It's Almost Time!

Hi Guys,
 
Well, I`m Back!!!!  As most of you know, I had to go in for Spine Surgery right after my last show in Suffern, NY, and the surgery went very well. I'd like to thank all of you who sent those get well e-mails to me, there were “Hundreds”!!!!!   I truly realize how lucky I am to have so many great friends!!!!
 
If you know someone who is suffering from severe neck or back pain, I highly recommend them contacting the Laser Spine Institute. At “No Charge”, they will look at your recent MRI`s and let you know if they can help you. My problem couldn't be done with regular surgery but I had another chance with this new non-invasive laser surgery and it worked out great! It is completely out patient surgery and basically a 2 week recovery.  Now, I feel real sorry for the fish this year. Look out, haha! 
 
I would also like to thank all of you who stopped at our booth at the shows this year, it is always nice to see ya. And, welcome to all you new guys who signed up for this newsletter, I hope you enjoy it!

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It' Almost Time
 
Even though it doesn`t look like it out there right now, open water will be here very soon. As soon as the day and night temperatures are above freezing, the snow and ice will melt very fast and we`ll be fishin before you know it guys. These Ice Fishing Photos are from this past month and I “Promise”those are the last you will see until next winter, hahaha!!

The next newsletter will be filled with photos of spring smallmouths, trout, and salmon, Right?!!
 
Spring Fishing
 
Our opening date this year is April 18th.  Right away, we'll be after the big schools of Smallies making their way into the shallows to feed. The most important fishing tool; is the “anchor”. If you don't anchor at that time of year you don`t catch many fish, and that is the way it is.  That technique works for about the first three weeks of the season or until the water temperature reaches the 50s. I notice the “Lindners” and others on TV are doing that same technique but using the “Talon or Powerpole”.

Around mid May the largemouths and pike start to hit and along with the smallmouth it`s shallow water fishing right thru mid July here. In recent years the topwater bite has been the last 2 weeks of June and the first week of July.
 
As most of you know Lake Champlain is a very Big body of water with different water temperatures at different parts of the lake so spawning time is different in different parts of the lake. In one area the fish might be in post spawn and another area might be in pre-spawn. In some areas The bass are still spawning way into July. This is also true with our many inland lakes and ponds. They are at different elevations so their spawning is at different times. For those of you who are coming up to fish with us and are bringing their own boat, we will definitely let you know what the conditions are and where you should fish, which can save you a lot of time.

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Spring Trout and Salmon
 
For quite a few years now we`ve been waiting for our Lake Champlain Trout And Salmon fishery to make it`s way back to the way it was in the 80s and 90s. In recent reports from the NYS DEC and the VT Fish and Wildlife, they claim it is!!  Right after the snow melt off in the mountains the Landlocks and Trout run up the rivers from Champlain to the first barriers. This spring run is not a spawning run , but a Feeding run and these fish are easly caught on a variety spoons spinners, flies, and live bait, and the #1 way of catching them in the spring is on “Live Worms”!!!!  From late May thru mid June, trout and salmon in the “lakes” feed along the shorelines and are caught trolling spoons, spinners, and flies right in the shallows, and, with light tackle it`s a lot of Fun!!!  So lets hope for a good, wet, spring so we can get into some of that action we`ve been waiting so long for.

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Long Pond
 
Our lake, Long Pond, heats up around may 1st and the action is pretty consistent right thru mid July. Long Pond is hard to beat for “Quantity” of fish and it is a great body of water to teach someone to fish, especially kids cause there is so much action.
 
For those of you who have booked a stay with us and have Kayaks, bring them up!! We have a number of rivers and small lakes nearby which offer great spring fishing for both bass and pike, and trout and salmon and they are usually good thru June. What`s nice about the location of our lodge is that there is all types of fishing just minutes away .
 
On A Sad Note
 
Many of you remember our guide Ron LaMountain. Ron guided for us for over 15 years and had to stop guiding a few years ago because of illness. Well,just a couple of weeks ago he passed on. He was a great guy and a popular guide and he will be missed dearly. He was such a fun guy to fish with.
 
Licenses
 
Believe it or not, New York State has dropped the prices on the fishing and hunting licenses for both residents and non residents?! And, the year licenses are good for 1 year from date of purchase! No more Oct 1st to Sept 30?! I don`t know what all the fees are, but the non resident year license went from $70 to $50, how about that?!
 
Bookings
 
I guess everyone is sick of this winter cause we have never had so many fishermen book in so early as we have this year, especially the spring!! Most dates in April and May are booking up fast, especially weekends and guided packages, and except for a few weekends, June is still pretty good.  So, if any of you were planning on coming up to fish with us, call me soon and if you could, have a number of dates in mind.
 
Well guys, I guess that’s it for another update.
 
As we start our 36th year I would like to thank each and everyone of you for making that possible!
 
OK, Lets Go Fishing!
 
Pete