VT governor makes appearance at ice fishing fest

It’s been years since Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has picked up an ice fishing rod, but the allure is still there. “I still enjoy the excitement. I used to fish a lot,” said Scott during a brief visit to the 4th annual Ice Fishing Festival at Hoyt’s Landing in Springfield, sponsored by the Vermont Department of Fish & Game.

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2017-01-30 / Front Page Print article Print VT governor makes appearance at ice fishing fest By ALLAN STEIN allans@eagletimes.com Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, left, speaks with a constituent during Saturday's Ice Fishing Festival sponsored by the Vermont Department of Fish & Game. — ALLAN STEIN Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, left, speaks with a constituent during Saturday's Ice Fishing Festival sponsored by the Vermont Department of Fish & Game. — ALLAN STEIN SPRINGFIELD — It’s been years since Vermont Gov. Phil Scott has picked up an ice fishing rod, but the allure is still there. “I still enjoy the excitement. I used to fish a lot,” said Scott during a brief visit to the 4th annual Ice Fishing Festival at Hoyt’s Landing in Springfield, sponsored by the Vermont Department of Fish & Game. A light snow swept across the frozen pond as temperatures hovered around 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Set up at one corner of the pond were nearly a dozen tents housing ice fishing education programs. Fish & Game Operations Manager Adam Miller said more than 50 volunteers helped stage the event at Hoyt’s Landing that ran from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. No Vermont fishing license was required. Each year, the event is held at a different venue in Vermont. Last year, the festival took place at Lake Elmore in Elmore, drawing around 330 visitors, Miller said. Throughout the day Saturday, holes had been drilled through 10 to 12 inches of solid ice using hand or gas-powered augers. Fish & Game officials estimated the depth of the pond to be around 10 feet at its deepest point. Demonstrations included ice fishing gear explanations, tip-up technologies, using a rod and jig, fish identification games, knot tying know-how and tackle craft, and a fish fry. Tip-ups — also called ice traps, fish traps, or tilts — are mechanical strike indicators that suspend lines under the ice. Once a fish is hooked a flag snaps to attention to alert the anger. U.S. Fisheries Biologist Jud Kratzer showed visitors the correct way to cut and filet fish that had been caught earlier in the day that included yellow perch, crappie, and northern pickerel. “Why does it look so wrong?” one visitor asked. “Because you’re not used to it. You’re used to getting fish right out of the store to eat,” Kratzer said. The thin filets were then dipped in spicy batter, deep fried and served in a steel pan. Gov. Scott said ice fishing was also a popular sport “back in the day, when I used a wooden tip-up,” but over the years the technology has improved. “I think it is really important to teach our youth and giving them exposure to [the sport],” the governor said.