PIKE/BOWFIN

[Yar-craft Crazy(Lally)]

Thanks Fishing machine,

Do I need a vt license on the south end of the lake? I have a NY one. Only need vt license in the inland sea right?

[schodackbassman]

If the public launches are packed there are private launches at Plunder Bay, Chipmans Point, and Buoy 39 marinas all off Mt Independence Rd off Route 73 in Orwell Vt. Cost is $5-$7 but usually no waiting. All will put you right in the middle of good pike and bowfin fishing. Plunder Bay will sometimes have tournaments but the other two do not.

Good luck. Hope you and your daughter knock'em dead. If you come across a silver BassCat with a black bolt, cap, and boot with a Merc that's me, say hello. I fish out of Buoy 39.

[vtfishbio]

Go to the Master Angler page on the VT Fish & Wildlife webpage.

www.vtfishandwildlife.com/masterangler_list.cfm

Change the year box to 2010 and then select Bowfin from the fish list. You'll see a lot of nice big bowfin weighed in last year! Many of these were actually caught on purpose!

[mab555]

The first time I ever caught them was fishing for pike in missisquoi bay in Highgate Springs, VT near the tyler place with my brother who was visiting from Rhode Island. I first caught one by accident on a white spinnerbait. When I got it to the boat after a good fight (only a 3 pounder) I couldnt believe I had caught one. I said to my brother "I think this thing is a bowfin", to which he replied "a what". We headed to where the mouth of dead creek runs into the bay (full of lily pads, reed, milfoil, sticks, you name it) and saw the before mentioned gulping of air everywhere amongst the weed lines. If I remember right it was at the end of July. These things were everywhere we looked in 3 ft. of water, and not at all shy. we went through every last shad, nightcrawler we had and boated a 9 lb. as our best. We did lose one that could have been bigger, but it went for the weeds and just sort of "hunkered down. When we tried to eventually horse it out, that is when it bent our jig head straight. What a blast and a pleasant surprise that day which we were not expecting. My brother put it best, saying "those things are all pull, eh". After that, when I would take out the kids or friends kids, we would try to target them because I felt it was the kids best chance to catch a "big Fish". West Swanton area / Maquam near the creek mouth and Missisquoi Bay are good places to find them in Northern part of lake. By the way, you can tell your girls that they are prehistoric fish as well, dating back 60 million years. Probably why they look like ugly dinosaurs!

[plantstone]

Jointed stick baits in yellow / perch colors are my #1 choice for pike. Bigger the better.

[polski rybak]

Was throwing a spinner off Tabor last May looking for pike and bagged my first bowfin. Great fight, wasn't sure what the hell I had until I got it close to the boat. Picked up my second on the spinner about 5 casts later and a couple of snakes. About 15 minutes later I snapped a huge pike who came straight out of the weeds at the boat. Not sure if it would have mattered, but I will never throw a spinner without a leader again.

Hopefully you can run into some spinner hungry bowfin, but I think that day I was lucky to be in the right place. Find the weeds and you are sure to hit at least one species in your bucket list.

Mepps #5 is probably your best bet with the girls, will pick up snakes and larger monsters. If you get a calm day to semi-calm day, husky jerks rule and will sometimes bag a good smallie. Clown and blue/silver with red belly usually produce, althogh Krusty didn't perform well last year. Tiger if muddy.

[WildFisherWoman]

Bowfin & Pike! My favorites! ;D ;D

Bowfin - Get out there in May for some spawning colored males with striking turquoise and yellow coloring.



They are very active May to June. Dead bait with steel leader in shallows. Backwaters. Im talking like a foot of nasty water. Sight fish them. They feed at night and are real active dusk and dawn but... you can get them during the middle of the day too. Night is killer though. They like weedy weedy bays later on say late June in the dead summer heat. They will hit spinners and almost anything if it passes in front of them as well. I prefer the dead bait sight fish method because its cool to see them stare at it them grab it then fight like crazy. They all of a sudden just appear.. hovering... below the boat. Fight just as much if not more than a pike. ;D



You wont get me to eat one unless I am starving to death but they make a heck of a good garden fertilizer (feel bad bowfishing them and leaving them dead so heard they are nutritious for the ol plants).

I really target pike on the ice or just after ice out when they are still moving from shallows from spawn. In dead of summer, I hear most of all the big ones are deep where its cold. Big like. 10plus. You can catch dinks/mediums all year round in weedy bays on spinners, cranks, divers etc.

[WildFisherWoman]

PS - A good pair of mouthspreaders is essential. Bowfin have teeth and a lot of them and they will use them way more than a pike will.

[predator]

FYI--- Chipmans is a state launch, so no cost to use it. Not alot of parking, (maybe 10), but not many know about it so you can usually find a spot. good secret---sssshhh

[fishinmachine]

yar-craft,,,NY license is good all of champlain except inland sea

[jpaxton]

There are few fish that hit harder or fight better than a bowfin. They don't even stop once they're on land! (Seriously - take special care with these fish, especially if you're bringing your kids - they will deliberately snap at you. A bite is no accident).

Everyone else has given good advice. They've been one of my favorite targets for years and I've found that dead bait works best (the deader the better). Go hit up a baitshop and ask for the dead ones. Throw them out and wait a bit - it doesn't usually take long.

It's also not a bad idea to keep a rod rigged like this when going from spot to spot, because as people have said, they are not afraid of boats and will swim right next to yours, even as yours is moving.

I do have to say topwater for them is especially fun (a large popper is a great lure). Whereas with a bass you just have the (incredible) explosion, with a bowfin, they will often make "waves" on their way to the bait as they get excited.

Good luck and take pictures!

[schodackbassman]

I didn't know Chipman's was a public launch and I've been driving by most of my life! Learn something new every day. I've been down there and didn't see any signs indicating it is public. Is it State or local? Where is the parking. With the high water our marina might not be accessible so Chipman's would be real handy.

[brian]

www.vtfishandwildlife.com/Fish_Accessareas.cfm

Search LC for Chipmans. Like he said...........sshhh.

[Yar-craft Crazy(Lally)]

OK.... So far I think I've got it.

First I will target the pike! White #5 anglia spinners, white spinnerbaits, some stickbaits and whatever else fancies my trigger!! ;D

I looked at some of the Cortland "Tooth Critter material....That stuff is nice!! I will try it along with some strong Power Pro and set the drag just right and let the girls HOLD ON!!

As for the Bowfin the preferred method seems to be dead bait. I can do that I will also try the other methods except the fly fishing part, just not my thing

Fisherwoman....Thanks for the advice on a jaw spreader.... I don't own one , but will soon!

Jpaxton... thanks for the warning. I have caught a lot of sharks in my day....I will treat them with the same respect. Don't want my girls making the front paper!!

Thanks for the launching advise as well!!

Wonderful,Fantastic, Exciting and motivational.....I can't wait to go fishing now! (Like that's not everyday) Lol

Thanks guys

[wellsley]

TI launch go across to the bay across the lake for pike and pickeral. If you get tired of casting then troll around the points south of launch.