Monday's (4/14) salmon collection update - 2 more fish added to our study!

[graham_montague]

Thanks to all salmon anglers who've helped our research team by donating fish for our diet samples today (4/14/2025)! A special thank you to Ron and Rick for taking me out on Rick's boat today. Your help is making our study possible - we couldn't do it without you!

Stats from today:
-Total fish collected: 2
-Male/female ratio: 1 male, 1 female
-Male (15") had insects in stomach
-Female (19.5") had empty stomach
-Both fish were unclipped
-Both fish from Town Farm Bay (launched out of Converse Bay)

April Collection Total So Far:
-17 total salmon collected (Goal is 30 total fish)
-10 from Main Lake
-7 from Inland Sea

Where to Find Me Next:
Depending on weather, I will be at the Converse Bay or Apple Island (John Guilmete Access) ramps this weekend. If you are fishing and would like to contribute your salmon to the diet sample, please reach out to me at graham.montague@uvm.edu or 216-973-4183.
Thank you all for your continued support and assistance with this important research. Your contributions are advancing our understanding of Atlantic Salmon in Lake Champlain!

Graham

[Reelax]

Graham, we can get double didget adult salmon if you go farther south. Just wondering if you want samples below Ferrisburgh?

The temps in specific spots will make the bite unstoppable by Sunday morning:). Right now converse and inland sea have been mediocre.

[graham_montague]

Graham, we can get double didget adult salmon if you go farther south. Just wondering if you want samples below Ferrisburgh?

The temps in specific spots will make the bite unstoppable by Sunday morning:). Right now converse and inland sea have been mediocre.

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the update. We can definitely take diet samples anywhere throughout the main lake of Lake Champlain, so south of Ferrisburgh would be great! We only need 5 more samples for the main lake for April.

My plan is to collect diet samples from the main lake on Friday (4/18; hopefully we can meet our April quota then) and then collect samples from the Inland Sea (we need 8 more) on the weekend (4/19-20). If you catch any, please keep them in the livewell, and if they die, put them on ice immediately and I can pick up the fish! Just give me a text 216-973-4183 and I can even drive down to meet you down south.

Thank you for the help!

Graham

[Reelax]

Graham. I plan on fishing south of Ferrisburgh Sunday, if you still need fish by then keep us updated and we can hopefully get you as many as you need that day. I will be fishing Friday, possibly in the inland sea. If we can get you samples that day we will bring them over also.

Thanks for the work you’re doing. Any forage learning is key to understanding these fish better. I really wonder how many bugs they eat. During certain hatches I find all kinds of insects in bellies but it is kinda rare…

[graham_montague]

Graham. I plan on fishing south of Ferrisburgh Sunday, if you still need fish by then keep us updated and we can hopefully get you as many as you need that day. I will be fishing Friday, possibly in the inland sea. If we can get you samples that day we will bring them over also.

Thanks for the work you’re doing. Any forage learning is key to understanding these fish better. I really wonder how many bugs they eat. During certain hatches I find all kinds of insects in bellies but it is kinda rare…

Sounds great, thank you! Keep me posted on if you catch any fish and I can meet you somewhere where I will collect the diets from them.

My plan is to be at the Apple Island Boat Ramp tomorrow and Saturday around 11am (although I may have to change plans because the winds are looking strong for Saturday).