If
you haven't had a chance to get out on Lake Champlain off season, it's well
worth it.
I was hosted by Randy Colomb early in December to a day of fishing and gourmet dining out on the Lake. I had a great time and was unfortunately introduced to a whole new world of fishing to become addicted to.
We put in at the
mouth of the Otter Creek. Randy kicked out about 15 feet of ice around the
launch (and proceeded to slide off the trailer and drift out to the Lake while
getting the boat started). After our brief excitement in the Creek we
headed out into the big Lake and set our lines. Four lines: two fly rods
with Capt. Midnight style streamers, two spin rods set down about 6' with
spoons. We had an interminable wait of 15 mins before two rods went off at
the same time. After landing two nice landlocks we proceeded to hook up
about 8 more times while trolling the waters between the Otter Creek and
Kingsland Bay. All the fish landed were salmon but one that got off fought
like an entirely different fish (or just a lot bigger than what we had been
catching).
We
broke for lunch around 1 and that's when the gourmet portion of the day
commenced. Randy whipped out the Coleman double burners and created us a
lunch of Sauted Duck breast in a red wine/cherry reduction served over egg
noodles. The rolls and bottle wine accompanying the meal helped make my
contribution of chips and salsa seem a little out of place.
After polishing off lunch we set out lines again on the NY side of the Lake but with no success. We enjoyed a beautiful sun set and calm weather while Randy showed me around the hot spots on the Lake for this time of year.
I had planned on freezing my ass off and possibly tossing my lunch over the side (I'd heard stories about the Lake at this time of year). But Randy's heater and Mother Natures perfectly calm day made for a really comfortable trip. Wish I hadn't been so cocky about catching more fish after that first flurry, I would have like one of those salmon on the grill that night. Next time.
Thanks a lot Randy for a great day and don't think twice about the throwing me across the boat thing!