Adirondack-Champlain Guide Service Newsletter 

[Quality Fishing, with Quality People]

Hi  Everyone: 

I hope all is well with you and you're family and that you are ready for another great year of fishing. 

Let me take a few moments to blow my own horn and that of our guide service business.  Roy Bain, Jr., a client, made a fishing reservation with us for June and also mentioned at the time that in the April issue of Outdoor Life magazine our Guide Service was mentioned.  There is an article starting on page 70 called "Fishing Bonus" which recommends 55 fishing trips of a life time.  The author asked for input from professional anglers, outdoors writers, friends, guides and the knowledgeable staff of Outdoor Life magazine to determine the 55 best waterways.  In the section under smallmouth bass, Lake Champlain is highly recommended and for a guide it says to contact yours truly and the Adirondack-Champlain Guide Service.  Well 32 years in the fishing business and we are finally famous but don't let that stop you from making a reservation with us for this year.  We have the best prices, the best fishing and the best food in the entire Northeast.  We have clients who have been fishing with us for over 25 years and that should tell you something about the fishing services that we can provide.  Give us a try and you "could" catch the trophy of a lifetime. (See the pictures on this newsletter of fish caught in the last two weeks) 

New Metal Dock Installed
A 48 foot Roll-A-Dock has been installed and replaces the old wooden dock that was removed last fall.

The new dockage has large plastic wheels that support it and allows the dock to be rolled into the water in the spring and rolled back out in the fall.  The new dock is longer and many more boats can be tied to it.  It will have rubber padding on all sides to protect the boats from damage.  It will also work as a great fishing platform protruding farther out in the water for those who want to fish after supper but don't want to launch a boat.  (See the attached photos taken on installation day) 

Right now, as of this writing we are out scouting for Salmon.  There have been reports of good catches on Lake Champlain of Landlocked Salmon all winter.  At this time of the year they should be really concentrated in the shallow water and since they are so concentrated we should be catching NUMBERS. 

Landlocked Salmon
In the spring we troll very shallow, usually in less than 10 feet of water with very small spoons, spinners and flies.  In the early season the protected bays and river mouths are the best areas to fish because they are a few degrees warmer than the open areas.  Back in the 80's and 90's our boats averaged 20 to 40 Landlocks a day with catches of some rainbows and browns also.  We also caught lots of Smallmouth's, while fishing for Salmon.  Smallmouth's and Salmon are my two favorite fish because they both like to "JUMP."  Late April thru mid June is the only time of the year you can catch both smallies and Salmon on lite tackle in "shallow" water.  Once mid June comes around, they go deep and the only way you can get them is by down rigging.  Last summer when guys were deep trolling they caught a great many Salmon in July and August.  The Trout and Salmon fishing on Lake Champlain is really coming back due to the ongoing lamprey control program.  For those of you who have continued to sign the lamprey control petition every year, Thank You.  If it wasn't for you our Salmon, Trout, Walleye and Pike fishing would be at rock bottom.  Instead it's getting better and better! 

Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth bass are our #1 most sought after fish.  It's amazing to see how far people will come to fish with us for these special fish.  Last year was probably our very best year ever for Smallies, both in size and quantity.  The daily numbers were down though, (very few 100 fish days now as there were just a few short years ago).  I'm sure that is due to the many bass tournaments they have now.  The Smallies are more scattered by the tournaments and they don't necessarily go back to the spots where they were caught.  We worked a lot harder last year to find the fish and we did do very well.  We caught HUNDREDS of 4 to 6 pounders and we have the photos of you guys with those fish to prove it!  Even though the water temps are in the 30's and low 40's it is the best time of the year for numbers.

The Smallies come into the shallows in huge tight schools feeding slow on the bottom on mostly crawfish.  Tube jigs, speed craws and shallow suspending jerkbaits worked very slowly are the ticket for the first couple of weeks.  Most times we will anchor while doing this and we would catch 40 to 50 or more fish without having to pick up the anchor.  Around mid May, the water temperatures are warming enough for them to become more active and they start chasing faster moving lures.  Once the water temperatures hit 50 degrees the schools break up and spread out to spawn.  Topwater action really is best just before spawn, during spawn and right after post spawn.  The post spawn ends around late June/early July.  The smallmouths stay shallow and active until around lake July when they finally move out to the deeper reefs and rock piles.  We fish these areas right thru September with deep diving crankbaits, tube jigs, drop shot rigs and speedcraws.

Northern Pike
Last year, the Pike was our comeback fish of the year.  We caught more and bigger Pike last year than we have in many years !!!  Pike was always our most abundant fish until about 10 years ago when the lampreys took control.  Now that those parasites are being controlled we are catching more and bigger Pike and with very few scars.  Last year we landed many 10 to 15 pound plus Pike.  Northern Pike start feeding right after their post spawn, which is usually in early May.  They lay in wait in the warm shallows for the spawning Perch and Sunfish to come in.  At that time we fish for them using spinnerbaits, in line spinners, and hard and soft suspending jerkbaits.  They usually remain shallow until about early July when the water warms and the forage fish move to deeper water.   

Largemouth Bass
Even though Lake Champlain is known as one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the country, it is also a tremendous Largemouth lake.  In the past, there have been many times where we've landed 6 pound Smallmouths and 6 pound Largemouth on the same day.  I don't believe there are many places in the country that can offer that type of quality fishing.  The Largemouth start coming into the shallows about mid May.  Usually the big females come in first so the first Largemouth of the year you catch is usually very big!  Our big largemouth's usually run 6 to 7 pounds and the average is about three pounds.  If you are looking for quantity of fish spring is the time to come.  Most days we catch and release 50 or more fish.  Plastic worms, Senkos, suspending jerkbaits and a variety of jigs are the best lures to use in the early season which runs right through early July.  As with the Pike, Largemouth head to the deeper weed beds near the drop offs and usually remain there for the rest of the summer. 

Lake Trout
Even though Lakers are cold water fish and we catch them right up until ice over in the fall, in the spring, they don't really come shallow until about late May.  In the early season and the late season we catch most of our Lakers by CASTING for them.  We cast spoons, spinners, jerkbaits and jigs along shorelines and points just as we do for Bass and Pike fishing.  Lake Trout grow big and they hit hard when hooked in shallow water.  If any of you have booked with us for late May thru mid June you might want to try a day of Laker fishing, it is really fun !!  After mid June Lakers head for the deep water and usually stay there until around mid October.  As I mentioned earlier deep water trolling has really picked up in the last couple of years.  If Lakers, Browns, Rainbows, Salmon and Walleye are coming back then our summer fishing should get better and better all the time.   

Gar
Another fun fish to catch is our Longnose Gar.  They grow to about 4 feet long, hit hard and are fun to catch.  We sight fish for them using lures that are made of a soft material and have NO HOOKS.  When they hit, their teeth get caught in the material, just like Velcro.  Mid May thru early July is the best time to catch them. 

Long Pond

Right behind our lodge is Long Pond.  A 400 acre private lake which has good populations of Largemouths, Smallmouths, Northern Pike, Crappie, Sunfish and Yellow Perch.  Every party that stays with us is provided with a boat to fish Long Pond.  It definitely is an ACTION lake, especially in May, June, July, September and October.  Motors are not provided but the boats are registered for motors so you can bring up a small gas or electric motors and put them on our boats during your stay.  During this economic crisis, a great many clients are taking advantage of our LODGING AND MEALS package with no guide, which is very inexpensive and yet provides great fishing !!  Many days last year,  guys fishing the pond reported catching 40 to 60 and more fish per day.  Long Pond is also a great place to bring a kid fishing.  I don't believe in the 32 years we have been here that anyone has ever been skunked.  If you like stream fishing for trout, within less than 20 miles from the lodge, we have three of the best trout rivers in the east.  They are the Au Sable, Bouquet and the Saranac rivers.  They are all 30 to 50 miles long with many tributaries to fish.  They are all stocked with thousands of trout each year.  There are also many hold over and natural spawning fish in these rivers.  You can fish Long Pond for BASS and PIKE and within a few miles, TROUT and SALMON.  All you folks that live in the northeast, I believe we have the very best fishing close to home. 

For all you folks who are thinking about going fishing this year, I sure hope you fish with us and I hope this newsletter helps you decide when to come.  Spring is definitely the time of the year for quantity of fish.  If you need to book a trip way ahead of time, don't forget the fall.  October and November are "TROPHY" time, a time when most of the biggest fish of the year are caught. 

Well, bye for now and I hope to hear from you soon.

- Pete and Jane