want to put a shanty in alburg..

[vtbuckrulrss]

so, here's the scoop.  5 kids.  that should be enough said, lol, but this year they all SAY they want to go.  And, after watching an episode that SOMEHOW got dvr'd with lawrence pyne and his kids spending the night out there for a night, at least a couple say they would like to give it a try.  Can't recall the last time I fished Champlain, but i do know that wherever i set up, it has to have a good supply of panfish, and hopefully we dont find too much slop on top so we don't discourage the kids.  i remember coming out of swanton and seeing the boat launch by the bridge, and seeing lots of people fishing there last winter.  what's there, and how deep is the water?  i have no idea just how big a shanty i will need to build for the monsters, hell probably will need a zoning permit for how large we are talking to lessen and fighting !thanks,
Pat

[tench]

Went out today north of the bridge and got into some perch. The area around the bridge north and south holds perch (white and yellow), pike, walleye, and panfish in my experience. Ice was wet because of the rain buts frozen now, still only 4-5 inches though. As far as access there's a place you can drive on south of the bridge down past Hog Island market but you have to pay a couple bucks. That guy usually rents out shanties too, he's not sure on doing it this year though. Otherwise the state access is next to the bridge on the north side. Good luck.

[dickbaker]

    Your not going to get anything that big onto Islands water for a long time.  Why not spend the money and put the family up at a cottage at Holiday Harbor for a couple of days and find out if they really like ice fishing that much.  Shouldn't have much trouble catching perch and blue gill within reasonable walk of the shore.
That's where I took my sons and grandsons last January and they had a great time. 
You have to make it fun and EASY!
Dick

[vtbuckrulrss]

  Your not going to get anything that big onto Islands water for a long time.  Why not spend the money and put the family up at a cottage at Holiday Harbor for a couple of days and find out if they really like ice fishing that much.  Shouldn't have much trouble catching perch and blue gill within reasonable walk of the shore.
That's where I took my sons and grandsons last January and they had a great time. 
You have to make it fun and EASY!
Dick

  I agree. Thats why i am putting off the shanty building until I see just how much and who will enjoy it.  We have a camper up at Goose Point Campground, and i know the kids did well fishing theree during the summer, had thought of taking them therre when the ice is good.  I don't like fishing on reservoirs, or i would just go to Marshfield since it's closer to Barre.  Need someplace where they can get into a mess  of perch so they stay happy.  Elmore has always been hit or miss for me, and Long Pond in Greensboro is good, but too long a walk for my five year old.  Joe's Pond, never done well there either...

[rboot]

Lake morey has enough fish to keep your kids busy all winter and it's close to home , I works be more than happy to put you on a good spot there.

[bradroy55]

Might try starting off with a portable pop-up shanty, You can get them for 5-6 people, then see how that goes. If the kids dont like it sell the shanty and get your money back, if they do, have them help you build one!

[vtbuckrulrss]

thought about going the pop up route too.  i have three pop up hunting blinds, have thought about using one of them, but wonder it it will melt during the day into the ice at all.  that would be the cheaper, easier way to break the kids in since i already have it.

[bradroy55]

Only one way to find out! But make sure you either have or buy some of the stakes that screw into the ice, or else you will never come home with it! Trust me, Ive almost lost our pop up more than once

[cbice]

Yeah those screw in stakes are a must.  I have watched guys running down a pop up shanty on more than one occasion.  Though it offered us some humorous live entertainment between flags I was glad we were anchored down.

[RipSomeLips22]

CBICE that was funny as hell watching that box like blow across the lake and those guys had no chance catching up with it!

[Bruscus]

We have about 5" of good ice here at Holiday Harbor and the first fishermen are out on the Passage, Carry Bay and Pelots.  No vehicles yet (see Dillenbeck!)  We will have shantys rentals here as soon as there is sufficient ice and I know Gil rents the overnighters @ Martin's in Highgate Springs, too.  Plenty of pan fish and good pike  action up and down the Passage.

[vtbuckrulrss]

We have about 5" of good ice here at Holiday Harbor and the first fishermen are out on the Passage, Carry Bay and Pelots.  No vehicles yet (see Dillenbeck!)  We will have shantys rentals here as soon as there is sufficient ice and I know Gil rents the overnighters @ Martin's in Highgate Springs, too.  Plenty of pan fish and good pike  action up and down the Passage.

What are we looking at for rates for either of you?  how much ice do you usually wait for before you set them out?  now for the dumb question, since i am not familiar with champlain much anymore, where is holiday harbor, seems like i have definetly been by it, just can't place it.

[crappie_chaser]

Rte 2 in North Hero about 1/2 mile on the right after the Alburg- North Hero bridge.

[vtbuckrulrss]

of course.  we go by it on the way to goose point campground.  knew i knew where it was.  of course, if i had thought a bit harder, i used to pass it X number of years ago when i got my first job out of high school and we resurfaced the bridge between alburgh and north hero, before that marina was there on the right and i used to see a fish at lunch chasing minnows in the shallows that went all of four feet, maybe bigger, and wicked thick.