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Lake Champlain's Champ

Mighty_Emperor

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From their main page;

We believe that there are some animals that are capable of healing themselves. We can use this knowledge to generate new non-interventional methods for humans to employ, and to provide third-world countries with premium and inexpensive health care.

Hah-de-ha-ha
 
MONSTER OF A CELEBRATION: Vermont officials start planning this week for the 400th anniversary of the discovery of Lake Champlain in 1609. Champlain is not a Great Lake, but it is, as explorer Samuel de Champlain described it, "full of fair islands and of fine countries," and, as the nation's sixth-largest fresh-water body, it's certainly good enough. It may be the occasion for a symposium on the mysterious, Loch Ness-Monsterish creature the Indians called "Chaousarou," and locals today call "Champ." Champ-o-phile Dennis Jay Hall tracks recent sightings on his website, champquest.com, but Champlain also reported a close encounter. Historian Ralph Nading Hill, says that the explorer spotted a creature "five feet in length and thick as a man's thigh with silver gray scales a dagger could not pierce and two and a half foot jaws filled with sharp and dangerous teeth." Champlain wrote in his journal: "The point of the snout is like that of a hog." Could they all be the same beast? Hall says the debate continues; with new high-tech "listening" devices in place under Champlain's waters, "the mystery should be a lot better understood by the end of this summer."

Scroll down to below the fold:

Source
Link is dead. Article is now behind a paywall.


Emps
 
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Vacationers Say They Saw Lake Monster

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. (AP) - Five vacationers from Maryland claim they've seen Champ, the mythical Lake Champlain monster.

Bob Gload and four of his grandchildren said they saw a dark, black, snakelike creature while bass fishing Wednesday afternoon. Gload said there was an ``explosion'' in the water, and then he saw three humps, two-to-three-feet tall, four-to-five feet apart.

``I was born in Champlain. I never believed in Champ or the Loch Ness monster,'' Gload told the Press-Republican of Plattsburgh. ``I believe now.''

Last year, the Skeptical Inquirer, a publication that routinely challenges such things as UFOs, Bigfoot and other mysterious claims, disputed the existence of Champ.

The story by Joseph Nickell and Benjamin Radford was based on a visit they made to the lake as part of a Discovery Channel production.

They swept the water with sonar and watched - unsuccessfully - at locations alleged to be particularly good for Champ sightings. In reviewing eyewitness accounts, the team noted ``widely inconsistent'' descriptions.

Lake Champlain is home to lake sturgeon that can grow to 7 feet in length and in some cases weigh up to 300 pounds.

But Gload is convinced that what he saw was a creature like no other.

``All I know is I've been fishing for a long time, and I've never seen anything like that,'' he said.


08/03/04 21:00

© Copyright The Associated Press.


Source
Link is dead. The AP story appears to be quoted in full above.
 
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I live ~40 miles from Lake Champlain and visit the area quite often.
I don't get close to the lake itself very often though...

But if anyone wants to fund an expedition, I'll sit on the bank with some binoculars!
 
Champ celebrated

http://www.capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=88183&SecID=33
Link is dead. The MIA article (quoted in full below) can be accessed via the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/2004081...s9.com/content/headlines/?ArID=88183&SecID=33



For the last 18, years people have been coming to the small village of Port Henry to celebrate a day in honor of Lake Champlain's very own lake monster, Champ.

Moriah Town Supervisor Tom Scozzafava said, "It brings a lot of people into our area, it is a celebration of Champ, our local sea monster."

Vendors sold their items on the sidewalk, there was music, games for the kids, and even a little bit of Champ himself. After a recent sighting last week, the village was packed with people looking for the lake monster, and items that bear his name.

Jack Woods from the Port Henry Chamber of Commerce said, "We have people coming in here looking for it, wanting to know where we find it, souvenirs, information, do you have a museum here? So and so forth."

Peggy Clarke of Moriah said, "It's a wonderful opportunity for folks to share their stories and say I really have seen him."

Five Maryland residents vacationing in Champlain, NY said that they had a close encounter with Champ last week. The vacationers said they saw the creature eat a seagull. There was a fair share of people at Champ day who said that they have also seen this creature with their very own eyes, which is something they said is all the more reason to come to the festival in the creatures name.

Port Henry celebrates their local sea monster, "Champ".

Bill O'Connor said, "We thought it was a little peculiar, seeing a log just moving around, and then we saw the ripples in the back of the head, and then it took off."

Fran O'Connor, of Ausable, said, "We do think it's important to come out for Champ day in honor of Champ."

Local residents said whether you believe in this lake monster or not, it really doesn't matter because this day is all about fun.

Dawn Curran of Port Henry said, "It's wonderful. I think everyone should celebrate it whether they believe or not."

"This is a good day to celebrate Champ, and to get together as a community," Clarke said.

Organizers said every year Champ Day has gotten bigger and with the latest sighting making headlines residents in this small village believe every day could be Champ's day. If you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this mysterious creature.
 
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New video of Champs!

Not bad -- but still not quite enough...
the best "headshot" we've ever had, though.

abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=1648662
Link is dead. No archived version found.


The news anchor is trying SO HARD to be dismissive --
but she just can't get away with it.

Enjoy!
TVgeek

Edit to Add:
Here's the text of a February 2006 ABC online article introducing and describing the video.

Is There a Monster in Lake Champlain?

ABC NewsMarch 17, 2006, 5:25 PM

Feb. 22, 2006 — -- Residents near Lake Champlain in New York say they have their own Loch Ness monster. They call it Champ, and it's a local legend.

It is the inspiration for parade floats, T-shirts, key chains, minor-league baseball team mascots, and wild stories.

ABC News obtained exclusive video of something just under the surface of the lake that some say may be Champ. The video was taken by two fishermen with their digital camera last summer. Before their supposed sighting, they were Champ skeptics.

"It was as big around as my thigh," said fisherman Peter Bodette. "I'm 100 percent sure of what we saw. I'm not 100 percent sure of what it was."

"It made my hair stand on end at the time," said fisherman Dick Affolter. "It just didn't fit anything -- any creature I had seen."

Affolter said they never saw the entire body.

"What we saw always stayed at the surface and parts of it would come above the water, like the back of the nose or the head," he said.

In the past, grainy pictures and home video taken from too far away did not provide a clear picture. This footage -- showing an odd wake -- is from a closer vantage point, but still not clear.

Lake Champlain Lore

So far, there have been hundreds of sightings -- sometimes more than a dozen a year -- of Champ.

"There are people who say they've seen something unusual in the lake," said Lohr McKinstry, a reporter for the Press Republican, who has been writing about Champ sightings for more than 20 years. "Some sort of unusual life that shouldn't be there in Lake Champlain. Best guess would be that it is some sort of creature that possibly should be extinct."

The Champ frenzy began in the 1880s when P.T. Barnum offered $50,000 for the capture of Champ dead or alive. Hunters and fishermen came out of the woods, but no one was able to collect.

As for the latest sighting, two retired FBI analysts reviewed the tape and said that it appeared authentic.

"I can't find anything in there that would suggest or indicate to me that this has been fabricated or manipulated in any way," said Gerald Richards, a forensic image analyst. "However, there's no place in there that I can see actually see, an animal or any other object on the surface."
SOURCE: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1648547
 
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thanks for that TVgeek !! very cool.
looked like a longed necked something that wasn't to shy. weird!! :shock:

note: you can stop the film and view individual frames- do this and check out that head!! when it comes along side and up toward the surface by the boat , you can view the head on a few frames..you can see some detail (eye, nose holes, etc..) it looks dino like!
 
It's very compelling. I guess ABC bought some kind of exclusive rights to it, so it hasn't been widely seen (in fact, I saw it the first time on the video).

If it's not faked, I'm not sure what it is... :shock:
 
I'm not sure what it is either. I'm prety sure its not a fake though . As I said above , you can stop and start the film as the creature swims up under and by the side of the boat. I googled all types of fish (eels) , and can't find a match for the head. The closest was a wolf eel, but this creature in the film is to large ..I have a feeling it is a head and neck connected to a larger body (what we see)-and past sonar voice do hickey sounds that have been picked up , say its sort of mamal like (whale , etc..) is this thing an unknown whale mamal creature thought to be gone ?? or just a creature never before listed , (I think so) to much proof over time now ..this has go to be the #1 place for scientific research in my HO!
 
That would explain many of the described features.

I couldn't really see anything of detail in there, but I didn't do frame by frame.

Still, I'm planning on visiting Lake Champlain in May, so might have a bit of a look around.
 
These monsters can grow to over 7 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. They have been mistaken for the famous Lake Champlain Monster.

The LAKE STURGEON population in Lake Champlain

thought itmight be this , but it still looks like a Pike on a couple of freeze frames.

source LAKE FISH BIG ONES

TMP153.jpg

SALVAGED FROM THE WAYBACK MACHINE:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160806103702/http://www.angelfire.com/home/lake/images/TMP153.jpg

WATER LEOPARD
 
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ruffready said:
These monsters can grow to over 7 feet in length and weigh up to 300 pounds. They have been mistaken for the famous Lake Champlain Monster.
That seems a little definite. Are they sure it's been mistaken for Champ? Rather than Champ being one of them?
 
Facts About Tiger Muskie
Tiger muskie are the bad boys of freshwater sport fish. They get big and mean and have nasty dispositions. Catching a big tiger is an exciting event and a milestone that fishermen brag about.

A hybrid cross between muskellunge and northern pike, the tiger muskie exhibits characteristics of both parents. It has an elongated, tube-like body with gray-green vertical bars on its sides. It’s a fierce predator that does well in reservoirs where there is plenty of forage. It’s renowned as a sport fish because it can grow to a large size, it readily attacks lures and it fights like, well, like a tiger.

The Utah record, which measured 48 3/8 inches and weighed 31 pounds 4 ounces, was caught in Pineview Reservoir in 2001 by Roger Klug. The catch-and-release record measured a whopping 53 1/4 inches and was caught in Pineview by Ray Johnson.

In 1919, on the boundary waters of Wisconsin and Michigan, a tiger muskie was caught that tipped the scales at 51 pounds, 3 ounces.

Pineview has become a premier fishery for tiger muskie in the Western U.S. Tigers have also been stocked in Newton Reservoir, and it provides some action for large fish. More recently, tigers were planted in Cottonwood and Bullock reservoirs in Utah’s Northeastern Region, and in Mill Meadow in the Southern Region. It is too early to say how the fish will do in those waters.

Tiger were stocked in Johnson Valley Reservoir, near Fish Lake, but they apparently did not survive.

Tiger muskie do not normally reproduce and so their numbers can be controlled directly by regulating stocking and harvest. In Utah, they are being used effectively as a management tool to control the number of pan and rough fish in reservoirs. Before tigers were introduced in Pineview, the reservoir was overpopulated with perch and they were stunted — most running 5-7 inches. Now the perch population is healthier and fish run 9-11 inches.

As of this writing, the tiger muskie limit is one fish over 40 inches on all waters throughout the state. But regulations may change from year to year and water to water, so always check the current proclamation.

Like pike and muskellunge, tigers use weed patches, rocks, stumps and logs for cover as they ambush prey. Most feeding activity occurs during the early morning and evening hours. Tigers are less tolerant of warm water temperatures than muskie and they often move to deeper waters throughout the summer.

During the spring and fall, anglers should concentrate efforts on underwater structures near shore. Look for the fish near the edges of deep weedlines during the heat of summer.

Both trolling and casting are effective for tigers. Traditional pike and muskie lures work well, including large bucktail spinners, spoons and jointed plugs. Smaller bass lures can also be effective, including skirted spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and crankbaits.

How to Handle a Tiger

Tiger muskie have sharp teeth. Because they are large and powerful, they can be difficult to handle. Tom Pettengill, DWR Sport Fishing Coordinator, gives this advice:

Bring the fish to the side of the boat as quickly as possible so it doesn't become too exhausted. This is especially important during warm weather. For most anglers, the easiest way to land a muskie is with a good-sized landing net. Do not bring the fish into the boat. A fish flopping around in the bottom of a boat can be seriously injured.

For smaller muskie, those 30 inches or less in length, anglers should grab the fish by the tail and turn it sideways. This will disorient the fish, making it easier to unhook. Grip the fish over the top of the gill plates, remembering not to squeeze too hard, and remove the hook.

Tiger muskie more than 30 inches in length should be given time to calm down. Then, grip the fish firmly by the gill cover. Anglers may wish to wear a leather or rubber glove, but shouldn't rely on a thin, surgical glove.

The next step is to slide your fingers inside the gill cover, with your thumb on the outside. Move your hand forward, getting a firm hold of the gill plate. Do not grab the fish's gills, as they can be easily torn, causing a fatal injury.

Keep the fish in the water while unhooking. Use long-nosed pliers to remove the hooks. If the hooks are in a spot that will cause serious injury, such as the gills or in tough bony tissue, it's better to cut the hook off using heavy-duty wire cutters. If the fish is deeply hooked, use jaw spreaders to hold the mouth open while you unhook it.
SOURCE

toothycritters.com/tigerfacts.htm
Link is dead. The MIA webpage (quoted in full above) can be accessed via the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070709062703/http://www.toothycritters.com/tigerfacts.htm


It has an elongated, tube-like body
 
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I'd like to hear Loch Ness expert Adrian Shine's take on the current film!
he's a "big fish" proponent . What did Oll lewis say about this latest gif?

does Oll think its attacking the line?
 
Looks like they have fastened a salmon or another big fish to a rope, secured the rope to the boat and then thrown the fish back into the sea.
 
The only way a fish can be "fastened" to a rope is thru the mouth or gills. Muskies basically have no predators to fear in lakes, so they can be very aggressive. They are one of the favorites for anglers round here, right behind the pike and bass.
 
Strange Audio from Lake Champlain

Researchers looking for "Champ" the Lake Champlain monster, have captured some "odd" underwater recordings.

The story is a 5 Minute Video in WCAX news. Watch it here
Link is dead. No archived version found.


Mr P, over & out
 
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is there anyone here who has personally encountered champ
 
The closest I've ever heard anyone encountering champ is the mascot for Vermont's farm league baseball team, The Lake Monsters
 
I have no idea what's in the photo but if there's a breeding population of creatures there, why do we only have one "good" photo of it?
 
Lady in the US seems to have caught sonar footage (if that's the correct term) of something twenty feet long beneath her boat, CFZ's JOn Downes interviews her:

 
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