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29th Annual Rotary International Fishing Classic

Rotary International Fishing Classic: June 5-7, 2015

The Rotary Club of Plattsburgh kicks off the 29th annual Rotary International Fishing Classic June 5-7, 2015. The tournament provides an enjoyable, quality tournament early in the fishing season in which anglers of all ages can participate, win cash prizes and enjoy the camaraderie and fellowship among all of those participating during the weekend.

 

Rotary International Fishing Classic: June 5-7, 2015

 

The tournament begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 5, and ends 12 p.m. (noon) on Sunday, June 7, when all weigh stations officially close. Tournament headquarters are located at the Plattsburgh City Docks, 1 Dock Street, next to the Plattsburgh Boat Basin. All weigh stations will open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. and close for the day at 6 p.m. (open until 8 p.m. at the tournament headquarters). The final awards ceremony will be held at tournament headquarters at 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 7.

This year anglers can register online (see link below). Registration forms and informational brochures are also available at local bait and tackle shops in upstate New York and Vermont. Team and individual registration whether at the registration outlets, online or by phone must be submitted before 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2015.
Rotary International Fishing Classic: 2

 

Last year, Ben Boulieu’s 9 lb. 12.5 oz. catch on the last morning moved him into first place in the walleye division of the 28th Annual Plattsburgh Rotary International Fishing Classic. Wayne Frederick of Au Sable Forks, NY won first place in the lake trout division, and Michael Barber of Willsboro, NY, took home first place in the salmon division with a 9 lb. 5.0 oz. fish.

 

 

Rotary International Fishing Classic: 3

Special Prize

The Three-Fish Combination UNDER 25 pounds, that comes closest to 25 pounds without going over, will be awarded $250 at the Awards Ceremony at 3 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, call the Rotary Fishline Toll-Free 877-519-7942. Updates and changes will be posted on the Rotary Fishline after 6 p.m. each evening of the Tournament.

 

 

Rotary International Fishing Classic History

The tournament began in 1986 as the first spring tournament on Lake Champlain, and was sponsored by the American Lung Association. The Rotary Club of Plattsburgh took over sponsorship of the tournament in its third year.
The Rotary Club distributes proceeds from the fishing tournament among many of the club’s beneficiaries. Half of the annual tournament revenue and 25 percent of the team category revenue are returned to the community through academic scholarships for SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College and CVPH Medical Center Radiology School; monies to assist the Beartown Ski Area, Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, Plattsburgh Little League, YMCA, Literacy Volunteers, North Country Mission of Hope, and other worthy causes.

 2015 Online Registration Form

2015 Fishing Classic brochure

 

Other Lake Champlain Fishing Articles:

 

2015 ChampBot Challenge

Compete for $2,500 in the ChampBot Challenge

at the 2015 Champlain Mini Maker Faire

The ChampBot Challenge returns to the 4th annual Champlain Mini Maker Faire at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn on September 26 and 27. Registration is now open.

ChampBot

ChampBot

What is the ChampBot Challenge

Build or modify an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) using ‘Champ’ as the theme. The visible portion of your ChampBot, (the part above the water), must bear some resemblance to Champ. Since few people have seen Champ, this is fairly open to interpretation. Champ may be scary, humorous, stylish or all of the above.

ChampBots must be between 3’ and 6’ in length, move under their own power, and cannot present any unsafe conditions for the course monitors should they be required to handle it. Building a ChampBot is your opportunity to show off your technical skills and creativity by creating or modifying a remote controlled robot that represents your interpretation of Champ.

The challenge is to navigate a series of buoys and obstacles on the shoreline of Lake Champlain to earn points and impress the crowd. The organizers encourage entrants to use sound effects, lighting, pyrotechnics and/or visual wizardry to put on a show.

Points will be awarded for design and completion of the course and obstacles. The winner of the $2,500 grand prize will be the bot with the highest total score. Prizes will also be awarded for second and third place, as well as several honorable mention categories.

New this year:

Project Development Awards up to $500 are available for materials based on need and the strength of proposal. Proposals must be submitted by May 24, funds will be awarded by June 16.

“The ChampBot Challenge was a completely new endeavor last year, and it was a lot of fun. We’re excited to see what folks come up with this year, so start working on your bots!” ~ Executive Event Producer Doug Webster.

‘Robots for Kids Too’ were the winners of the first-ever ChampBot Challenge in 2014. Seven teams created homemade ChampBots to navigate the series of nautical obstacles and challenges.

For more information, to register and to apply for funds, visit champlainmakerfaire.com/champbot/.

Vermont Walleye Fishing Starts May 2

Vermont Walleye Fishing

Vermont Fish & Wildlife reminds anglers that some of New England’s best walleye fishing begins with the start of the Vermont’s walleye fishing season on Saturday, May 2.

A range of rivers and lakes across the state of Vermont offer quality walleye fishing opportunities, but anglers should be aware that regulations can vary depending upon which waterway they are fishing.

In all Vermont waters except Lake Carmi, Chittenden Reservoir and the Connecticut River, walleye and sauger have an 18″ minimum length requirement and a three-fish daily limit. Open season runs from Saturday, May 2 to March 15, 2016.

Walleye painting

 

 

Special Vermont Walleye Fishing Regulations:

  1. Lake Carmi: Lake Carmi has a slot limit for walleye because of the lake’s high rate of natural walleye reproduction and high fishing pressure. The minimum length is 15 inches, and all walleye between 17 and 19 inches must be released. The daily limit is five walleye, but only one may be over 19 inches long. The season is open May 2 through March 15.
  2. Chittenden Reservoir: Chittenden Reservoir has special walleye regulations in order to produce large walleye that can help control its over-abundant yellow perch population, and provide anglers with an opportunity to harvest a trophy walleye. The minimum length is 22 inches, the daily limit is two, and the season is open June 1 through March 15.
  3. Connecticut River: Connecticut River walleye fishing rules are set by New Hampshire. No walleye between 16 and 18 inches may be kept and the daily limit is four fish, of which only one may be longer than 18 inches.
Walleye

Walleye

The Northeast Kingdom also offers walleye fishing opportunities in Salem Lake, Island Pond, Clyde Pond, and the Clyde River.

 

Lake Champlain Vermont Walleye Fishing Opportunities

Excellent walleye fishing can also be found each spring in Lake Champlain and its tributaries: the Missisquoi River, Lamoille River, Winooski River, and Otter Creek.

Vermont Record Walleye

Richard Levesque with Vermont’s state record walleye

Vermont’s state record walleye weighed 14.55 lbs. and was caught in Lake Champlain by Richard Levesque of Swanton in 2010.

 

Planning a Vermont fishing trip is easy. Vermont Fish & Wildlife’s 2015 Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Laws and Guide publication includes maps showing lakes and streams as well as fishing access areas and public lands. The guide also lists the fish species found in each body of water and includes the state’s fishing regulations. Copies are available where fishing licenses are sold, or by calling Vermont Fish & Wildlife at 802-828-1000. Sections of the publication can also be downloaded from www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

 

To learn more about fishing in Vermont or to purchase a Vermont fishing license, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

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Click the lure to check out the great selection of Rapala lures at WalMart.com

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Other Lake Champlain Fishing Articles:

Winooski Fish Lift Open

The fish lift at the Winooski One hydroelectric facility on the Winooski River is now operating for the spring season, providing expanded fishing opportunities for anglers.

Winooski Fish Lift

 

Springtime operation of the fish lift on the Winooski River, which begins in March and extends through mid-May, is a collaborative initiative focusing on moving steelhead rainbow trout above the Winooski One Dam and into the next section of the river.

“Lifted steelhead are released into the 1.3 mile section of river above the Winooski Dam and below the next dam, also known as Gorge 18… The Winooski River provides key habitat for a number of Lake Champlain fish species at various times during the year and we do our best to protect fish at sensitive times while also providing quality angling opportunities where we can. It’s definitely a balancing act, but one that is important to the lake, its fisheries and to anglers.” ~ Nick Staats, fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

In an effort to protect spawning walleye and endangered lake sturgeon, fishing is not allowed between March 16 and May 31 on the section of the Winooski River below the Winooski Dam downstream to the first railroad bridge.

 

Winooski Fish Lift Open

The Winooski One Hydroelectric dam would have blocked spawning fish. A fish elevator was installed beside the Winooski Falls dam to help Winooski River fish get upstream to spawn. This elevator allows the fish to be transported beyond the two dams in existence further up the river. The fish are lured into a narrow compartment at the base of the dam; the water rushing through this compartment looks like a stream. The fish travelling upstream to spawn swim into this compartment and are unable to find a way out. The fish are raised by the elevator to the upper level of the Winooski River where they can spawn.

 

Winooski Fish Lift = Fishing Opportunites

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, in cooperation with Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power, operate the fish lift to assist steelhead with their natural spring migration and also to increase angling opportunities on the stretch of river above the Winooski Dam that is open to fishing.

“Lifting steelhead above the Winooski Dam gives anglers the opportunity to fish for them in a section of the river that is legally open to angling. That being said, this is on a catch-and-release basis using artificial lures or flies only, until April 11 when Vermont’s traditional trout season opens up. After that, anglers are allowed to fish with natural baits and keep up to six steelhead per day.” ~ Brian Chipman, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

The Winooski River is stocked annually with 20,000, 7 to 8-inch steelhead, in addition to 30,000 yearling salmon.

Additionally, anglers also have the chance to catch any landlocked Atlantic salmon that may still be in the upper sections of the Winooski River as a result of last fall’s spawning run.

  • As a reminder, anglers can visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com/lawsdigest.cfm to access the 2015 Vermont Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Laws and Guide that includes maps showing lakes and streams as well as fishing access areas and public lands.
  • The guide lists the fish species found in each body of water and includes the state’s fishing regulations. Copies are also available where fishing licenses are sold.

 

 

Lake Champlain Walleye Association honored by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept.

The Lake Champlain Walleye Association, based in Swanton, is one of four Vermont sporting groups recognized by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department for significant volunteer efforts in aiding the department with its fish culture program.
Vermont Record Walleye

Richard Levesque, LCWA Member
with Vermont State Record Walleye

Louis Porter, commissioner of Vermont Fish & Wildlife, applauded the four organizations for their commitment to Vermont’s sporting traditions and natural environment. Other partnering organizations include the Hale Mountain Fish & Game Club in Shaftsbury, the Orleans Rod & Gun Club in Orleans, and the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Conservation Group based in East Charleston.

“We are incredibly appreciative of these partners and their important work, work that truly benefits our fisheries, improves local angling opportunities and supports Vermont’s economy and natural resources in total,” ~ Louis Porter, commissioner of Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Lake Champlain Walleye Association honored

Working with Vermont Fish & Wildlife, each partnering organization has taken on varying responsibilities and projects – many of which are detailed in the following highlights:

 

  • Hale Mountain Fish & Game Club: Cooperatively operates the Shaftsbury Ponds which raise yearling trout for stocking and for the Children’s Fishing Program – a program which provides other local sporting groups with cultured trout so children, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities have an increased opportunity to catch fish in an environment conducive to angling. A number of club members have volunteered at the ponds, feeding and taking care of these fish year-round.
  • Lake Champlain Walleye Association honored by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept.Lake Champlain Walleye Association: Cooperatively operates four ponds throughout the Lake Champlain basin which raise fingerling walleye that are released back into the lake in an effort to augment naturally reproducing walleye. Members work tirelessly to raise healthy numbers of walleye fingerlings for Lake Champlain to increase angling opportunities for walleye.
  • Orleans Rod & Gun Club: Cooperatively operates the Essex Steelhead Pond which raises 2-year old steelhead smolts that are stocked as part of the Willoughby River steelhead restoration program. Club members work hard each year to ensure that quality, healthy fish are raised for the Willoughby River steelhead restoration effort.
  • Vermont Fish and Wildlife Conservation Group: Operates the Morgan Hatchery which raises brook trout fry that are stocked into beaver ponds throughout the Northeast Kingdom. The dedicated work of this group has ensured that this cooperative partnership continues to provide beneficial angling opportunities to the NEK.

 

Lake Champlain Walleye Association honored by Vermont Fish and Wildlife Dept.Collectively, these partnerships are part of the Cooperative Nursery Program, which is designed to involve sporting groups in raising and stocking fish into local waterways. The program has provided approximately 192,000 fish for stocking in Vermont – and enhanced the department’s fishing programs, increased fishing opportunities, and helped to manage and restore fisheries.

 

“These groups and their members have generously volunteered countless hours cleaning hatchery ponds, observing and feeding fish, and ultimately raising thousands of healthy fish to be released into Vermont waters. The success of our fish culture program toward managing and restoring fisheries would not be possible without these types of key partnerships and we’d like to both recognize and thank these folks for their contributions.” ~ Adam Miller, fish culture operations manager with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.