It’s more of a bust right now, John Cox, Bill Lowen and Kyle Monti appear to be the only anglers who chose to make the long run to the largemouth-rich waters of Ticonderoga. None of them have a fish in the livewell.
Yesterday while doing the Dock Talk interviews I asked the guys about where they were going, and specifically if anyone was going to Ticonderoga. No was the answer from everyone.
A number of scenarios are in play as to why that might be the case. First, the water level is much lower than normal. Grassbeds and shoreline reeds are out of the water, so the key drawing card for making the run is out. Sure, the fish might have pulled out and are concentrated around the first breakline, but everything they count on for food and habitat is dry.
The caveat of making the long run is that you must commit to going there, and sacrificing the option to leave and go elsewhere. It’s a three-hour round trip.
The trio of anglers that went south are all shallow water fishing aficionados. Harvey Horne, who falls into that group, wanted to go, and did in practice.
“I spent a day down there and just couldn’t make it happen,” he said. “In fact, I found everything you go down there for, and better, up north.”
Meanwhile, the smallmouth anglers are catching fish, but not near the weight they need to reach the predicted 17-pound cut mark.
Will they pull the plug earlier than planned, and make the switch? One surprise is Seth Feider, a smallmouth expert, has pulled the plug and is fishing for largemouth.
“I’m going to flip a jig all day, dude,” he said. “Stupid smallmouth.”