Dock Talk at Champlain

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The annual Northern Swing of the Bassmaster Elite Series is under way. This week, it’s the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain. Early reports indicate a postspawn bite might be underway. That can mean lethargic bass, or those eager to migrate to their offshore summer areas. <br><br> <em>All captions: Craig Lamb</em>
The annual Northern Swing of the Bassmaster Elite Series is under way. This week, it’s the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain. Early reports indicate a postspawn bite might be underway. That can mean lethargic bass, or those eager to migrate to their offshore summer areas.
All captions: Craig Lamb
Is the lake in a postspawn funk? Myself and photographer extraordinaire Andy Crawford set out to find out. This week we set up at the Plattsburgh City Boat Dock. We’ll ask the questions and you decide. Is it the truth or just dock talk?
Is the lake in a postspawn funk? Myself and photographer extraordinaire Andy Crawford set out to find out. This week we set up at the Plattsburgh City Boat Dock. We’ll ask the questions and you decide. Is it the truth or just dock talk?
Josh Stracner: “I think we are in a postspawn funk. There still are more fish up shallow. The mid-depth range, 8- to 12-feet, could be key.”
Josh Stracner: “I think we are in a postspawn funk. There still are more fish up shallow. The mid-depth range, 8- to 12-feet, could be key.”
“There are a few still on the beds and others just now getting out,” said Stracner.
“There are a few still on the beds and others just now getting out,” said Stracner.
“I haven’t found any fish out deep where they normally would be right now.”
“I haven’t found any fish out deep where they normally would be right now.”
Randy Pierson: “It’s very similar to what it was last year, which was fish at a wide range of depths.”
Randy Pierson: “It’s very similar to what it was last year, which was fish at a wide range of depths.”
“I’m seeing mostly postspawn bass, most of them at the mid-range depths, and moving out,” said Pierson.
“I’m seeing mostly postspawn bass, most of them at the mid-range depths, and moving out,” said Pierson.
“I’m just going to adjust what I did last year to the conditions here now.”
“I’m just going to adjust what I did last year to the conditions here now.”
Bill Weidler: “They are biting. It’s weird. I found moving baits much better, at least for me. I tried drop shotting and really using Garmin Panoptics LiveScope but it was really an early morning bite.”
Bill Weidler: “They are biting. It’s weird. I found moving baits much better, at least for me. I tried drop shotting and really using Garmin Panoptics LiveScope but it was really an early morning bite.”
“After 8 o’clock I couldn’t get bit on the drop shot. I went to quicker moving baits and caught them good,” said Weidler.
“After 8 o’clock I couldn’t get bit on the drop shot. I went to quicker moving baits and caught them good,” said Weidler.
“The spawning cycle is leaning more toward postspawn. The beds are empty that I’m coming across. The moving baits are really triggering a good reaction bite.”
“The spawning cycle is leaning more toward postspawn. The beds are empty that I’m coming across. The moving baits are really triggering a good reaction bite.”
Cody Hollen: “I’m keying on smallmouth in super shallow water. I’m fishing my comfort zone, which means I’ll bring in a heavy weight, or 12, 14 pounds.”
Cody Hollen: “I’m keying on smallmouth in super shallow water. I’m fishing my comfort zone, which means I’ll bring in a heavy weight, or 12, 14 pounds.”
I’ve got some baits from one of my sponsors that nobody else makes, so there’s a confidence factor there, too,” said Hollen.
I’ve got some baits from one of my sponsors that nobody else makes, so there’s a confidence factor there, too,” said Hollen.
“I found a few confidence colors and baits that match up with what the smallmouth are doing now, back home in Oregon. I hope to match up those things with what’s going on here.”
“I found a few confidence colors and baits that match up with what the smallmouth are doing now, back home in Oregon. I hope to match up those things with what’s going on here.”
Robbie Latuso: “We are in postspawn. Smallmouth are deep; largemouth are shallow.”
Robbie Latuso: “We are in postspawn. Smallmouth are deep; largemouth are shallow.”
“The water temperature was 74 degrees yesterday, and it dipped back to 69 today,” said Latuso.
“The water temperature was 74 degrees yesterday, and it dipped back to 69 today,” said Latuso.
“It could go either way, shallow, mid-range or the deeper side.”
“It could go either way, shallow, mid-range or the deeper side.”
Brandon Lester: “It’s close to the same as last year. I feel like there will be a lot of smallmouth caught again, and largemouth too.”
Brandon Lester: “It’s close to the same as last year. I feel like there will be a lot of smallmouth caught again, and largemouth too.”
“The only difference is the smallmouth seem to have just finished spawning, so they are skinnier, and will not weigh as much as they did last year,” said Lester.
“The only difference is the smallmouth seem to have just finished spawning, so they are skinnier, and will not weigh as much as they did last year,” said Lester.
“Those weights might not be quite as good, and smallmouth might not play as big a role,” said Lester. “I haven’t seen a smallmouth weighing over 4 pounds. But it’s fishing good. It’s Champlain. This place is amazing.”
“Those weights might not be quite as good, and smallmouth might not play as big a role,” said Lester. “I haven’t seen a smallmouth weighing over 4 pounds. But it’s fishing good. It’s Champlain. This place is amazing.”
Kelly Jaye: “The first day of practice was incredible. We had sun and wind. Yesterday the clouds rolled in,” said Jaye.
Kelly Jaye: “The first day of practice was incredible. We had sun and wind. Yesterday the clouds rolled in,” said Jaye.
“I don’t think the smallmouth up here like cloudy weather. The bite got worse as the weather came in,” said Jaye.
“I don’t think the smallmouth up here like cloudy weather. The bite got worse as the weather came in,” said Jaye.
“If we had sunnier skies, it would be much better for the smallmouth.”
“If we had sunnier skies, it would be much better for the smallmouth.”
Randy Sullivan: “The fishing is really good. You can really catch them. But figuring out that key to catching better size is harder to do. It was just one three-pounder after another. I wish I was just fun fishing.”
Randy Sullivan: “The fishing is really good. You can really catch them. But figuring out that key to catching better size is harder to do. It was just one three-pounder after another. I wish I was just fun fishing.”
“I’m going to play the numbers game, and go through and catch those until I get to the quality,” said Sullivan.
“I’m going to play the numbers game, and go through and catch those until I get to the quality,” said Sullivan.
“All it will take is a slightly better bag, even when going through the numbers. Just a kicker fish or two will do it.”
“All it will take is a slightly better bag, even when going through the numbers. Just a kicker fish or two will do it.”
Harvey Horne: “It’s been good. For me, shallow bass are my comfort zone. That’s what I’m going to keep doing.”
Harvey Horne: “It’s been good. For me, shallow bass are my comfort zone. That’s what I’m going to keep doing.”
“I found some good quality fish, where I caught the 6-pound largemouth on Day 1 last year,” said Horne. ‘I just expanded on that.”
“I found some good quality fish, where I caught the 6-pound largemouth on Day 1 last year,” said Horne. ‘I just expanded on that.”
“Anytime you catch two 6-pounders (one in practice) like I did last year, on a strange body of water for me, and then come back here this year and repeat it, it’s a good confidence builder.”
“Anytime you catch two 6-pounders (one in practice) like I did last year, on a strange body of water for me, and then come back here this year and repeat it, it’s a good confidence builder.”