Colchester Pond

[Honest_John]

Has anyone seen if Colchester Pond is locked up?

[Honest_John]

Dont be bringing up that shi* hol*   Theres no fish there.  Never been never will be!!!!

you must be thinking of a different Colchester Pond

[ice fiend]

I heard back in the day it was good then everybody kept every pike they caught and it pretty much burnt out. Or am I mistaken?

[shadylane]

I heard back in the day it was good then everybody kept every pike they caught and it pretty much burnt out. Or am I mistaken?

Nope you got the right pond.  Obviously Mr. Meat didn't fish it in the 90's.  One of the best pike and smallmouth bass ponds I'd ever fished.  Only problem is every winter weekend day it seemed like there was tip-ups from one end to the other, and everytime we'd go in the summer there was piles of dead northerns just thrown on the bank.  A pond that size can't handle that.

[Honest_John]

There is absolutely no shortage of fish in colchester pond, and I fished it on the ice a bunch last year and never saw any true mob scene. Lots of anglers some weekends, but it's a big pond.

It is true that back in the day average size was a lot bigger, but I've caught a couple fish over 3' there in the past year.

[ice fiend]

I've never fished it before so I can't give an opinion either for or against it I was just going off of what I've heard people say to me about it that's all.

[flagfishon]

I was just there.  I drilled two holes. Only about a half inch of ice.  I could feel it bend under me.  Luckily it was only about a foot deep.  Anyone who tries to go this weekend, WILL GO SWIMMING!  Be safe. 

There are lots of fish in there to keep busy and have fun, but like others have said.  Not many big ones anymore.  In the 80's it produced 15 lb pound fish regularly, but once word got out, that was it.  If more would practice catch and release, it could be a trophy pond again.  I'm not against keeping fish, but I do have a problem with those who keep every legal fish allowed, just because they can.  Perhaps a slot limit would be good.  Look what the antler restriction has done for our deer herd.  I have never seen so many 200+ lb. deer killed as I have this year.  I'll take quality over quantity any day.

[Honest_John]

I've heard similar accounts from other bodies of water in chittenden county today - I'm gonna skip this weekend, maybe hit the open water.

[Spoondangler]

How old is colchester pond? Win I fished it visiting my sister, her husband said it was man made and not that old.
Always fishes pretty well for me when I am visiting.

[Honest_John]

How old is colchester pond? Win I fished it visiting my sister, her husband said it was man made and not that old.
Always fishes pretty well for me when I am visiting.

Mid 1900's they built a damn to expand the natural pond that was already there.

[Spoondangler]

Mid 1900's they built a damn to expand the natural pond that was already there.

Cool thanks

[ice fiend]

I was just there.  I drilled two holes. Only about a half inch of ice.  I could feel it bend under me.  Luckily it was only about a foot deep.  Anyone who tries to go this weekend, WILL GO SWIMMING!  Be safe. 

There are lots of fish in there to keep busy and have fun, but like others have said.  Not many big ones anymore.  In the 80's it produced 15 lb pound fish regularly, but once word got out, that was it.  If more would practice catch and release, it could be a trophy pond again.  I'm not against keeping fish, but I do have a problem with those who keep every legal fish allowed, just because they can.  Perhaps a slot limit would be good.  Look what the antler restriction has done for our deer herd.  I have never seen so many 200+ lb. deer killed as I have this year.  I'll take quality over quantity any day.

many places are getting to be that way carry bay used to be good same with dillenbech but the quality of fish has really gone down if I'm fishing anything other than panfish I usually practice cpr unless I'm hungry lol

[Honest_John]

I think that a slot limit could be good for colchester pond. Seems there is no shortage of smaller sized northerns.

[shiveringjoe]

I think that a slot limit could be good for colchester pond. Seems there is no shortage of smaller sized northerns.

I absolutely agree on a slot limit, that pond grows pike fast and has plenty of forage for them to get big. Way too much pressure on years when it freezes up well ahead of the Champlain islands.

[spot]

I don't go there much because the fish were always loaded with little yellow worms.


Not a fan of those, even though they aren't a threat when cooked.

[woodyvt]

Always thought it would make a great trophy pond. Slot limits would be a great start. To really help there could be creel limits as well as limiting the number of lines.......similar to the regs on Little Averill up in the kingdom. Lack of enforcement of existing rules doesnt help either. Never in all my days fishing have I encounterd a game warden on CP.

Personally I have fished it quite a bit when I lived in Colchester. Not so much in recent years,but can say there are still sizable pike in there. Never got one over 10lbs, but have caught and released many in the 8-9lb range. Those who know me know I catch large pike fairly regularly.

Got to put your time in......thats why they call it fishing and not catching!

Still a great pond for those learning and to take a youngster as there is generally always action.

Good luck to all!

[spot]

Still a great pond for those learning and to take a youngster as there is generally always action.

Good luck to all!

Used to take my son there when he was small, because all you need to do is dip a baited hook in the water to catch something- pumpkinseeds and rockbass are everywhere.

[ice fiend]

A slot limit on pike in general would be a good idea Like one fish over 30 or something just an idea

[dickbaker]

    One pike longer than 28" as in NH would be great and quickly increase pike size.  Only thing you have to do is convince fishermen that cutting the leader and giving up a ten cent hook is better than putting a boot on the fish and tearing the hook out??

Dick

[ice fiend]

  One pike longer than 28" as in NH would be great and quickly increase pike size.  Only thing you have to do is convince fishermen that cutting the leader and giving up a ten cent hook is better than putting a boot on the fish and tearing the hook out??

Dick

agreed and on the subject of things we know will never happen I'd like a Maserati and a mansion in the Bahamas 

[shiveringjoe]

agreed and on the subject of things we know will never happen I'd like a Maserati and a mansion in the Bahamas 

It would also help if people didn't wait so long to get to their flags that the fish is already trying to poop out the hook!

[ice fiend]

Keeping barely legals doesnt help either

[spot]

  One pike longer than 28" as in NH would be great and quickly increase pike size.  Only thing you have to do is convince fishermen that cutting the leader and giving up a ten cent hook is better than putting a boot on the fish and tearing the hook out??

Dick

I see your point, but would mention that most pike lures cost more than ten cents. Even Mepps, which I can remember paying a buck for are up above 5 bucks for small sizes and above ten for bigger ones.

Even making a lot of my own lures, the hooks, hardware and metals are not cheap if new stock is used.

It's also true that a lot of lures are made with corrosion-proofed hooks, which means they don't just rust away in a few weeks like plain ones would. 

[VTMatt]

I see your point, but would mention that most pike lures cost more than ten cents. Even Mepps, which I can remember paying a buck for are up above 5 bucks for small sizes and above ten for bigger ones.

Even making a lot of my own lures, the hooks, hardware and metals are not cheap if new stock is used.

It's also true that a lot of lures are made with corrosion-proofed hooks, which means they don't just rust away in a few weeks like plain ones would. 

Overpopulation will decrease the size of pike. If people release 6 legal but small pike but keep one large legal fish it won't help...it'll still be all dinks in there. All the big heffers should be released even if they "are" legal.

[VTMatt]

I see your point, but would mention that most pike lures cost more than ten cents. Even Mepps, which I can remember paying a buck for are up above 5 bucks for small sizes and above ten for bigger ones.

Even making a lot of my own lures, the hooks, hardware and metals are not cheap if new stock is used.

It's also true that a lot of lures are made with corrosion-proofed hooks, which means they don't just rust away in a few weeks like plain ones would.

He's talking tipups...pike commonly take deep and instead of cutting the leader people rip out half of the fishes gills and/or stomach to get a hook back.  Some guys run circle hooks and almost never gut hook their fish.

[spot]

He's talking tipups...pike commonly take deep and instead of cutting the leader people rip out half of the fishes gills and/or stomach to get a hook back.  Some guys run circle hooks and almost never gut hook their fish.

I'm not really arguing against his point, just mentioning that in some situations it doesn't really work as advertised. Pike will often deep-hook with lures as well, since the way they feed is often by opening wide and sucking the whole thing straight in.

***

As far as encouraging trophy-sized fish, you'd be better off with a size limit where smaller fish are legal, but larger ones aren't and a creel limit of only two or three to prevent overfishing.

[Honest_John]

The reason for the lack of large fish I would say is an overly populated body of water with smaller northerns that are competing for a limited forage base/feeding ground

[Spoondangler]

The reason for the lack of large fish I would say is an overly populated body of water with smaller northerns that are competing for a limited footage base/feeding ground

I'd agree with that. If it becomes more of a trophy pike spot, you could have much slower average days there.

[dickbaker]

   OK?    I've heard that there are "No Fish" ,  To  Many Fish,   and a variety of ways to manage for "lots of flags" and fewer but "more bigger fish"?    I wish we had a Vt. biologist involved in this?    I would hope for a mixed size pike from 12" to 36" and limit the number of tipups  to  5 or 6 ?
Dick

[varmonter]

Used to take my son there when he was small, because all you need to do is dip a baited hook in the water to catch something- pumpkinseeds and rockbass are everywhere.

 Vt is great at making rules but spending money
Is not our strong suit.i have been fishing vt hard
For forty years and have encountered a warden in the
Field 3 times. In contrast i fish and hunt ny frequently
And 5 out of ten i am checked. I follow the rules anyway
But i am sure this state could generate alot more
Revenue if it put more wardens in the field.