champlain ice

[JMailbox8]

there are several laws that differ from one side of the lake to the other which i wish the 2 states would get together and keep the same. its very confusing for me because i fish both sides and always have.

I agree! The rules for the Connecticut River seem much more cut and dry than the ones for Champlain.

[fishy1]

we only need a recipricol license now for champlain but it also differs where you are located. vermonters cant fish our tribuataries to champlain without a non resident license and the same applys for  us in new york fishing vermont tributairies. in other words once i enter for instance otter creeks mouth i will need a non resident vermont license. yet the vermont book says the vergennes dam in vergennes is considered lake champlain and also to the main patton bridge on dead creek. when i went to the vermont sportsman show i asked the vermont wildlife about the law and the said once i enter the mouth i will need a non resident license. then if i go to the islands on champlain in vermont i will again need a vermont non resident license. the same applys for vermont fisherman when fishing south bay in new york. i believe vermonts bait laws are different for champlain than the rest of the waters in vermont. at least that is what i heard.

[perch bait]

still atvs on Missisqoui Bay today

How much ice is there?

[Crayfish2]

i believe vermonts bait laws are different for champlain than the rest of the waters in vermont. at least that is what i heard.

Not that I know of.  I know there are some bait dealers that sell bait only for Champlain and they may carry some different species of bait than "statewide" dealers.  The general laws are the same, though.

[fishy1]

Not that I know of.  I know there are some bait dealers that sell bait only for Champlain and they may carry some different species of bait than "statewide" dealers.  The general laws are the same, though.

so they are not different? i went over to the bait shop and got a vermont guide book today. will look it over and compare it with ny,s . i believe that is what i heard also some bait dealers have different bait for champlain.

[802spinnerbait]

This comes from the VT Law Digest: "Personally harvested baitfish shall not be transported by motorized vehicle away from the waterbody from which they were collected."

So my understanding is that you cannot then return the baitfish to that waterbody, or any other waterbody for that matter.

Yes, but only if transported correct?  What if you pluck it out of the water and stick it on a bit hook right there?  Thats cool eh?

[JMailbox8]

Yes, but only if transported correct?  What if you pluck it out of the water and stick it on a bit hook right there?  Thats cool eh?

Yes. As long as the species is designated as a legal baitfish, you can catch it and use right there or anywhere along that body of water except upstream of impassible barriers (like dams). You can transport the bait by motorized boat on that waterbody too.

[802spinnerbait]

Yes. As long as the species is designated as a legal baitfish, you can catch it and use right there or anywhere along that body of water except upstream of impassible barriers (like dams). You can transport the bait by motorized boat on that waterbody too.

Yea, the wording is not that cut and dry.  Does make sense tho and exactly what I was thinking.

[Crayfish2]

so they are not different? i went over to the bait shop and got a vermont guide book today. will look it over and compare it with ny,s . i believe that is what i heard also some bait dealers have different bait for champlain.

Fishy ... the Vermont bait LAWS are no different for Champlain than they are for the rest of the waters of Vermont.  I don't know how those laws compare with NY, though.

[fishy1]

so in vermont you cant buy salted bait smelt from bait shops and use them in champlain? is that what your saying?

[pikeaddict]

so in vermont you cant buy salted bait smelt from bait shops and use them in champlain? is that what your saying?

You can, it just has to be commercially packaged/preserved.

[fishy1]

You can, it just has to be commercially packaged/preserved.

okay thanks i was confused there because i was told i could use my salted smelt anywhere on champlain.

[pikeaddict]

Yeah you are fine as long as it was commercially preserved and packaged and sold as bait, and you keep it in the original packaging.  If you bought a bag of smelt at the grocery store, that wouldn't be legal b/c it was commercially packaged for consumption, not bait.

[fishy1]

Yeah you are fine as long as it was commercially preserved and packaged and sold as bait, and you keep it in the original packaging.  If you bought a bag of smelt at the grocery store, that wouldn't be legal b/c it was commercially packaged for consumption, not bait.

thanks again i was aware of retail smelt that it wasnt legal to use. i only buy my bait at norms bait and tackle when i do use it. i just like to mix up my presentations when fishing for lakers.

[802spinnerbait]

thanks again i was aware of retail smelt that it wasnt legal to use. i only buy my bait at norms bait and tackle when i do use it. i just like to mix up my presentations when fishing for lakers.

Good to know and thank you everyone for helping clarify.  I used store bought smelt early this year because it was not "live"  and I assumed because it wasn't live the rules did not apply....was I wrong?  It def was packaged for consumption, not bait/salt....   Feel like an idiot if that is the case.  Live bait = Living no?

[spot]

I've used slabs of ocean fish from the grocery store as bait before so I hope it's legal.

Local fish don't seem to care a lot.

[fishy1]

I've used slabs of ocean fish from the grocery store as bait before so I hope it's legal.

Local fish don't seem to care a lot.

how about the fisherman that use shrimp for bait. this is getting interesting.

[spot]

There is definitely no chance that a piece of meat I bought at the fish counter and cut into bits is going to "escape" and become an invasive species.

[fishy1]

There is definitely no chance that a piece of meat I bought at the fish counter and cut into bits is going to "escape" and become an invasive species.

same goes for the smelt that are sold for consumption. it doesnt make sense but there has to be a specific reason why.

[JMailbox8]

same goes for the smelt that are sold for consumption. it doesnt make sense but there has to be a specific reason why.

The purpose of the ruling is to prevent sicknesses that are present in the grocery store smelt (which come from out of state) from spreading to our waters.

[fishy1]

The purpose of the ruling is to prevent sicknesses that are present in the grocery store smelt (which come from out of state) from spreading to our waters.

but they are dead and not live bait . if they have a sickness than how can they be edible to the consumers?

[JMailbox8]

but they are dead and not live bait . if they have a sickness than how can they be edible to the consumers?

Cooking the fish kills off any illnesses. I believe the state is just being extra cautious. I do not know how the sicknesses they are concerned about are transmitted to other fish, but I would imagine this is their reasoning.

[JMailbox8]

This may be one of the illnesses of concern: http://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/vhs.cfm

[spot]

Salted smelt are probably considered safe because microbes tend not to enjoy large amounts of salt.