Ticonderoga, NY - Lake Champlain Fishing Report

8/6/14 - 8/8/14 - Prefishing Lake Champlain (Ticonderoga)

So early in the year my buddy John and I had made a plan to head up to pre-fish for the BASS Fish-offs for the 3 days prior. With how big Champlain is, we wanted to be able to cover some water. We stayed in Ti the how time for a couple reasons, better launch facilities, and cheaper than the host hotel. And even though the tourney days launched out of Plunder Bay Marina on the VT side, the host hotel was 30+mins away from there. So our 45 minute ride Saturday, and Sunday morning wasn't that bad.

Wednesday 8/6 - The original plan was to head up about 1:30am, but Johnny was having boat issues. Finally got word that the mechanic found the problem and had it finished Tuesday night. So new plan, meet and head out at 4:30am. To the Ti ramp about 9:30, and launched by a little before 10.Weather was nice all day, partly cloudy and high 70's. Johnny has a lot more time in up here, so I was glad to have him take the lead on where to try, but work as a team to figure some stuff out. Johnny led mostly with the standard froggin' ,and flippin. I was doing that too, but was also mixing in a buzzbait/rage frog. We both added the swimjig in there too. Early on my buzzbait get hit, but an average Largemouth come unbuttoned near the boat. Minutes later my buzzbait has a monsterous splash in it, but nothing. Could of been a Pike, or Big Bass I don't know. Johnny did most of the catching today. Probably 10-11lbs for a limit. I finally after playing with many color combos on my swim jig get a Bass to take it. It wasn't big, but he ate it good. Something I would keep in mind for tomorrow. We were off the water by 7:30pm-ish. Day Re-cap, It was a grind, but we picked up some valuable keys to help eliminate dead water. Time to rest up, and do it all over again tomorrow.

Thursday 8/7 - On the water by 6am, Today's weather was a little more volatile. Scattered Thunderstorms would pop up here and there. Still high 70's temp wise. All morning we were good though. Early on I get 1-1/4lb Largemouth on the swim jig, and again it absolutely ate it. Minutes later I'm on again. This time it's a good pike, 30 inches anyway. No time for pictures though, gotta find them Bass. A little while later, we get into an area that is just crying buzzbait to me. 5th cast, BOOM, 1-1/2lber in the boat. 5 cast later, BOOM, 2lb 14oz in the boat. Johnny doing he usual and putting decent ones in the boat. He had a decent frog bite going that was just avoiding me. So a little before 1pm, some dark clouds are rolling up on us, with some rumbling in the back round. We work our way out of some mats, and as we suit up in the rain gear, big flash to the north of us. Time to go, rain picks up as we screw back to the Ti ramp, OUCH! We weren't the only ones with the same idea. I jump out real quick, run up to the truck, and we pull the boat. Unlike everyone else who took off, we check the radar, and wait out the hour off storms. about 2pm we dump boat back in, and off we go. Wind had picked up a little so I rigged up a spinner bait with the same skirt color as the swim jig. Well that worked out well as a a short time later I put a 3lber in the boat. Later in the afternoon while bringing that spinner bait though the alleyways of the sparse grass mats I got a handful more with a 2lb 7oz, and a 2lber the best of the bunch. Well a new storm was starting to roll over us, Johnny finishes the day with a 3-1/2lber. Throw on the rain gear again and head back. Man, rain hurts at 60+mph! Anyway good 12 hour day as we both put about 12lb limits each in the boat. TIme to rest up, and do it all over again tomorrow.

Friday 8/8 - Today was the "official day of practice". Beautiful day, sunny and high 70's. We planned to head north to look at some Smallmouth spots for emergency back-up plan. We launch at the Crowne Point Bridge. Wow, what a waste. Smallie bite was dismal! From 6am-12pm all we had in the boat was me with some White & Yellow Perch, and Johnny had an 11-1/2lb Drum. About noontime was start heading back south to check out around the Crowne Point area. On the way we run into our buddy Al who had blown his motor a mere hour earlier near mud island. Yikes, throw him a tow rope and pull him for an hour and 45mins back to the Bridge. We pull John's boat, and then drive Al back to Plunder Bay Marina so he can get his truck & trailer to get his boat out of the water. Oy! Brutal day! Today told us one thing, don't waste our time up north. After registration, we got back to the hotel about 7pm, worked on our gear for the tourney. Time to rest up, Day 1 starts tomorrow.

• Added By: meat7gtk on 08/19/14 11:58 AM
• Location: Ticonderoga, NY - Lake Champlain
• Report Date: 8/6/2014 - 8/8/2014
• # of Hotspots: 6
• # of Photos: 5
• # of Fish Caught: 20
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