Vermont Master Angler Program Update

This muskellunge is my latest species for the MAP

It has been quite a while since I posted anything on the blog. I do have to apologize for that. Life sometimes gets in the way and sometimes I just don't have it in me to write much. I will be trying to make up for the lost postings over the next little while...

So one thing I have been putting a lot of time into this year is to catch all 33 species in the Vermont Master Angler Program. I have been on the ice, using bait (not something this fly angler is accustomed to) and doing a lot of homework and footwork to try to figure them all out. At the start of this year I was at 25 species- pretty respectable I think. I wanted to try to get through as many of the remaining species I could this year. At this point I have upped the list to 28 species as of last Saturday with a nice big musky which is at minimum 41". 

9" Rainbow smelt- my first new species of the year.

I still have 5 species left to go. I have been putting in time chasing catfish, a lot of time, without any significant results (the lost rod is a good story though...). I hope to get out after pike/pickerel hybrids and cisco this fall. I have some ideas on where to find lake whitefish too. I won't have another shot at shad again until May or June of next year, but I think that I have a really good shot at them. 

It has been a big challenge and a big personal goal. I have put a lot of focus into it and really pushed myself (to the point where people who care about me have been concerned). This is very important to me and I intend on making it happen!

Stay tuned for stories about some of these fish coming up soon!

DP 

This 27" walleye is the species I caught closest to home and number 27 on my list.