It's almost inconceivable that Schroon Lake can sometimes fly under the ice fishing radar, shoved off into the corner by the sprawling waters of nearby Lake Champlain and its incredible winter perch fishery, as well as the smelt that annually spark the creation of mini ice hut villages on places like Bulwagga Bay.
But make no mistake, Schroon Lake does, in fact, have a following of its own among hard-water anglers in the know. The reason is simple: the fishing can be fantastic.
I fell in love with the lake more than a decade ago when longtime friend and Adirondack guide John Gereau introduced me to its ice fishing wonders. We pulled three fine lake trout through the ice one January morning, and I was a believer from that day forward. And the lake didn't disappoint, alternately yielding landlocked salmon, perch, smelt, and northern pike in subsequent outings.
I've always been enamored with the 4,000-acre lake's salmonid population (lakers and landlocks). To me, lake trout and landlocked salmon are symbols of pure, cold water and the northwoods. So over the years I've pretty much ignored Schroon's perch possibilities, unless it meant simply grabbing a jigging rod after I'd set a few tip-ups for the lakers and landlocks. The lake – actually the Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club – also hosts a hugely popular ice fishing derby in early March each year, an event that includes a spaghetti dinner and raffles and has become a tradition for scores of hard-water anglers.
What I have learned along the way after fishing Schroon Lake for a few years is, arrive early. And I mean early. Cutting holes in the dark is normal for me, and that first hour after sunrise often seems to be my most productive. If that means staying home at night and getting to bed early, so be it. That's really not a big deal for me, even on traditional times like New Year's Eve when going out and staying out is the norm for many. A few years back, I never made it to midnight, choosing instead to forego Dick Clark's Times Square celebration and get some sleep, the truck packed for an early-morning departure down the road to Schroon, where safe ice awaited.
Paula came along on this outing, when temperatures were fairly comfortable as we trudged across the town beach entry point to a likely looking spot where we could set some tip-ups and enjoy the sunrise. I wondered how many anglers were struggling after a night of ringing in the New Year; I thought maybe I could sell aspirin for $5 a pop.
No wind on this morning, which in my mind was a great way to ring in the New Year. Our tip-ups were set at varying locations and depths. In winter, the lake trout and salmon could be cruising anywhere in the water column. But when our first flag popped shortly after sunrise, I was fully convinced it was a big pike that consumed our live shiner bait in the shallowest of our tip-up sets. It was off and running, threatening to run the entire reel out of its braided line. It was time to set the hook and see what was going on down there.
A couple minutes later, and after a dicey cat-and-mouse game at the hole, we flopped onto the ice my biggest Schroon laker ever, topping 9 pounds. Not a bad way to start the New Year. I wondered where it would stand on the leaderboard had I landed it in early March during the derby.
We stuck around for a few hours before deciding to return home to OD on college football bowl games. The big laker – this one I took home for the grill – drew some attention as we hauled our sled off the ice. To me, it was just a reminder of the possibilities Schroon Lake offers every time you walk on its water in winter.
If you're looking to get out on the ice this winter, check out one of the many guides in the region. And when you need to warm up after a long day on the ice, you can visit one of Schroon Lake eateries, where you'll find something for everyone's taste.
