Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for Friday, November 14th, 2025. Sunrise is at 6:49 AM and sunset at 4:29 PM, giving you just under 10 fresh hours on the water if you time it right. The forecast calls for extended snow and rain, with brisk winds rolling out of the southwest. Daytime highs are topping out in the low 40s, so layer up with cold, dry gear and don’t forget your rain jacket—those November fronts mean business, and you’ll want to be prepared.

Lake Champlain water temps are dropping toward the low 50s inshore, and the seasonal thermocline has settled around 12–15 feet. That’s put the smallmouth and largemouth bass in classic fall transition mode. They’re keying on shallow shoals, grassy points, and rocky humps where baitfish are schooling—and that means the action is concentrated but explosive. Following advice from Major League Fishing and Mike Iaconelli, you’ll want to “match the hatch” for local forage: shiners, smelt, and perch patterns are red hot right now.

Recent tournament results have shown a strong bite for smallmouth bass, with local anglers consistently landing bags in the 19–21 pound range. The Phoenix Bass Fishing League recognized multiple “Century Club” catches just yesterday, including several 5-pound class bronzebacks pulled from both the Vermont and New York sides. Night bite and light bite hours are producing best; pressure’s light, but when the wind calms and boat traffic dies, fish feed tight to structure.

Top lures include:
- Shallow Shad Raps in natural shiner/smelt, and perch colors
- Soft plastic jerkbaits (white, chartreuse, and green pumpkin)
- Alabama Rigs loaded with small swimbaits
- Tube jigs and Ned rigs for finesse bass presentations
- Popper and topwater plugs, especially during brief midday warmups

For bait, dead drifting live shiners and small perch near ledges and rock piles is producing a mixed bag of bass, walleye, and the occasional northern pike. Crayfish patterns are clutch right now, with Orvis reporting their “Jan’s Trout Crayfish” and “Magog Smelt” flies drawing heavy hits from both smallmouth and cold-water trout. Hang your presentations deep, use flourocarbon leaders for stealth, and slow your retrieve to match the sluggish, fall feeding mode.

Big pike are still on the chew—the shallows in Missisquoi Bay and the flats near Port Henry have given up several mid-30-inch fish in the last week. Panfish, of course, are always open; perch and bluegill schools are stacked up off Sand Bar and near the bridge pilings at Crown Point. Try a small jigging spoon or classic worm under a slip bobber.

Hot spots you won’t want to miss:
- The rocky humps off Valcour Island—smallmouth central, especially early and late.
- Missisquoi Bay marsh edges and weed beds for pike and largemouth.
- The Ticonderoga-area shoals with drop-offs into 20-plus feet—you’ll find walleye at dusk and bass when the sun breaks through.

Keep an eye out for biting flies and those sneaky November cold snaps. Stick to the windward shorelines if the weather gets nasty—they’ll hold fish and offer some shelter.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Lake Champlain local report! Be sure to subscribe for more fishing news, tips, and updates.

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