CHAMPLAIN ICE AND YELLOW PERCH

We've been waiting patiently for thicker ice, not to say that any ice is "safe" ice, but thicker ice makes fishing much more comfortable.
Cathy and I finally made a "date" to fish on Thursday.  We both managed to schedule a day off, and would fish when Cathy got out of the Dentists chair.

We hit our spot at noonish and found a good solid eight inches of black ice.  Good strong ice that made us both feel comfortable being on it.  We set up our portable two-person shack, fired up the heater and began to jig in ten feet of water.  We could clearly see our jigs near the bottom and it wasn't long before the fish began to move in to see what we were offering.

Cathy was the first to pull up a nice fat ten inch Yellow Hen...the first fish of 2011 for her and a good size Perch for the fillet knife.  I was soon to follow, then another and another.
We fished for four hours, the fish coming and going.  At times there wouldn't be anything below us, other times several fish would come in and take our bait.

We were thinking the fish were leaving, following forage that was more interesting but that wasn't the case.  It turns out there was a nice Northern Pike hanging around.  We got a few good glimpses of it, probably near eight pounds or so.  The perch didn't want anything to do with that big Esox predator hanging out. The perch would leave, then return when Mr Pike wandered off.

As the sun began to set and the temperature started to fall, we ended our first day on the ice of twenty-eleven.  A successful first ice fishing adventure of the year with a mess of lively, colorful, delicious Lake Champlain winter Yellow Perch.  We brought home 17 keepers, all between nine and eleven inches.  Anything smaller, we released to grow another season.



11-1/8"...best of the day


Needless to say, we had an excellent meal of fried perch fillets on Friday.  What a great meal, fresh perch fillets from the ice of Lake Champlain!

Get out on the ice, be safe, and enjoy the fishery!

Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

CHAMPLAIN ICE AND YELLOW PERCH

NEW "ICE MACHINE"

I'll have to get one of these!



Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

NEW "ICE MACHINE"

LOTS-A-BALLS

Can I break the Vermont Yellow Perch Record of 2.125 pounds? 
I think so (er...I'll remain positive anyway!)
Recently, I think I've discovered a "somewhat" hidden treasure of big slab Yellow Perch and I'm going after them when we get decent ice.

I paid a visit to the hidden treasure yesterday while traveling to my in-laws for a New Years Day lunch of Prime Rib.
I found a few folks that were milling around on the foggy, soft, slushy ice in Northeastern Vermont, the Northeast Kingdom as it's known in these parts.  They didn't have much to report when I asked how the fishing was, but that doesn't deter me at all.  The slabbers are there...and I'll find them!

At the same time...quite possibly I'll take a prize in the iceshanty.com on-line fishing tourney!

Where is this magical, mystical, slab filled body of water you might ask?

Just one hint: 

This pile of lots-a-balls is about half way between my house and the big slabs.

Oh, I mustn't forget my beautiful wife Cathy.  She currently holds the house-hold Yellow Perch thru the ice record. (See pic at bottom of page).  She's my toughest competition...I gotta beat her too!

Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

LOTS-A-BALLS

THE TURTLE MAN

If you've never seen The Turtle Man, then watch this!

Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

THE TURTLE MAN

Turkey Call...oops

Fish on, fish H8 me
Raz

Turkey Call...oops

THE FISHERMAN

I copied this post from Moldy Chum.
It's great and well worth repeating.
It's why I fish. 
I fish because I like it.

Listen closely...I did, and I can appreciate it's meaning.
Whether your a fly guy or drag steel like myself, it applies.


"Keeps me honest...
the pursuit of a beautiful quarry.
...he eats or not.
Simple

Trying to make him eat is the challenge, literally to fool him...
He is at advantage even with his pea brain--as he is in his world...

It's not always exciting, doesn't have to be.
But it's never boring.
I fish because I like it.
It pleases me.
I've learned that the best fisherman in the world can't catch 'em if they ain't biting."

Fish on, Fish H8 me.
Raz

THE FISHERMAN

SUNDAY FUNNIES

Once upon a time, a Prince asked a beautiful Princess...

“Will you marry me?”

The Princess said “NO!”

The Prince lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles, went fishing, hunting, played golf, dated women half his age, drank beer and scotch, had tons of money in the bank, and left the toilet seat up.

Fish on, Fish H8 Me
Raz

SUNDAY FUNNIES

DOUBLE CLINCH KNOT

Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

DOUBLE CLINCH KNOT

THE ICE IS NEAR

The ice is near...
It's time to check out the gear, clean it, refresh the line, fire the heaters.  Open the portable shanties to air out and get inspected.

It won't be long now...

Here's a highlight from last year when My Grandson Justin and I tagged teamed a nice lake trout on four pound test Berkley Fireline while jigging for yellow perch on Lake Champlain!



Yup...
The ice is near!

Oh, and one of Lake Champlains favorite ice fishing lures...
The Swedish Pimple

click to watch video



Fish on, fish H8 me.
Raz

THE ICE IS NEAR

2010 OPEN WATER FISHING GOES OUT WITH A BANG...

With the boat under a temporary cover to protect it against filling with snow, and the predicted air temperature expected to get into the low teens this week, I'm pulling the plug on open water fishing from my boat.


Yesterday, my open water season ended with a bang, it ended on a very positive note. I had arrived at work feeling poorly, so I excused myself mid-morning to get in some therapy and relaxation by fishing Lake Champlain.

The air temperature was a very tolerable 35° F and the water was flat when I launched the boat just before the noon hour on the "Inland Sea" portion of the lake.  I motored out a few hundred yards and set up a line on a down-rigger for Landlocked Atlantic Salmon.  I put the rod in the holder and it fired...fish on! 
For he next 10 minutes or so, one rod was all I could handle.  I had fish after fish on the first set up while trying to set up another down-rigger.  I had four fish in the boat and released before I was able to get the other side of the boat set up.

I knew this was going to be a blast.  Steering, fighting fish, solo in the boat, and busy as all heck!
Honeybee's by Tamiron Sporting Goods dressed in orange were the hot ticket for the day. 

I concentrated on an area known as the "Cowbanks", where I couldn't keep the Honeybee's in the water.  Amazing action, fish after fish after fish. Granted, these weren't the big fish that are returning to open water after spawning that I was hoping for, but legal sized and full of energy...what a blast.

I fished for a total of two hours and forty-five minutes and landed 16 of the 18 fish I had on.  All but one were Landlocked Atlantic Salmon.  The one that wasn't a salmon was a very pretty, deeply colored Brown Trout, that thought it was a salmon when it made a beautiful jump and waved good-bye at the same time.  Easy come, easy go.

I ended up keeping two fish for the freezer that had gotten their mouths tore up pretty badly, fighting for their lives.  Their fight wasn't in vain, they'll be delicious when served and provide nourishment at the top of the food chain.

Today, I'll fight the wind and snow flakes, stripping the boat of it's open water accessories and reminisce about the great open water season of 2010 on Lake Champlain.

I'll put the word out that "I NEED A RIDE!!!" and hopefully get on someone else's boat for another trip or two before the ice locks up the launches and even the hardiest of the Frostbite Fleet surrender to Old Man Winter.

Stay tuned...there will be plenty of hard water action from the ice of Lake Champlain to report!

Fish on, fish H8 me.

Raz

2010 OPEN WATER FISHING GOES OUT WITH A BANG...