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Author Topic: Stiles Pond x 2  (Read 1225 times)

Offline Hamster Huey

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Stiles Pond x 2
« on: Mar 02, 2022, 09:36 PM »
Hello all - new poster here. Just a dad trying to impart some outdoors knowledge and appreciation on two young kids growing up in an urban environment. Was vacationing with the family on school vacation week last week and wanted to try some ice fishing in the area. Was advised at a local bait shop to try Stiles Pond, so got geared up (thanks, Ted!) and off we went! Found the turnoff on the NE side of the road and hopped over the guardrail to get down to the water. This was 2/23. Had rained a bunch the day before, so there were about two inches of standing water on top of the ice. And no sooner had we gotten on the ice when the weather turned - sun disappeared and a front moved in. Temperature dropped about fifteen degrees, and the wind picked up big time. Was having trouble keeping the tipups from rolling out of their holes! Kids soon bailed for the car. I decided to call it not long after that. Not the best outing.

Undeterred, we got some fresh bait the next morning and had a second go. Parked further down the road this time where the guardrail ended and woods began - southern end of pond. Everything had refrozen, sky was blue, wind was low - banner weather. Spent the next three hours drilling 14 holes through 15” of ice (shoulders were sore the next day), progressively moving our three tipups and jigging whenever we had opportunity. Could not find any water deeper than five or six feet. Only had one flag the entire time - took a lot of line, but ended up losing the fish when the leader (mono) broke right above the hook after the hookset. So ended up with two skunks for our time in the NEK. Was just hoping to get some flags for the kids, but they seemed to have a good enough time just playing on the ice. Didn’t see another soul out there, I’m guessing because it was midweek. Learned some and hoping for a better result next time.

Offline TRT

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Re: Stiles Pond x 2
« Reply #1 on: Mar 03, 2022, 06:24 PM »
I've never fished Stiles but Vermont Fish an Game has all the depth maps available online. Sounds like you had 3 tip ups and jigged?
I like staggering my lines from shore line out fishing different depths. Happy to make suggestions for next time out.
Send me a pm. Thanks

Offline bradleyj

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Re: Stiles Pond x 2
« Reply #2 on: Mar 04, 2022, 07:31 AM »
There are some nice perch in there along with pickerel and a few smallmouths.  I'll bet it was a pickerel that cut you off.  Perch can be hard to find but if you do it can be a lot of fun.  The perch are mostly in the deeper water in the northern half of the pond so a bit of a walk from the pull-off.  South end is shallow and weedy so you're most likely to get pickerel there.

Offline fishingidjit

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Re: Stiles Pond x 2
« Reply #3 on: Mar 04, 2022, 01:42 PM »
As others have said you need to see the Vt F&G bathymetric map. Deepest spot is all the way to the right side looking from the road. Lots of pickerel, bass and some large perch(limit 10 per person) in there.

Offline Crayfish2

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Re: Stiles Pond x 2
« Reply #4 on: Mar 04, 2022, 01:55 PM »
My guess is a pickerel cut you off.  I haven't fished it with tipups, but have jigged it a few times and fished it from a canoe once.  There are some big perch in there.  We found them in deeper water northwest of the pulloff, over near the ledges.  The south end is shallow for a long way.

Good luck!

 



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