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Hook Line & Sinker For Fishing Vermont's Waters

photo by Photo Provided Lake Champlain, fishing and adventure are a part of the daily life of Vermonter James Vladyka (pictured at left). Through his business Fish Hounds, people of all walks of life and levels of experience come to Vermont to try their hand at fishing.

photo by Photo Provided James with Chance.

photo by Photo Provided

Tuesday July 28, 2015

By Cookie Steponaitis

There is a rare breed of people in America who develop a passion when they are young and find a way to incorporate it into their lives on a daily basis. Vermonter James Vladyka is one of those lucky people and runs a fishing guide business that is active 365 days a year. He was handed his first fishing pole by his father when he was about three or four years old, remembers landing a fish when he was five and credits his father for giving him the fishing bug for Calico Bass or Crappies as they are called today. He grew up in Benson which afforded him access to Lake Champlain and many inland waterways. Before he had a drivers license he would ride his four wheeler to near by Lake Champlain or hitch a ride anywhere he could to put a pole or tip up in the water.
    Vladyka grew up linked to the land and environment with a strong work ethic like most Vermonters and learned to work with his hands at an early age also with his father earning a living in construction. When he was not at work he was fishing and over time his skill and knowledge grew. Vladyka branched out into commercial fishing, catching Pan fish in the winter when construction slowed, supplementing his income with his love of angling. At first it was a commercial fishing business for Vladyka and local in nature, where he would buy other local anglers catches, so they would not have to travel as far to market saving them a little extra money. Because of the volume of fish he would also make a little extra from his own catch. As luck would have it that began to change around 2000 when he had the opportunity to take some people out fishing that he was doing carpentry work for on their camp. He brought them out fishing, made some decent money and the folks chose to release their catch to be caught again another day. this made Vladyka rethink about his commercial fishing adventure and he tried to start his own guide service. That's where the name Fish Hounds came from, loving his Golden Retriever the late "Chance" his Duck dog, fishing partner and of course best friend. The name Fish Hounds only seemed proper.
    The guide part of the business was very slow in the beginning and was more of a side job until one winter day when James got a call from a friend telling him that a person by the name of Dave Genz was coming to Vermont and was in need of a guide for an Ice fishing adventure, which led James to working with one of his fishing idols for the past decade helping to educate the Northeast on the modern ice fishing system. James Vladyka gives full credit to Dave Genz for helping him get started and pulling him to the top and where he is today.
    Vladyka found himself at a turning point when articles from outdoor writers that James took fishing started showing up in magazines such as Crappie World, In-fisherman, Field and Stream, Cabelas Outfitter Journal, Fur Fish & Game and his business was even featured in F+W’s Ice Fishing magazine as one of the four hotspot destinations along the Northeast Ice Belt. His early passion for fishing had grown into a business that became his livelihood and a chance to spend 365 days a year doing what he loves best, fishing.
    Vladyka has also hosted an episode of Ice Team TV (Connecticut River Monsters). He has worked with Vermont’s Outdoor Journal and host Lawrence Pine filming on Lake Champlain and also filmed with Tom Gruenwald for the TGO show that airs on the Outdoor Channel. Vladyka now specializes in guided fishing trips targeting White and Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Pike, Bass, Striped Bass and Walleye as well as many other fresh water species.
     James Vladyka still loves to take people out who have never been fishing and remarked, “The first timers are my favorite people to take fishing. Whether five years old or sixty folks who were not brought up around it, those are the ones I love. When a person catches a first fish the look and expression and fun that they have is something special. For me, I love not only chasing the big fish but customizing times out on the lake and making it the outdoor adventure that the customer wants.”
    Vladyka knows that our fresh water lakes are indeed some of the best fisheries in the U.S and a pleasurable paradise for people of all fishing levels. Whether he is out with partner Captain Dan Lussier on lake Champlain for Lake Trout, Salmon, on the Hudson River for Striped Bass or inland lakes for Rainbow Trout, Crappies or Yellow Perch, guiding fishing trips is his passion and his love of fishing is evident. Clients who come to Fish Hounds Outdoors can choose the ‘Lazy D and Me’ the 25' Baha Cruiser that is fully loaded with the latest electronics from touch screen Lowrance Chart plotters to hand held remote steering, or can put a line in the water off their 17 foot Lund as well as the shore of any Vermont lake. If you can dream up your fishing plan, James Vladyka can make it a reality. It is yet another reason this part of Vermont is such a special place to call home and for a Benson man who grew up loving to fish, it is a perfect way to spend any day. People looking to spend a day or even a weekend out on the water are encouraged to contact James Vladyka at [email protected] , by calling (802)774-8042, or checking out the Fish Hounds Outdoors website at www.fishhoundsoutdoors.com

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