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New York => Ice Fishing New York => Topic started by: Hess on Mar 06, 2018, 08:51 AM

Title: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: Hess on Mar 06, 2018, 08:51 AM
Looking to head over to camp on Champlain for a late season outing -- wondering how the ice conditions in the Ticonderoga/Larrabees section of the lake are...??
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: WARRIOR_ON_ICE on Mar 07, 2018, 11:47 AM
I fished 50 feet from shore on Sunday the 4th right across from the Fort View Inn. Earlier in the day I was half way across the lake but did not fish there because the water was so turbid. I say 14 inches of honeycombed ice. I would not have stepped foot on it or anywhere else for that matter if not for wearing my life vest the whole time. I could tell by the ease the auger went through it was not very safe ice.

I also had to throw down 1 of the old railroad ties to plank out about 4 feet to avoid getting wet getting on. I think you could still get on there but DO WEAR A PFD. If the water is still turbid out far I doubt you will catch anything - in close to shore is a better bet - I did pretty good with perch and pickerel on Sunday there in only 7 FOW.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: Hess on Mar 07, 2018, 12:47 PM
Warrior -- thanks for info -- will bring vests!  We will be fishing on the VT side directly across from the Fort View -- do you think the turbidity out towards the center of the lake was caused by the inflows from the mouth of Ti Creek...??
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: WARRIOR_ON_ICE on Mar 07, 2018, 01:36 PM
I don't know exactly why the turbidity exists - I attribute it to general runoff of rain and snow melt into the lake. I also don't know how the turbidity abates close to shore on the VT side, but on the NY side the water does clear up close to shore as I mentioned. Hess, good luck if you do go there and let me know how you did. PM me if you prefer not to post on this thread. I will be a little jealous ya' know because I will not be able to get on any ice again this season  :'( ???
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: Hess on Mar 08, 2018, 11:34 AM
Warrior -- thanks, again -- will let you know how we make out (and hopefully we'll stay dry)!
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: lowaccord66 on Mar 08, 2018, 01:59 PM
26 Feb a guy died north of there.  ATV through the ice.  I know the ice not far away from where you want to fish is no good.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: WARRIOR_ON_ICE on Mar 08, 2018, 06:55 PM
Yeah the ice deteriorates a lot faster late season once you get north of the fort. I have seen times when the ferry landing was not even close to safe ice while at the Fort View Inn it was perfectly safe. Lowaccord I want to meet you, you seem like a really interesting and passionate person. I think you met my nephew before on Lake George. Prchslyr
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: buz23 on Mar 08, 2018, 08:00 PM
I haven't fished Champlain for a few years, but the water from Crown Point south always seemed kind of cloudy.  It gets a lot worse when there is rain/runoff. I attribute this to the river coming in at Whitehall, and the general northward flow of water.  There were times when it took several extra sinkers to keep a bait down near Putnam Station, and even though it got even cloudier than usual the fish would still bite.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: WARRIOR_ON_ICE on Mar 08, 2018, 08:10 PM
The lake is surprisingly clear most of the winter, but after rain or snow melt it gets turbid quickly. The fishing is usually good when the water is clear, but poor or completely lacking when the turbidity moves in.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: bootstrap on Mar 08, 2018, 08:57 PM
^^^^yup ^^^^
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: fishy1 on Mar 09, 2018, 05:44 AM
the banks south of the bridge are mostly clay and farms and this adds to the water clairity from the runoffs streams and banks. where i fish near crown point when i pull up the anchors they are all clay. when the winds are strong the semi clear water turns cloudy and doesnt clear up until it settles. north of the bridge its mostly clear where there are rock ledges and railroad tracks. sometimes parts of it is dirty from strong south winds and northerly currents pushes the dirty water north. same goes for otter creek that flows into champlain in ferrisburgh. i think bootstrap will agree with this. i fish on farm land and heavy rains runoff stains the water there fast.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: lowaccord66 on Mar 09, 2018, 10:04 AM
Yeah the ice deteriorates a lot faster late season once you get north of the fort. I have seen times when the ferry landing was not even close to safe ice while at the Fort View Inn it was perfectly safe. Lowaccord I want to meet you, you seem like a really interesting and passionate person. I think you met my nephew before on Lake George. Prchslyr

I haven't met anyone from shanty I didn't get along with.  Interesting may be a stretch...passionate about fishing is an understatement.   ;D
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: slipbob on Mar 09, 2018, 10:30 AM
the banks south of the bridge are mostly clay and farms and this adds to the water clairity from the runoffs streams and banks. where i fish near crown point when i pull up the anchors they are all clay. when the winds are strong the semi clear water turns cloudy and doesnt clear up until it settles. north of the bridge its mostly clear where there are rock ledges and railroad tracks. sometimes parts of it is dirty from strong south winds and northerly currents pushes the dirty water north. same goes for otter creek that flows into champlain in ferrisburgh. i think bootstrap will agree with this. i fish on farm land and heavy rains runoff stains the water there fast.

fishy1 any idea if the Westport boat launch is useable yet or still iced in?  I hear some of the frostbite fleet is out already from Converse getting some nice silvers :tipup:
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: lowaccord66 on Mar 09, 2018, 12:16 PM
Slipbob, Lance and I got some whitefish north of there jigging this summer.  Im interested in that location if there is no ice!
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: slipbob on Mar 09, 2018, 12:44 PM
Slipbob, Lance and I got some whitefish north of there jigging this summer.  Im interested in that location if there is no ice!

I usually launch there for salmon.  Beautiful scenery in that area. 
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: fishy1 on Mar 09, 2018, 02:29 PM
fishy1 any idea if the Westport boat launch is useable yet or still iced in?  I hear some of the frostbite fleet is out already from Converse getting some nice silvers :tipup:
yes the frostbite fleet is going out of converse. westport launch was still iced in last week but should be open now. will be going by there this weekend will let you know. port henry is still iced in but moving water out there today. there getting some real nice silvers just a little north of westport.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: slipbob on Mar 09, 2018, 02:34 PM
yes the frostbite fleet is going out of converse. westport launch was still iced in last week but should be open now. will be going by there this weekend will let you know. port henry is still iced in but moving water out there today. there getting some real nice silvers just a little north of westport.

Thanks fishy1. 
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: lowaccord66 on Mar 09, 2018, 02:36 PM
Thanks fishy1.

X2.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: fishy1 on Mar 11, 2018, 07:00 PM
westport launch is ice free and port henry still iced in.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: Hess on Mar 14, 2018, 08:58 AM
Well, we were able to get on the ice for a couple days of fishing at the old camp -- there was about a 6' gap at the shoreline, so we put down a couple planks that held all weekend!  Generally, about 10" of decent ice covered with 3-4 " of snow/slush (although we could see open water north towards Larrabees and south towards Chipmans...) -- ice and the shoreline gap held up through Monday, although my one brother was walking towards some deeper water carrying a hand auger -- he must of hit a spring hole that was covered -- he broke right through the ice, but caught himself with the auger, so he only went down to his waist and was able to pull himself out -- close one!  Water was pretty clear -- fishing was on and off -- took home 60 nice size perch, caught a half dozen pike, two nice females in the 30" class (released all pike & pickerel) -- overall a great getaway weekend...!!
(https://s18.postimg.cc/x3tao68yt/30_Inch_Northern_--_Camp_3-11-18.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/x3tao68yt/)
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: fishy1 on Mar 14, 2018, 02:00 PM
thanks for the report. risky fishing i would say though. glad your both safe. i have been wondering if you went out on the ice.
Title: Re: Ice Conditions in Ticonderoga Area
Post by: Hess on Mar 14, 2018, 02:57 PM
Yes -- riskier than I normally care for, but we had committed to the trip over to camp -- we had life vests on and throw cushions handy when we first scouted out this section of the ice and decided it could be fished safely -- fortunately, it wasn't too sunny over the weekend and daytime temps stayed under 40 with nighttime temps back down in the 20s, so the ice remained stable right through Monday...!