Benson, VT

James Vladyka is owner and operator of Fish Hounds Outdoors in Benson Vermont and has been fishing the North East area his entire life. Since 2000 he has been specializing in guided ice fishing trips targeting White and Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Sunfish, Pike, Bass and Walleye.

In 2010 James and his good friend Scott Blair started a tournament series called the Vermont Sportsmans Hardwater Tournament Series which has been growing rapidly.

In the North East he helps educate customers and promotes the great sport of fishing by hosting seminars and free youth clinics. Ice fishing is where his skills excel, his goal is to help you learn as much as possible. Spend time with him and you will walk off the ice with a better understanding of how to catch more fish! He also does public speaking to help promote products he uses and believes in such as the Jamei a soft plastic bait he helped design. James has had the pleasure of working with Dave Genz the past six years helping to educate the North East on the modern ice fishing system. James has appeared in magazines such as In-fisherman, Crappie World, Fur Fish & Game and F+W’s Ice Fishing magazine ( as one of four hot spot destinations along the Ice Belt). James has also appeared on Vermont’s Outdoor Journal with host Lawrence Pine. James has put his fishing skills against some of the top fisherman in the country by participating in the Professional ice fishing circuit and National Qualifiers. In addition to Vexilar he is also a Pro Staff member for Clam, StrikeMaster,Custom Jigs & Spins, Navionics, Delorme, Hydro Glow Fishing lights, FishGillz and Maki Plastic.