Champlain Islander

We pan fishermen talk in terms of buckets filled and most of us fish with hard to find 7 gallon buckets. Higher to sit on which makes it easier on the back and holds about 45 to 50 pounds of fish. A good day is two sevens and a great day is 3 or 4. Doing the math if I catch 100 pounds of fish I consider that a good day. Normal years that kind of catch is quite a few times a year especially late season on the warming ice when the gills and sunnies start to gather in the shallows. This time of year through February it is mostly yellow perch and when you are on the big schooling fish it is pretty easy and quick to fill a seven. The large perch are between 10" and 14" and run as big around as a 2 liter pop bottle and weigh up to 1 1/2 pounds. The "hogs" are what we all are looking to get over. When the white perch run it can be a real slaughter since they run on average between 1 and 2 pounds. When you are on a school of them a 300 pound day is common but normally I don't target them because it isn't predictable and you can slam them or never get a bite. I always get a decent catch on yellows and when March hits and the sun is warm I always fish for gills, sunnies and crappie. So far this year it has been slow with limited ice but last trip out yesterday I filled a seven with some good fish but no hogs. I had plenty of 3/4 to 1 pound yellows but none of the big ones. Going to be house bound for the Christmas time due to family but starting Wednesday I'll be back at it. Love my new Striker Climate flotation suit.