (or all three old 12 v I rotate) died for the finder at 2 pm. That was a blow to morale more then the lost fish, but I decided to go old school.  Went in to 12-14 fow and did some sight fishing.  Personally I do this by laying on the ice and blocking the light in the hole as best I can.  I had three or four fish come in (all average) but not takers.  Still very cool seeing them visually. Little bit of a long skunking report, oh well!

Anyone try a lithium battery for their marcum or vex? I'll prolly just buy two new cheep ones and take these three old ones out of rotation, but I am tempted at going all in.

[fishyfishes]

Never had a 40lb striper destroy a jig or plug from shore have you?  Once I got into that it took buying a boat to get back into freshwater fishing. 

The lake trout definitely fill the gap while I wait for the stripers to return!

I can't say that I have. One of these days, possibly I'll try it. I enjoy catching them in the river from time to time.  I'm sure it's a different caliber of fish though. Like i said, it was an opinion. But yes, Lakers through the ice defiantly fill the void. Whether you're a striped bass fisherman or a green and brown bass angler. 

[Fishmon]

Back to reports, went out or of adirondack today, 9 inches most spots, and of course crazy loud with the temps today.  Did not get to touch a fish though, first one lost on the ducer, second shook of while trying to turn on camera, and then my battery (or all three old 12 v I rotate) died for the finder at 2 pm. That was a blow to morale more then the lost fish, but I decided to go old school.  Went in to 12-14 fow and did some sight fishing.  Personally I do this by laying on the ice and blocking the light in the hole as best I can.  I had three or four fish come in (all average) but not takers.  Still very cool seeing them visually. Little bit of a long skunking report, oh well!

Anyone try a lithium battery for their marcum or vex? I'll prolly just buy two new cheep ones and take these three old ones out of rotation, but I am tempted at going all in.

[/b]
I have owned a Marcum LX-5 and a Vexilar Fl-28.  The Marcum is a battery eater.  It is a great unit but it tends to eat up batteries.  If you own this unit and like it, I would spring for the Lithium battery or get two 9 amp regular lead/acid batteries.  The Fl-28 is much easier on batteries.  My Vexilar will run all day on a single charge.  One trick I learned with the Marcum is to disconnect the the terminal leads after you charge the unit.  The digital read out will slowly drain the battery.  Hopefully this helps.

[jbird73]

Absolutely if it ain't yours you shouldn't touch it