I have been fishing competitively on Lake Champlain for about 15 years. As a dedicated professional angler, I found a way to share my passion with other fishermen—I got my USCG Captain’s License and started running guided bass fishing trips on Lake Champlain. I have two beautiful children, Jax and Izzy, and my wife Morgan, who make it possible for me to be able to do what I do. This is a story of what makes my job special.
A chilly October morning would be the start of a memorable day. My truck’s thermometer read 31 degrees when I hopped in, and that didn’t include the 15 mph northwest wind piping down Lake Champlain. That day, I was guiding 77-year-old Chuck Sanderski of PA, and his lifelong friend Randy Beatty of RI.
We met at the ramp at 8:00 a.m. I could tell the cold air is on everyone’s minds, but I let them know there’s plenty of west to this wind and we can likely run down the lake and duck out of it. They are textbook clients that made it very clear they trusted my decision — so we went for it! We made a 10-mile run down the lake to our first spot and proceeded to catch some small smallmouth bass. The pattern involved a drop shot setup with a 7-foot medium light Kistler Helium Rod, a Shimano Nasci spinning reel and a Beast Coast Magic Flick. I let the guys know that in the fall, there’s quite a variation in the size of bass we catch, but there’s always a chance at a giant one. That’s what keeps us fishing, right? The anticipation of the unknown on the other end of the line.
We bounced around from rock bottom to ledge bottom to some offshore boulders, and consistently caught quality fish until about 11:15 a.m. Then it all changed. Using my Forward-Facing Sonar, which I purchased from Bass Fishin’ Electronics, I saw a particular bolder that had 5 fish on it. To me, they appeared to be sheepshead — all equally large fish. My client, Chuck, dropped down after I mentioned there were some real big fish below the boat and, within a minute or so, he set the hook on one. Instantly, his drag started screaming. The fish pushed all the way to the bow of the boat and wrapped around the trolling motor. His line was caught around the motor shaft, meanwhile, the fish was still peeling drag. To be honest, I wasn’t too worried because thirty seconds of running drag typically indicates a sheepshead, walleye, or some other species of fish. I even said aloud, “That is definitely not a bass.” As I watched the fish run it occurred to me, something is odd about Chucks line; it was running to the surface like the fish was about to jump. That’s when I thought, “This has got to be a smallmouth.” It broke the surface, and I sprung into guide mode. I reached over, grabbed the net and stretched out to land the fish for my client. At this point, he has no idea what he has just accomplished, he is just happy to see a bass much bigger than the fish we had seen earlier that day.
We pulled out the Bubba Smart Fish Scale scale and weighed it, anticipating the official weight while bouncing in the waves. We finally got a nice clean lock: 6 lbs., 0 oz. Amazing. My client has fished Champlain twice; I’ve been fishing here my whole life and have never seen a true 6-pound smallmouth.
These 2 anglers were class acts. They said they couldn’t believe how excited I was about that fish. They told me they have been on several guided trips and have never seen their captain so happy. I let them know that in all my years on Champlain, I have never caught a smallmouth that big.
I have competed in professional bass fishing for several years and as a captain, I’m now fishing vicariously through my clients. It’s an incredible feeling — knowing that the many years spent putting 150 to 200 hours on my engine each season always pays off. To have a once-in-a-lifetime bass landed on my boat is an unexplainable feeling that I’ll never forget. I am truly grateful to be able to offer fishing experiences like these on beautiful Lake Champlain.
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