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sides off of them , open them up , and build new sides . You ’ ll also see wooden hard houses . People customize them and paint them . I ’ ve seen one with a picture of Bart Simpson from The Simpsons on it . It ’ s a fun way for ice fishers to express themselves .”
One of Vladyka ’ s favorite shelters to fish in is his old camper shelter , which is outfitted with a comfortable seating area , which is routinely used as a fishing perch by Vladyka , his clients , and his loyal and rugged dog , Stormy . The camper also houses a flatscreen television with an underwater camera , allowing visitors to watch the fish move through the water in high definition . A hole through the bottom of the camper ’ s floor allows Vladyka and several other fishermen to drop their lines into the water below the ice , providing an ideal setting for extended fishing sessions . “ No matter what shelter you fish in , you ’ re going to have a good time ice fishing here in Vermont ,” says Vladyka . “ You can catch perch , crappies , bluegills , bass , pike , pickerel , and trout . We even catch catfish and bullhead through the ice .”
The Captain ’ s Journey
Through his work as an outdoor sports guide , Vladyka has turned his lifelong passion for fishing and hunting into a successful business . A consummate outdoorsman , Vladyka is well-versed in multiple disciplines of hunting and fishing . Vladyka embarked on his first ice fishing adventure with his father , Larry Vladyka , when he was five years old . He went on to refine his skills in the woods and waters surrounding his hometown of Benson throughout his childhood and adolescence . Vladyka recalls : “ My parents would drop me off at a fishing spot on Lake Champlain called ‘ Singing Cedars ’ with my pop-up tent . I ’ d either stay there all day or I ’ d camp out overnight with one of my best friends . When we saw our parents pull up on a nearby road to pick us up , we would always pretend that we couldn ’ t see them because we wanted to keep fishing .” Growing up , Vladyka idolized the legendary ice fisher ,
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