Champlain

[DanC]

I am going on a trip to Mallets bay. Some people are making me nervous that my boat is too small and I wont be able to fish. If it is too rough I am wondering if there are any other lakes close by with public ramps. Also how many acres is inner malletts bay? I can't find this info anywhere. If it is big I might be able to just stay in the bay.

[papajoe222]

What size boat do you have?  More importantly, what size motor.  I took my 14ft. V hull out on lake Michigan a number of times and although it did get tossed around on occasion, my 25hp Johnson got me out and back with little trouble. If yours is a flat bottom, the wind is going to make it extremely difficult.

[VtSmallmouth]

I haven't fished mallets bay yet, but I have fished Champlain quite a bit in my 14 ft v-hull with a 10hp, I just try to find pockets where I'm out of the wind. My advice to you is don't go out to the main lake, especially if you have a small motor like I do. Champlain can get nasty fast. I always stay close to shore and where I launched so I can get off the water fast if I need to. 2nd, if it starts to get to rough don't hesitate to head back in.

That might not answer your question, but just wanted to tell you that there are great places to fish on Champlain that can be fished in a small boat. Stay safe

[VtSmallmouth]

Another thing to add, there are also other bays close to mallets you can fish that have launches, shelburne bay, converse bay in Charlotte, I have fished both in my 14 with no problems and caught bass in both. So you can fish a lot of water without having to go out on the main lake, you just gotta trailer a little ways

[DanC]

Tracker Pro ateam 175 with 75 HP optimax.

[DanC]

I was hoping I could go out of inner Malletts Bay into Outer Maletts Bay. I am fine with not going to the main lake. I would expect that to be like the ocean.

[grampa1114]

So go...you've plenty of boat for normal conditions. Just keep an eye on the weather and don't try to be a hero and you'll be fine.

[J Francho]

You'll be fine in that boat.

[webertime]

The ONLY thing to worry about with your boat and Malletts (Inner or Outer) is the boat chop (Canadian Navy) can cause big rollers even on calmish days.  You can launch into Malletts from the Sandbar or up in the Lamoille River as well.  You may even want to launch at the Apple Island Marina (South Hero) and then go under/through the sandbar.  These options may give you more area to fish if the winds or traffic build up.  I am offering this up as a local to the area.   If it's windy and the boat traffic is nuts (this weekend is the Lake Champlain International Derby, the largest freshwater derby in the world) you can go to: Lake Iroquois or Shelburne Pond.  Both are full of big girls and get a lot less traffic. 

[DanC]

Thanks a lot for all the responses! I really appreciate it. Very much. I was looking at the map and even inner Malletts Bay looks pretty big. I am going in mid July.