Author Topic: . (Read 3399 times)

Little Brown Dog · « **Reply #1 on:** Feb 11, 2009, 06:30 PM »

Just wanted to bump this back up before this weekend in case people are getting some fish.

whipplebuck · « **Reply #2 on:** Feb 13, 2009, 05:46 AM »

another bump up

whipplebuck · « **Reply #3 on:** Feb 18, 2009, 06:37 AM »

bump up for Benson Derby

slopoker · « **Reply #4 on:** Feb 20, 2009, 08:58 AM »

why not another bump for the weekend and a great cause

whipplebuck · « **Reply #5 on:** Feb 22, 2009, 06:16 PM »

reminder

esoxmaster · « **Reply #6 on:** Feb 22, 2009, 08:02 PM »

Pike need a slot in Champlain. It should be 18 to 23 inches or above 40. That allows the spawners to spawn, and keeps people happy with plenty of hammer handles for lunch, and makes that "wallhanger" a real "wallhanger". Let's face it, too many people keep 10, 15, or even 20 pound pike because they think it's the fish of a lifetime. Yea, these are big fish, but they can grow much bigger. The females grow much larger than the males, and if we keep them when they are in their prime spawning age, we are going to see less and less pike in general. a 39" northern pike averages at about 21 years old in a cold water habitat. I'd like to see some 30 pounders come out up there, but it's very difficult when people keep them at 15. It's sad to think that my state (Massachusetts) record pike is bigger than the vermont record. Especially when Lake champlain has the only native northern pike population in New England. Just my 2 cents.

esoxmaster · « **Reply #7 on:** Feb 23, 2009, 07:03 AM »

MA has a 28" limit, and our state record is 35 lbs. But if there were a slot it would be much larger. Champlain should have Canada sized pike, I know they're in there because I've caught them, but there needs to be more. Champlain has the ability to produce larger pike, we just need to give it a chance. I've been fishing champlain almost my entire life, and is my favorite pike fishery, I just know it can and should be even better.

esoxmaster · « **Reply #8 on:** Feb 23, 2009, 02:48 PM »

The daily creel is 1

ICE_HOOK · « **Reply #9 on:** Feb 24, 2009, 04:51 PM »

Brought Shaun a cleithum today off a 12.7 , 36 inch pike and it was very nice to talk to him about the study he is doing. I hope everybody that can participate will as it will only benefit ourselfs . By the way I know where Little Brown Dog hides out when he's not fishing! ha.

ICE_HOOK · « **Reply #10 on:** Mar 01, 2009, 08:10 AM »

Another bump , caught 3 this weekend but too small 4 and 5 lb'rs- maybe next week.

sethab · « **Reply #11 on:** Mar 01, 2009, 11:31 PM »

Quote from: esoxmaster on Feb 22, 2009, 08:02 PM

Pike need a slot in Champlain. It should be 18 to 23 inches or above 40. That allows the spawners to spawn, and keeps people happy with plenty of hammer handles for lunch, and makes that "wallhanger" a real "wallhanger". Let's face it, too many people keep 10, 15, or even 20 pound pike because they think it's the fish of a lifetime. Yea, these are big fish, but they can grow much bigger. The females grow much larger than the males, and if we keep them when they are in their prime spawning age, we are going to see less and less pike in general. a 39" northern pike averages at about 21 years old in a cold water habitat. I'd like to see some 30 pounders come out up there, but it's very difficult when people keep them at 15. It's sad to think that my state (Massachusetts) record pike is bigger than the vermont record. Especially when Lake champlain has the only native northern pike population in New England. Just my 2 cents.

I don't want to sound like a hypocrite because i kept a 15 pounder for the great Benson but i agree there should be some different Reg's and not just champlain all Vermont pike waters. It is a shame to see all these 10- 20 's kept because people think they have a trophy. a pike in that range would be equivalent to a 22" 3-4 lbs trout in my opinion and any trouter would agree it's a nice catch but no trophy. And the worst part with the pike i bet 30% of the keepers end up in the compost pile because when they get the fish home they realize it's not quite the trophy they thought it was.

TRT · « **Reply #12 on:** Mar 02, 2009, 05:49 AM »

Not so sure I agree sethab, a 15 pounder is more than a nice fish in VT waters. 15-20 pounders are trophy fish
in my mind. We have fished some prime waters in Canada-Gouin, Albanel at the right time of the year and have not taken fish over 20. Yes #'s of 8-17 pound fish but 20+ are hard to come by and for a lot of guys a teen fish is a trophy.
My son caught a 36 inch (release) snake years ago that weighed maybe 9 that has become family lore with a picture to prove.
I agree we could change the regs and allow a couple of handles per day along with one fish over ? 36, 38 etc.

esoxmaster · « **Reply #13 on:** Mar 02, 2009, 02:25 PM »

If a 15-20 lb pike is a trophy in champlain then how come I catch so many of them so consistantly? I'm not trying to put anyone's oppinion down, but my 2 cents says that 15-20 lbs isn't a trophy. I know Champlain is capable of producing fish that run 30 plus pounds, and I'm sure there's a couple in there, but there could and should be more.

Pike Bait · « **Reply #14 on:** Mar 04, 2009, 01:39 PM »

A 15lb pike is a trophy...just like in Massachusetts.

Saying that I do agree with you that you should throw them back. With a digital camera, you can enjoy your catch without killing these breeders.

I don't know anyone consistantly catching 15-20 lb pike but i do agree with Champlain holding a fish over 30 lbs.

What's strange is that Mass has a bigger state record pike than Vermont does....you wouldn't think so with Champlain in the picture.

Bailbuster · « **Reply #15 on:** Mar 04, 2009, 01:57 PM »

Quote from: esoxmaster on Mar 02, 2009, 02:25 PM

If a 15-20 lb pike is a trophy in champlain then how come I catch so many of them so consistantly? I'm not trying to put anyone's oppinion down, but my 2 cents says that 15-20 lbs isn't a trophy. I know Champlain is capable of producing fish that run 30 plus pounds, and I'm sure there's a couple in there, but there could and should be more.

Just how many 15 to 20 # throw backs are you catching,I fish the lake alot and have caught a few good size pike but to say I catch them consistanly would be bull, average would be more in the 6 to 10 class.Something needs to be done no doubt .Must be all the 20#ders only bite once because derby after derbys are won with a 17 to 19 .

taggin out · « **Reply #16 on:** Mar 04, 2009, 03:26 PM »

I have fished almost every body of water in vt this year that has big pike in it looking for a 20 pounder. And i have only seen one fish come through the ice close tp that. It was 17.5 at norton. And i watched the kid throw it back. I buy the biggest bait you can get and still the most common fish is a 7.5 to 11 pounder.

sethab · « **Reply #17 on:** Mar 05, 2009, 02:03 AM »

the word trophy is different to each individual so i can't argue with any weight being a "trophy" a trophy to some might not be to others and that's fine. I used to ice fish lake champlain just for pike and up until 7 or 8 years ago i would say that the pike fishing was good. and i am not telling fish tales when i say we would catch 20 pike a day and at least 6 of them would be in the 10 - 16 lbs range but as most would agree,at least in the southern part of the lake, the fishing just isn't like that anymore. it is tough to go out and catch 15 pounders consistently so that in a way makes them a trophy. I stopped fishing champlain and now fish many other lakes for pike and have found better fishing in alot of the smaller lakes that don't get fished as heavy which is common sense that there seems to be bigger fish. so i don't think the new regulations if any are imposed should be restricted to just champlain it should be state wide. and as far as 20 pounders coming through the ice this year . well this year isn't over yet and any pike fisherman knows march means monster in the pike world. a 25 pounder was caught 2 weeks ago i won't say where but it will make the state 2009 record book i'm sure just keep an out on the fish and game sight it should be posted anytime.

Bailbuster · « **Reply #18 on:** Mar 05, 2009, 04:13 AM »

That same lake gave up 2 other "non trophys" the same weekend 15 and 17 that were returned to the lake.But that could be the last flags on the lake for the season.BB

esoxmaster · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 05, 2009, 08:47 AM »

Quote

Just how many 15 to 20 # throw backs are you catching,I fish the lake alot and have caught a few good size pike but to say I catch them consistanly would be bull, average would be more in the 6 to 10 class.Something needs to be done no doubt .Must be all the 20#ders only bite once because derby after derbys are won with a 17 to 19 .

I'm going to put up a post tonight in my PB Champlain Pike Thread, All the fish I'm putting up came out within 2 days of fishing last season, and I haven't gotten up there yet this year. My buddy and I haven't once been able to get all of our 30 tilts in the water because we're catching too many fish. I can honestly say that I've grown sick of catching 6-8 pounders. There's so many of them up there. The problem is that these smaller fish are being kept. I often also see perch fishermen jigging them up by accident and they just throw them on the ice, and don't even take them when they leave. I guess some of them think they're a threat to the perch population.

Bailbuster · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 05, 2009, 05:30 PM »

"If a 15-20 lb pike is a trophy in champlain then how come I catch so many of them so consistantly?"

My ? was how many of these big pike are you catching,not how many 6 and 8 pounders are going back.I catch my share of the 6 and up ,but I am not seeing too many 15 to 20.Your words,not mine.BB

esoxmaster · « **Reply #21 on:** Mar 06, 2009, 06:28 AM »

Last time I was up there was last season. I fished for 2 or 3 days and got 4 fish between 13 and 20 lbs

Bailbuster · « **Reply #22 on:** Mar 06, 2009, 08:38 AM »

Quote from: esoxmaster on Mar 06, 2009, 06:28 AM

Last time I was up there was last season. I fished for 2 or 3 days and got 4 fish between 13 and 20 lbs

Pictures ,Thats a pretty good 2 or 3 days , You must have a hot spot, we fish all over the lake north to south ,like I said before we have caught our share of good pike ,but can not remember a day when we put back 2 over 15.I am done with this ,Good luck to you and your quest for trophy pike..We are leaving in an hour for the islands maybe this will be the weekend...BB

esoxmaster · « **Reply #23 on:** Mar 06, 2009, 09:06 AM »

Sorry, didn't have time to put up any pics last night. I WON'T FORGET TONIGHT! lol. Maybe even more than 4 big fish on the trip i'm talking about. I'll just go through my album.

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Author Topic: . (Read 3399 times)