Epic Lake Champlain Pike Weekend

[jmaster69]

So we had an exceptional day on the hardwater this weekend. The biologist and game warden were both out yesterday and both said they hadn't seen anyone with success like this in a long time.In 24 hours we brought up at least 40 fish between 4 of us. Caught some  beautiful 5 pound largemouths to top it all off. Managed to catch about 30 bluegill and some perch when we had about 1 hour of downtime... Lets just say we found THE spot that day and it delivered. Ill try and upload some pictures if I can figure this out

[fishingidjit]

Nice pike !! I'll PM you for the location. 

[flagfishon]

Looks like that spot won't be so good next year.

[ice fiend]

Nice. kinda disapponted you kept that many large pike i keep maybe one pike a year im a strong believer in catch photo release sorry if i offend anybody but just my opinion im sure im not the pnly one that feels this way but  congrats on a good day though i guess

[Light liner]

Looks like that spot won't be so good next year.

I agree

That's a lot of breeders

[ice fiend]

I agree

That's a lot of breeders

agreed and people wonder why the pike fishery isnt as good as it used to be

[Vtgooseman]

And this is why you see no reports on here.  Someone has a good day and people crap on them.....

[taxi1]

Nice. kinda disapponted you kept that many large pike i keep maybe one pike a year im a strong believer in catch photo release sorry if i offend anybody but just my opinion im sure im not the pnly one that feels this way but  congrats on a good day though i guess

Oh come on. How big is Lake Champlain? 490 square miles! You guys have a shotgun season on northern pike for God's sake!

They were legal and I'm sure they won't pull that off on a regular basis.

Congratulations gentlemen!   

[jmaster69]

We were under the supervision of lake champlain's biologist bernie (If i remember his name correctly) and game warden nevertheless, they both said keeping these do NOTHING to the stocks...  Seeing as one fish can lay 50-60 THOUSAND eggs. Taking 5-6 females won't do much to an already large populated stock...

Fishing has enough rules and regulations to control populations, we followed the rules, caught our limits, kept fish we deemed keepable and or too injured or tired to put back. We took a hit on some fish, put a lot of large females back. Some people don't work during the winter and some families need to eat. This is what we set out to do this weekend. Catch some great fish have a great time and put dinner on the table

Thank you

It used to be when you came home with a boat load of fish people would cheer and congratulate you and beg to know where you've fished
Now if you come home with a boat load of fish they look at you and say well why did you go and do that...

[Panfish hauler]

   Congrats on the nice catch I to believe in catch and EAT fishing nice job guys

[Bailbuster]

I don't care how many they keep, they belong to them after they are caught ,  but it was probably 500 hundred square yards where they caught .....Give the crap to VT fish and wildlife for having a 20" length limit and a 5 fish creel........

[IM-POUNDING- R -U]

God bless them and throw them in the cooler.

[Bailbuster]

 lake champlain's biologist  ( Bernie ) one of the same guys that decided the bait laws.....

[taxi1]

We were under the supervision of lake champlain's biologist bernie (If i remember his name correctly) and game warden nevertheless, they both said keeping these do NOTHING to the stocks...  Seeing as one fish can lay 50-60 THOUSAND eggs. Taking 5-6 females won't do much to an already large populated stock...

Fishing has enough rules and regulations to control populations, we followed the rules, caught our limits, kept fish we deemed keepable and or too injured or tired to put back. We took a hit on some fish, put a lot of large females back. Some people don't work during the winter and some families need to eat. This is what we set out to do this weekend. Catch some great fish have a great time and put dinner on the table

Thank you

It used to be when you came home with a boat load of fish people would cheer and congratulate you and beg to know where you've fished
Now if you come home with a boat load of fish they look at you and say well why did you go and do that...

The catch and release mentality has gotten way out if hand. Never mind that even the biologists think its gotten ridiculous. A lot of the arguments for it are not based on good science.

I do both and if someone wants me to fell guilty for keeping fish that are perfectly legal it's their problem not mine.

Glad you had a good day fishing Jmaster. We all deserve one of those once in a while. 

And yes I'm a taxidermist but I'm perfectly happy doing replicas or skin mounts.

I still say the guy that releases a few hundred fish a year kills more fish than the guys that keep fish on and off. Used to live on a lake that was hit by bass tournaments weekend after weekend. I saw a lot of dead bass the following 1 to 2 days.

[JMailbox8]

Good work on the pike. Days like that are the ones you dream of.

[jmaster69]

Like bailbuster said it really was a 500 square foot area we happened to fall upon. One other group was a having a decent time but fish and game said nothing like what we were having.

Thank you so much for the support guys that was the whole point of sharing our success... I want to promote fishing on lake champlain... Not to be bashed for keeping 15 pike when we could of legally could of kept 20 and being blamed for emptying lake champlain of future pike reserves...

There are THOUSAND UPON THOUSANDS maybe even millions of fish in lake champlain,I would worry more about the pollution killing our fish and not 15 tip up lines in the water...

[JMailbox8]

I would worry more about the pollution killing our fish and not 15 tip up lines in the water...

Exactly!

[Lord_of_the_Perch]

Great job and nice fish. I think I recognize that trailer. I'll PM you.

[taxi1]

Like bailbuster said it really was a 500 square foot area we happened to fall upon. One other group was a having a decent time but fish and game said nothing like what we were having.

Thank you so much for the support guys that was the whole point of sharing our success... I want to promote fishing on lake champlain... Not to be bashed for keeping 15 pike when we could of legally could of kept 20 and being blamed for emptying lake champlain of future pike reserves...

There are THOUSAND UPON THOUSANDS maybe even millions of fish in lake champlain,I would worry more about the pollution killing our fish and not 15 tip up lines in the water...

 

[Champlain Islander]

I too recognised the trailer and want to congratulate you and your group for a great fishing outing. You bought your licenses, followed the laws of Vermont on possesion limits and are entitled to keep your fish. The fact that you are going to eat them is even more justification for keeping some of them. I just don't know how anyone can fault that other than that old green eyed monster.... aka jealousy. Nice day and once again congrats.
CI 

[Bailbuster]

I said 500 square yards ( HaHa ) nobody should care ,nothing wrong with keeping fish as long as they don't go in the dumpster........

[tracker one]

good job,we've had a few of those days,too.cherish them,you earned it

[ice fiend]

Never had that great  of a day than again dont target pike often judging by the pics looks like you were out at cambells bay they got i think a 16 pounder put of there a few weeks back

[fishy1]

congratulations . what a great day on the ice. enjoy eating the gators there are tasty.

[HardWater518]

Congrats. That's a day to be proud of.

[jmaster69]

sorry 500 square yards ! yeah this was on campbles bay a couple miles out.

[jmaster69]

guy's don't be shy to send me a pm if you have any questions, i'll be happy to answer the best I can. I don't hold many secrets... only a couple

[Blackink]

I'm impressed about two things with the OP's post.

1) The amount of fish you caught, nice haul & congratulations.

2) That you have an RV out on the lake!!! Yikes, those are much bigger than a shanty but if you have to be out on the ice in an RV, you picked a good one. Nomad trailers were one of the best ones built, quality wise, when I serviced travel trailers back in the 80's.

Nice accommodations though!!!

[Bailbuster]

 
No Problem ,I am not sure where Campbell bay is but I bet it will be busy if the ice stays for a while.....

sorry 500 square yards ! yeah this was on campbles bay a couple miles out.

[ice fiend]

Up by the alburg swanton bridge look for the 30  cars and trucks way out thats where cambells is