Manco

Ok, wish I had a better story for you all on my vacation to Lake Champlain. All in all it wasnt a bad trip, but not a good bowfishing trip. If you want to hear alot on bowfishing this is not the thread to read, sad to say. Do have some stories of one of the biggest carp I have ever seen though.

Day 1 (monday): Well, there we are, leaving good ole NJ, hahaha, packing all done for a weeks stay at my girlfriends moms house rented on the lake for a whole week. Leaving all the packing for the woman (clothes and such) just worrying do I have enough fishing arrows, got my bows and all my fishing gear packed, I think Im good. Time to hook up the boat and head out on this 5-6 hour trip. First of many things throughout the week happened now. Hooked up the lights and chains, went over the boat checking on everthing and anything I can. Looks good, lets shove off. SMACK!!!!!!!!!!! aw you $*(%(#@ son of a #(%#@, left the god $@$@ motor down. O well, Sh!t happens. (I will learn this phrase very well on this trip) Anyhow beautiful drive up, no problems. Awesome scenery, truck running fine, just thinking of getting out on the water. After 5 hours of driving were there, no traffic on the way up and I was happy. Said our hello's and sat down for dinner and a few beers just taking in everything that Im not so lucky to view in NJ. After dinner I really wanted to get the boat in and on the dock. My girlfriends moms boyfriend offered to ride with me to the launch and drive the trailer back to the house. Perfect I said, no hassle. Launched the boat and docked it back at the house, great I thought, I can go fishing in the morning and scout the place out for carp and gar. Played some poker and off to bed.

Day 2 (tuesday): 6:30 alarm rings, get up and get the fishing gear ready. Got the tacklebox out of the truck and seen my trailer bent to sh!t. WTF happened... Woke the girlfriend up and told her. She said he had some trouble backin' it in the spot but no one realized anything happened. She said it was like 90 degrees off to the side of the truck. Temper raised then I just said, forget it ill fix it later, ya know, sh!t happens. We were off down the 100 some stairs to the dock. Jeez, some ROUGH water, in a little 14' V-hull with a 9.9 the lake was a little unfriendly. I am not one to wake up and have my heart set on something and just say, na, its too nasty out there, its not in my vocabulary. I told her to say but she wanted to go. I laughed and said ok..... Ahhh yes, she got a little wet. Anyways, I do not know the lake one bit but I love fishing for pike and bass on weedlines and off of stumps in shallower type of water. Not a dang thing that fits that description within 30 mins boat ride from the dock to find out later. Just deeper water with alot of rocks. Well ok then, we fished for smallmouth. Fished for like 10-15 mins and "it's too rough".........Ok, I just want to see were the shallow bottoms are in this big lake so we took a ride. Found some good shallows in bulluga bay or something like that. Standing on the front seat letting the woman putt around, not a single fish. Couldnt belive it. We headed back to the dock cause we had plans to take a ride on her moms big boat. Lake calmed down and went out to see some tourist spots on the lake that was pretty cool. Some dinner and some more beers and hit the sack.

Day 3 (wednesday): Very calm on the water this morning but to my disapproval I couldnt go out on the lake. Had to take a road trip to some waterfall, Fort Gorge, so the miss's could be happy..... Jeez Ill tell you what, them upstate New Yorkers charge an arm and a leg for sight seeing some places. It was a 10 to 15 minute walk and was not worth the $$$. She got some good pics anyhow, she was happy. The funniest part I think was they were selling bags of sand with gems and rocks and different things in them so you could try your mining skills in the water. I thought this has got to be one of the dumbest things Ive ever seen..........Yeah I did test my skills with the girlfriend...... Lmao. After that we went to the one of only two taverns around. I like to see the locals and here some stories about the place we now visit. Woman drinking Long Island Ice Tea's that were $6 a pop. She had about 6 of them, totally hammered. Me driving, and being a bit far from the house and not really sure how to get back home Id figure I'd just stick with some Jim&Ginger's. LOL.. Now, alot of $$$ was spent there that I shouldnt have spent. O well, sh!t happens........ Almost broke we decided it was time to go as she stumbled out the bar. Got to the house and it was empty, her mom went to saratoga for the races and wont be back till after midnight..........Oooooooweeeeeeee, hahaha, well, we will keep it at least PG-13 here in the post. Had a real good nights sleep though.

3 days and haven't even took the bow out yet, what is he doing?? Does he even bowfish?? Oh yes I do, the lake just wouldnt show me any hint on where the carp may be. I seen the only bridge and I remeber one of the members here told me to go past it so I adventured on thursday but I will post the next 4 days of the trip tommorow. I have to get some work done here, ya know. I will post some pics too of this trip later on. Better stories the last couple days and a whole lot more of "O well, Sh!t happens..........And stories of the one that got away......

Manco

OK, Ill just skip to the carp part. Thursday I finally took the bow out along with the rods just in case. Me and Allie stayed close to the house this time. We just started fishing the banks in a nice cove out of the wind. About 10 mins of fishing I seen the biggest dang grass carp I ever seen. About 20 yrds off the side of the boat. I reached down and grabbed the bow. Of course I didnt have the arrow nocked and some line was around the bow. After what seemed to be forever floundering around with the arrow I was ready. We were just drifting along and I didnt have the electric motor hooked up so I didnt want to start up the Merc to get closer. I figured 20 yrds aint toooo far of a shot and if I did anything it woulda prolly spooked him. He was swimming facing away from me when I shot, little PO'd when it glanced off his back but it was not more irratating then watching him turn 180 degrees and swim RIGHT by the boat less then 6 feet away as I was reeling my arrow in. Kept looking for him after I hooked up the electric but no sign anywhere. I told myself I will get him before I leave on sunday. Well, we went out again saterday and I was determined, let the girlfriend putt the boat around the area he was in so I could stand in the front so Id be more ready then I was last time. Didnt see him the whole time untill were where leaving and there he was. Swimming at a pretty good speed along the weedline at 10 yrds and closing. Should have waited to get a better shot again but I can say I blew the oppurtunity for the biggest carp I shot with a bow. Just over his back and was so disgusted I put the bow down and told her Im done, motor home.......

Bent trailer, dented my truck all up, lost my anchor, spent all my $$$, and best of all when we were eating dinner saterday night at the table there was a loud crack outside. I mean it sounded like a 22 mag going off. They went outside and told be my bow broke. I didnt even feel like getting up to look, just sat there and ate. Finally went outside and looked. Limb split longways, bow got wet and the glue got weak I guess and snapped a big piece of laminated wood off.

I did have a good time but things always happen to try and ruin your vacation.

Manco

Cant seem to figure out how to post pics so ill just throw the URL in and see if that works...

Sunset behind the Lake.....

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108831069.jpg

One heck of a view you dont see in Jersey

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108831041.jpg

Waterfall Fort Gorge

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108831093.jpg

Taken a dip in the coldest water I have ever been in in the summer months

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108831149.jpg

Girlfriend and fish she caught. lol How'd that fish think he could eat that. lmao

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108831191.jpg

And finally, when the fish dont come to you, just go to them. lol. Gets a little spoooky when your reel'in a spinnerbait past your flashy white feet while your fishing for some Northern's though.....

http://pic4.picturetrail.com/VOL743/3947541/8173540/108830970.jpg

Wont bore you to death no more. Sorry didnt have no carp pics, just vacation pics. Ill try harder next time.

HNI_Christine

I put your images in there.. hope you don't mind.

Thanks for sharing your story.. It was very entertaining. (I suppose it helps that it's not my motor or trailer or bow.. )

A.D.D. BOY

Sounds like fun.