Lake Champlain United - Forums

I really have to wonder if Vermont Fish & Wildlife has the resources to address this issue "through a variety of enforcement efforts". Somehow I think they'd be short staffed like so many other industries in America. Do they have the funds and personnel to have wardens go undercover, day or night, to enforce the rules, laws, and fishing regulations? I know they do it for big game, especially deer.
But, will they do it for Lake Champlain's beloved Landlocked Salmon?

Thanks for sharing! Very discouraging for sure:-(

I have brought this issue to the attention of the F&W board and the Commissioner. Hopefully, we can discuss this at the next Board meeting.

Am I the only one who would be fine with just making salmon catch and release only for a few years? I don't think I've kept one in 2022 yet.

Detritus wrote: ↑Sat Dec 17, 2022 10:52 pm Am I the only one who would be fine with just making salmon catch and release only for a few years? I don't think I've kept one in 2022 yet.

Detritus only issue with that is getting both states onboard don't think that will happen.

We as fisherman also need to police ourselves for a better fishery. Lately what they are doing is not working.The salmon population is going down.Please (Vermont) take at least one page out of New Yorks rules they seem to be working better than your blue print.I don’t have a solution but doing nothing doesn’t help.I think the pictures tell a story but not the whole problem. Please listen to the people who voice there opinion ,they wouldn’t do this if they didn’t care. I live in ma. I have been fishing the lake for 35 years. I have never not been able to catch salmon.The last three years have been real tough.Just remember (nothing ventured nothing gained) do nothing it gets worse as is evident of the last 3yrs.

We need to up the length limit on salmon in my opinion! Give these smaller fish some time to grow. The pictures I’ve been seeing lately it appears that some are keeping every salmon that hits the deck. Numbers seem to be a touch better this spring let’s not ruin it…Up the length limit to 21” and stop killing every lake year 1 salmon and they might stand a fighting chance!

Why do they not just put a 21# rule in place & that way the fish would have a chance to grow to trophy size & spawn at least a few times to improve the fishery just my two cents. We have a 18 in. limit here on Cayuga Lake & we see many nice fish caught so maybe upping it on here would help

Some of us have been lobbying for this for years. Spikehorn vs 4 or 6 pointer? 19" or 20" would save thousands of fish being kept in a season. Nice to see Cayuga making this work. I can think of the 12 trout limit on a stream or 5 lbs for a 100 years (wasteful) We have a fish and wildlife public board maybe they can introduce this proposal for Lake Champlain?

I too was wondering why F&W would allow fishing in the Grand Isle hatchery cove during spawning season thinking it would be like the proverbial shooting fish in a barrel so I decided to check it out one beautiful fall Saturday before Fauci Flu hit. There were 10-12 anglers in waders along with a few on step stools farther out and I only saw one fish caught (short and released) in the 1 1/2 hours I was spectating. I counted 19 salmon in the lower staging pool so I know there were plenty of fish present so I guess my point is they are not as easily caught as you would think and the cove is an easy target for wildlife officers to patrol. Obviously a few fish do get injured as shown in the pics but I do not think it has a major impact on our overall fisheries.
I have been fishing northern Champlain for 40 years and the past two years has been dismal for salmon numbers over the rail. Personally I think the State slipped a bit with the stocking program combined with too many anglers keeping the legal limit. I think the legal length should be increased to 18" and perhaps a public announcement fishery conservation campaign to ask anglers to be more selective about how many fish go in the live well.
Just my two cents for what it is worth......