Jigging tackle

Jigging Spoons which are normally tipped with spikes, minnow heads or perch eyes

Ice Flies are sometimes used on the dropper or on a drop shot rig

Fat Boy jigs which I buy in bulk on paint in a variety of colors

I use size 6 to 12's...these pictured are my favorite size 10

Round head jigs size 12 to 4...I tip them with either bait or soft plastics below

Getting ready for the season

The forecast this week is very promising. I hope to see some safe ice by the end of next week. Check out the jigging stuff I've been working on

And I am very excited to try a pair of inline outfits I purchased

Southern Vermont Ice Fishing

Ice fishing in southern Vermont will normally begin in early January. To run my guided trips, I look for a minimum 5 to 6 inches of ice. There will be guys out on 3 to 4 inches but I believe its better to be an old icefisherman than a bold one....I have been busy rigging tip ups and putting all the gear I supply in top working order. Fired up the gas auger the other day and got a couple of the hottest new reels in ice fishing: a pair of Eagle Claw inline ice reels....these are all the rage and are extremely hard to obtain. They look and function like a cross between a fly reel and a bait casting reel. The EC reel has a serious drag system and a smooth free spool...these will eliminate all line twist like you get with a spinning reel....

Thanks for checking in, I will be posting here on a regular basis. There are a bunch of trips in the book already... so please give me a call if you want to see what ice fishing is really about!

Tom's Bait Shop has Christmas Trees for sale

Pre-season Scouting

I have spent a whole bunch of time pre-season scouting weedlines for this winter. It is pretty easy to run around in the boat using the depth finder for find the edges. Then mark them on the hand held gps with written cheat notes on a lake map. I spent time doing this on: Lake St. Catherine, Bomoseen, Burr and Breese ponds...Burr and Breese I have a really nice line for Northern Pike. Bomoseen is all about Yellow Perch and Bluegills. LSC is all about Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike. Thanks for staying tuned and please check back often now since we are getting close to winter!

Vermont Ice Fishing is done

Thank you for following my icefishing blog...from time to time i'll post here but the season is now over for icefishing here in southern Vermont. My guiding and focus is now on open water fishing...please visit my spin and fly fishing blogs...there are links to both on the right side bars....I will be bringing the boat out within the next ten days looking for Lake Trout and Northern Pike....thanks for the view and continued support...Vermont Trout Season opens April 14th but count on there is fishing opportunities happening with this warm weather.

2012 Ice Fishing

The 2012 Vermont Ice Fishing season is day by day and is really hard to plan in advance....this week it is locked up and is fishable but it will not last long....the upside is its going to be an early spring without a snow run off....I will be moving my attention back to my other primary blog www.vermontflyfishing.blogspot.com Thanks for the views and see you here again soon!

ICE FISHING ANYBODY????

Vermont Ice Fishing

These are pictures of a client / friend's tournament Northern Pike from Lake Bomoseen.

Icefishing is on hold!!!

It is my opinion that until temperatures drop below freezing again the icefishing is on hold....the 10 day forecast has some colder weather coming this next week. The edges getting on the ice are extremely tender if not completely unsafe. So for the next couple days and this coming weekend I am not taking trips....sorry please stay tuned... it is completely possible it will lock back up....

Lake St. Catherine Ice Fishing

Vermont Ice Fishing

Tom's Bait Shop

Rob and Jess Steele are the owners of Tom's Bait Shop on Rte 4A in Castleton

I buy almost all of my bait at Tom's Bait Shop. Rob fixes my gas auger and keeps a good supply of jigs, has all the terminal tackle including new tipups, augers, cleats, skimmers, sounders and always has the pulse on the area's fishing.
Tom's Bait Shop, for google map directions the use following address 456 Rte 4A Bomoseen VT 05732

Today was COLD....windchill today was BRUTAL -10 or lower at points....I was tying flies all day today but will be Bass and Pike fishing tomorrow on LSC...Thanks for the view!

Frabill Outwear

I love my Frabill suit so much my girlfriend Tina "Beaner" just bought one too! This is an AWESOME Parka and Bibs...completely WATERPROOF...I am kneeing all the time on the ice with water and slush....its breathable and warm for a shell...I layer mine with a first layer of a under armor type product, then both fleece tops and pants, and a hoodie....this is one hardcore outdoor garment!

Here are some Internet sources to purchase one for yourself:
http://www.frabill.com/
http://www.glensoutdoors.com/Frabill-Suit-Jacket-Bib-Set-Gray-p/741x.htm
http://www.reedssports.com/Product/product.taf?_function=detail&_ID=25471&pc=2583

We went scouting a new pond yesterday

The weather was great...the ice is 6 to 9 inches thick...we caught small perch, pumpkinseed and northern pike....the jury is still out be I think we will go back to this pond...we only had the second tipup out when Tina caught her first ever Northern Pike.

Vermont Ice Fishing for Largemouth Bass with tip-ups

This is a 40 up tipup...set with a large shiner

This is a "FLAG"...a Bass has eaten the shiner

Largemouth Bass are a target species along with Northern Pike, Trout and Yellow Perch

This pair of Largemouths decided to come over for dinner:)

Afternoon catch

This was the fish kept from yesterday afternoons trip....an additional Bass and 3 other Northern Pike were released....Plenty of safe ice and fish to catch! Click on the picture to enlarge.

Vermont Ice Report

Lake St. Catherine: north of state park has 7 to 9" of ice and is fishing for Bass and Pike, the perch grounds also has people fishing it as does the
Little Lake and Lilly Pond.

Bomoseen: North end down (float bridge) to Crystal Beach has 6 to 8 inches of ice, bass and pike coming to big bait on tipups and the perch bite jigging spoons and jigs has been very good.

Lake Champlain: singing cedars, larrabees, lapham, and 10 acres are all safe areas

Ponds like Burr, Pickeral, Black, Roach, and Reese all have 10 to 13 inches and are fishing better since everyone now is spread out.
Thanks for the view and give me a call if you want to try some icefishing!

Plenty of safe ice on the North side of Bomoseen