How would you fish this lake?

[Boomstick]

So next week I will be camping on Lake Dunmore. I have been out on this lake only twice, the second time was rather short and I did almost the same trek both times. The northern side (the deep side) is generally a hard bottom with one small patch of weeds - same exact size last year as it was in 2017 or 2018. Just south and around the corner of sucker brook at the south side of the deep part is a weed patch on a drop off. It is the clearest water I've ever seen as well. There are a few shoals in 20-30 feet of water that I marked on my fish finder the last time I was out but are not even on the depth chart which I plan to revisit.

 

https://usa.fishermap.org/depth-map/dunmore-lake-addison-vt/

 

I will probably have a drop shot rigged up my entire time out, and maybe a tube, ned rig or shaky head as well. I may try deep divers in the deeper spots, and possibly a football jig or carolina rig in areas with hard bottoms and no weeds and maybe an arky head jig as I go south where there are weeds.

 

So while I am sitting here doing my pre-fishing, I am wondering if anyone can see any spots that look promising.

 

It is a decent sized lake but not so big I can’t make it to the south side but big enough I wouldn’t do the north and south in the same day. I launch from the state park for what it’s worth.

 

[papajoe222]

Do you know what depth the thermocline is in the north section of the lake?

You can eliminate the majority of water deeper than it.  I would start my search on the east side just south of the neck down. That quick drop to 19ft. with a  slow drop out from there looks inviting, more so if the thermocline is  at or below 20ft. 

Any presence of cover, or change in bottom composition is what I'd be looking for.

[Jar11591]

First thing that stands out to me is the point on the eastern shore near sucker brook. Lots of deep water on either side. That’s probably where I would start. New lakes, I always look for points first. 

[WRB]

Natural lake, what other predator species and bait fish  are in this lake?

check the thermocline depth to eliminate deeper water. No thermocline then determine the life zone depth the bait fish located at.

Being a gin clear lake the bass tend to locate in and around any aquatic cover or around any isolated structure like man made  fish habitats, boulders, fast breaks etc.

Let say the thermocline is 35’.using 30’ as a depth follow that line looking for steep breaks between 10’ to 35’. Humps, points, islands and any saddles.

There are several.

Tom

[Boomstick]

3 hours ago, Jar11591 said:

First thing that stands out to me is the point on the eastern shore near sucker brook. Lots of deep water on either side. That’s probably where I would start. New lakes, I always look for points first. 

That is the spot with the weeds. I found it as it was getting dark last time I was out but plan to hit that hard.

14 minutes ago, WRB said:

Let say the thermocline is 35’.using 30’ as a depth follow that line looking for steep breaks between 10’ to 35’. Humps, points, islands and any saddles.

There are several.

Tom

I will have to look at what the thermocline but I would guess it’s around 35’. This year has been hot but Dunmore is a little cooler than other lakes of similar size in the area. When I went along the north shore last year, I didn’t go in water deeper than 35’ but did not see a thermocline.

 

There are many humps not even on the depth chart that I have marked as well.

[Chris Catignani]

Yes...what @Jar11591 said. Sucker Brook side looks good for all kinds of reasons.

Fish should move up on those flats...when they feel like it (thats the question).

[Boomstick]

13 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Do you know what depth the thermocline is in the north section of the lake?

You can eliminate the majority of water deeper than it.  I would start my search on the east side just south of the neck down. That quick drop to 19ft. with a  slow drop out from there looks inviting, more so if the thermocline is  at or below 20ft. 

Any presence of cover, or change in bottom composition is what I'd be looking for.

Last year on my trek along the north shore I didn’t cover water deeper than 35’ but did not see a thermocline.

[Boomstick]

21 minutes ago, WRB said:

Natural lake, what other predator species and bait fish  are in this lake?

Basically everything in VT but Walleye. Largemouth and smallmouth, pike, perch, lake trout, landlocked salmon. I’ve been told by many that the north side is a great spot for channel catfish too. For baitfish they have a lot of bluegill, they’ll nip at your feet while you swim sometimes

[WRB]

Check with your DNR there is more then bluegill if Lake Trout are in this lake. My guess Cisco, or White Fish and suckers along with crawdads.

Pike can be a problem taking over prime hunting location pushing LMB into shallower areas. Smallmouth tend to roam a lot and don’t take up residents around deeper breaks.

walleye also complete with LMB but n it as a predator like big Pike.

The Sucker Brook point and surrounding structure breaks look good with the creek entering is a big bonus. This like has  lots of this type of deep, structure breaks check all of them.

Tom

[Boomstick]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Check with your DNR there is more then bluegill if Lake Trout are in this lake. My guess Cisco, or White Fish and suckers along with crawdads.

They have more than just bluegill, I just mean I have seen a large amount of them. I also know they have rainbow smelts and I’m pretty sure suckers (aka sucker brook). Not able to find the full list of panfish anywhere.

[Boomstick]

The sucker brook area is definitely my top spot to fish. I never really got to fish it much, just saw it in passing as it was getting dark. I have only caught fish near the docks in the Northeast, but have only been out a couple of times and fairly new to the lake.

 

The forecast just went from brutally hot to much more comfortable but three days of potential thunderstorms. Hoping it brings it on Monday and gets it over with so I can get more time on the water.

 

It’s probably the most beautiful spot I’ve ever fished for sure. Typically tough fishing but they have big bass too. The state record largemouth came from Dunmore and I believe at one point in time so did the state record smallmouth.