It seems someone is interested in telling people that Lake Champlain might not be the best place to visit. According to the Burlington Free Press, popular travel writer Peter Greenberg recently told travelers to “bring a haz-mat suit along” on visits to Lake Champlain. These insults have sparked arguments last Thursday between environmentalists and the Douglas administration.
A few particular environmental groups have accused Gov. Douglas for failing to stem the population that feeds toxic algae blooms in the northern parts of the lake and revisited their call for more action to restore and protect the lake environment and its tourist economy.
Perhaps Mr. Greenberg and his following may wish to invest some time in researching the large amount of progress made in the efforts to revitalize the lake environment, specifically the ongoing control of sea lamprey and their effects on the economy here on Lake Champlain. Various organizations such as Lake Champlain International, Trout Unlimited, Vermont Fish & Wildlife, and both Gov. Douglas and Sen. Leahy’s administrations have dedicated thousands of hours to ensure that our fisheries be restored and are well protected against the detrimental effects the lamprey have had on our economy and environment. Over the past few years there have been multiple watersheds treated and the benefits are clearly being seen, as biologists and fishermen alike are noticing the increase in number and size of those fish affected.
In fact, Burlington Boatyard covered the press conference involving the above organizations that took place at this year’s 2009 Yankee Sportman’s Classic, and we invite you to watch these videos to learn more of the successes of these initiatives.
As the cooler temperatures of late fall arrive and the Atlantic salmon spawning run winds down on Lake Champlain’s tributaries, some salmon anglers have thoughts of retiring their gear for winter. Most large trolling vessels are shrink-wrapped and in storage, in anticipation of the approaching chill. Many outdoorsmen are ignoring the water, entirely focused on the woods. What some fishermen are unaware of is that some of the best salmon fishing occurs on the broad lake from late October, until the mid-winter ice forms. With a modest boat and motor, the proper tackle, and an enthusiastic mindset for brisk fishing, a hard-core Lake Champlain salmon angler can take full advantage of the year round open season. It’s an opportunity to experience bountiful fishing well into winter. With the exception of an occasional bald eagle or two, the salmon angler will encounter little competition on the water.
On the broad lake during late fall and early winter Atlantic salmon are often foraging aggressively on baitfish in the upper portion of the water column. A young adult class, from 15 to 18 inches, is most prevalent, but larger stock occasionally joins the mix. Pound for pound, these Atlantic salmon are every bit as energetic as their Pacific rivals. When hooked, they frequently make powerful, lightening-fast runs and exciting acrobatic leaps of amazing height, invigorating a cold angler’s heart. The occasional bonus brown trout, steelhead or lake trout may be caught, complementing the big water experience.
This weekend, BBY’s Guy Mitrano and Nick Cifuentes completed Episode 2 of the new Burlington Boatyard Lakeside Podcast series.
This episode covers the recent news regarding BBY working together as the first official sponsor of the UVM Wakeboard Club, and club president Nicole Ullian phoned in for an interview with the guys.
Also, a section that each podcast will feature, is the latest news going on in and around the Vermont and Lake Champlain community. This week, Guy informed everyone of the Turtle Beach Clean Up, recent Lamprey Treatment happenings, and the release of the Lake Champlain Fish Management Plan that discusses future plans to manage fish populations in Champlain.
Finally, listeners will be filled in on some of the Salmon fishing reports and ‘end of season’ trips out on Willsboro and Converse Bay by local anglers from the Lake Champlain Fishing Forum, started by Scott Johnson of Swanton.
We hope you all enjoy this info packed production and please feel free to contact BBY with questions, comments, suggestions or if you or your business wish to be a part of this valuable communication tool within the community!
Burlington Boatyard, in keeping with our theme of incorporating many media channels into our business model, has just completed our very first podcast and it is currently up and running.
This initial release is a sit-down with Guy Mitrano and Nick Cifuentes, CEO and CTO of Burlington Boatyard, and serves two purposes, the first being as an introduction to what podcasts are, and how they will be used in our business approach. Secondly, the two discuss the history, goals and mission of BBY, what we’ve been up to for the past few months, the guests and topics we will cover, and overall, just a chance to connect more personally with our users.
This production will be in many podcast directories shortly…but for starters, try this link – as we are now uploading it to the many hundreds of podcast directories, and will soon be available on iTunes as well!
Recently, Jimmy Farah, CCO of Burlington Boatyard, interviewed Nicole Ullian, founder & president of the UVM Wakeboard Club.Nicole talks about the efforts and plans of the group in becoming the first official wakeboard club at the university.Also, after the interview, checkout some of the highlights of the UVM crew riding at Malletts Bay.Enjoy the video!
Recently, Burlington Boatyard has come in contact with a group of energetic and dedicated students at the University of Vermont, who are organizing a wakeboarding club which will allow for the promotion of the sport, as well as Lake Champlain being a great resource right “down the hill”.
We have asked club President, Nicole Ullian, to reach out to all members of the Lake community – marinas, local businesses, individual boaters, and so on – to inform us all of their progress, needs and goals as they go through the process of recognition.
I invite you to read more on who they are, what they plan to do as a club, and more over, how they plan to be a positive group within the community to promote and contribute to the area.
-Guy
Hello World! We are a group of students attending the University of Vermont working to establish the UVM Wakeboarding Club. We’re in the process of recognition at the university and are seeking your help and support, which will enable us to launch in the spring of 2009.
The club currently has over 100 interested members, some of which are expert riders and others who have never ridden before! Our goal is to get those students who are interested in wakeboarding out on the water and riding as much as possible. This will enable us all to learn, progress, and most importantly, both UVM students of today and those of the future will be able to enjoy beautiful Lake Champlain and all it has to offer.
As a follow-up to our article ”Winterizing Your Boat On Your Own: A Checklist“, avid sailor and fellow Burlington Boatyard member, Eliot Beck has compiled a quick guide focused solely on winterizing your sailboat…
Make sure to get any water & other liquids that may freeze out of the boat, and find ways to let air circulate. If covered, make sure there are vents (even if shrink-wrapping, you can provide venting).
Gas tanks should be filled to prevent as much air in the tank as possible. Alternatively, you could make sure the tanks are thoroughly drained & left totally dry. Keep in mind however, more often than not the method you chose depends on the fuel system.
As a follow up to our original article, “9th Annual LCI Bass Open: Recap and Coverage” – and after many hours of editing footage - we finally have a full length feature of this year’s LCI Bass Open.Our newest video is dedicated to all the anglers, volunteers and sponsors that participated this year.See you all next year and hope you enjoy the film!
As a follow up to the article titled, “Storing Your Boat For the Winter: Almost That Time of Year Again…”, I wanted to put together a few suggestions for those out there who plan to store their boat themselves this winter. While it is relatively easy to do this, especially as you repeat it year in and year out, I figured I would throw out some useful tips that will be able to get your boat all set for its “vacation” as well as reduce the chance that you will run into problems upon returning it to water next season:
Unless you are a mechanic or you have much experience working with boat engines, you may want to research taking it to a service shop or sending an email on our “Ask the Tech” service so that you will be confident your motor will be fully prepped and serviced for the upcoming months.
The Ethanol Debate!! Yes, it is a hot topic in the boating world now-a-days because in the past, it was almost always acceptable to store your gas tank full and with the appropriate amount of stabilizer in it, and that would ensure a safe storage and start-up for the next season. Well, since our friend Ethanol has jumped into the mix, many have found that its ability to attract moisture will cause start-up issues the next time you try to get the engine running. What has been found to be best is to completely drain your tank, and then bring them to be cleaned appropriately before you put your boat back in the water next.
Guy Mitrano (CEO), Jimmy Farah (CCO) and Nick Cifuentes (CTO) from Burlington Boatyard saying hello, live from the 2008 Lake Champlain Maritime Festival. The crew started early this morning, setting up and awaiting for the masses. Although, a few clouds are lingering around, the weather has turned out quite favorable and all the festivities are in full gear.
The Burlington Boatyard crew will be here all weekend, keeping you up to date on all the action down here on the waterfront in Burlington. So, take advantage of those summer office hours and come on down! Stay tuned, throughout the day, for continuing coverage of the 2008 Lake Champlain Maritime Festival!
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