Artificial Lure here with your August 15, 2025, Lake Champlain fishing report, coming to you clear and local from the borderlands of Vermont and New York.

You couldn’t have picked a finer August morning—sunrise slid in at 5:55 AM with a promise of calm, dry air and just a touch of mist. Today will push up near 81°F under partly cloudy skies, with a gentle southwest breeze rippling the surface, making for ideal casting conditions. Expect sunset tonight at 8:03 PM. If you’re out early or late, you’ll avoid the midday lull and find the fish most active.

No tides to worry about here, but keep an eye on wind direction, especially if you’re drifting deep around the main channels.

Action’s been picking up, especially with the cooler nights giving fish a nudge from their summer sulk. Lake Champlain’s famous *Atlantic salmon* are making headlines—recent efforts to control invasive sea lamprey and bolster natural populations are paying off big time. According to the Vermont Public, last year saw record numbers of salmon lifted from the Salmon Hole on the Winooski, and this season is tracking just as strong. The New York DEC has just installed a new salmon monitoring weir on the Boquet River, so expect continued strong runs through the tributaries. Anglers along the mouth of the Boquet and Winooski are pulling in solid numbers, most salmon running 20–25 inches and showing healthy weights. The Boquet especially is seeing good movement, with both fry and smolt stockings contributing to the mix.

If you’re targeting salmon, your best bet right now is a silver flutter spoon or a blue-backed stickbait trolled 25–40 feet down, paired with a light fluorocarbon leader. Run them early or just before dusk for best results. Tie on a pink or natural-colored streamer fly if you’re working fast water up the tributaries.

Smallmouth and largemouth bass are still hot tickets on the lake. Local bassers are reporting topwater strikes at first light with hollow-bodied frogs and poppers in the shallows near Colchester Reef and the rocky points around Valcour Island. As the sun climbs, switch to green pumpkin tubes and Ned rigs along the drop-offs; bass are holding at 8–14 feet. If storms roll in, don’t be afraid to go big and flashy—chatterbaits in chartreuse or white draw strikes even in stained water.

White perch, always a local favorite, are schooling up in good numbers over the mid-lake humps and on the flats near Thompson’s Point. According to SI.com’s recent tips, try a 3-inch shad swimbait on a 3/16 oz jighead, or a small lipless crankbait in chrome for that aggressive school bite. Bring an extra cooler; fish up to 14 inches have been common and the action is fast when you find the schools. Most folks are jigging vertically under the boat, but a slow-rolled swimbait can turn the trick on scattered fish.

For those hunting panfish for the table, the weedlines at Keeler Bay are stacked with bluegill and crappie, hitting small live minnows or bright micro-jigs.

Got sturgeon on your mind? The Sturgeon Moon is shining bright, and legendary local tales say these lake monsters were once a common summertime catch. While sturgeon fishing is strictly regulated, it’s a reminder of the lake’s incredible native biodiversity.

Hot spots? Try the mouth of the Boquet River for salmon and the drop-offs near Valcour Island for bass. For a family setup with multispecies potential, hit the weedbeds at Keeler Bay or the edges off Thompson’s Point to chase perch and panfish.

Bring sunscreen, stay hydrated, and don’t forget to check current NY and VT regulations on harvest and slot limits—especially for salmon and sturgeon.

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Artificial Lure here with your Wednesday, August 13th Lake Champlain fishing report. Today’s sunrise was at 5:55 AM, and sunset will be around 8:01 PM, giving us those elongated summer daylight hours—prime time for working the banks at dawn and dusk.

We’re smack in the dog days of summer, and it’s feeling every bit of it out there: morning temps started in the mid-70s, and we’ll top out near 88 under sunny skies. The air is dead calm this morning with a gentle 7 mph breeze putting barely a riffle on the water—same story as yesterday, according to Advanced Bassin Plus out of Montreal, who say it felt hotter than the mercury read[5]. Water temps are holding in the upper 70s to low 80s, and the lake’s soaked in sunshine, making shallow weeds and docks prime shade for fish.

Lake Champlain’s fishing has been hot—if you pick your spots and your techniques. Yesterday on the north end, Omnia Fishing reports that smallmouth bass were found suspended over ledges and mid-column in up to 40 feet of water, eager for a drop shot or deep finesse presentation. On the southern and east side flats, largemouth were active in the shallow reeds and lily pads, especially early, going hard after topwater frogs like the ToadZ. A few fish over 4 pounds were boated, with several good ones right on the 3-pound mark. Dragging a jig under docks in the shade also picked up bites.

For the multispecies crew, mpfishizzle on Instagram checked in with a salmon and a chunky sheepshead off the dock, proving the variety Lake Champlain can dish out. Don’t overlook the bowfin, freshwater drum, and even longnose gar cruising the weededges—MidCurrent highlights the dog days as the perfect time to tangle with these heat-loving species[3][7].

As for techniques, when the lake is this healthy and packed with bait—the latest from Bassmaster and The Bass Cast both mention how “incredibly healthy, top to bottom” Champlain is right now—it pays to stand out with your offering. For bass, reach for natural-colored drop shot baits, Neko rigs, or wacky-rigged soft plastics for suspended smallies off the points and ledges. In the shallow muck, lean on weedless frogs or oversized creature baits hopped or swum through the vegetation. When dragging the bottom, Texas- or Carolina-rigged worms and craws in green pumpkin or black-blue will get noticed. For those after a mixed bag, jigging a swimbait around submerged structure or pitching cut bait off the deeper docks could tempt drum, sheepshead, or the odd salmon.

Best baits right now: topwater frogs at first and last light, drop shot Gulp! minnow or small finesse worms for deep smallmouth, and soft stickbaits or creature baits rigged Texas-style for largemouth near heavy weed and dock cover.

Hot spots: The Inland Sea and Missisquoi Bay are producing solid smallmouth limits and big largemouth this week, especially on the windblown side early. On the New York side, the Ticonderoga stretch down to Crown Point is heavy with vegetation and quality largemouth—big frogs and punching rigs excel here. Don’t skip the classic Colchester Reef and Juniper Island ledges if you’re after deeper smallmouth.

Lewis Creek is trickling in at a modest 15 cfs with clear flows, helping keep the surrounding west shore gin-clear—ideal for stalking sight-feeding bass and pike near the mouths[6]. With lake clarity high, especially after pollen season, go a little lighter on leaders and downsize when the bite gets fussy.

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Artificial Lure here, reporting from the shores of Lake Champlain on a classic August morning. It’s Sunday, August 10th, 2025, and the lake’s been waking up under clear skies and light south winds—already touching 87°F by midday, with humidity creeping up and tomorrow promising even hotter weather according to Snoflo’s local flow reports. That means fish are hunkering deep early and moving shallow at dusk.

Sunrise hit at about 5:50 am and you’ll see sunset just shy of 8:02 pm. The Sturgeon Moon was full this weekend—named not just for the celestial event, but from when the giant sturgeon used to be thick in Lake Champlain waters, just as AccuWeather’s moon watch reminded us. That big moon still has the fish a little skittish, with overnight feeding leaving them finicky this morning.

Bass action’s been hit or miss these last few days. Reports out of Advanced Bassin’ Plus over in Quebec, right up the system, said folks had to really work for bites, especially with high heat and flat water—casting soft plastics on dropshot rigs accounted for most of the catches, especially largemouth. You’ll want to finesse those baits: shaky heads, Ned rigs, and subtle stick worms are the ticket. Use natural colors like watermelon and green pumpkin in the clear water.

On the Vermont side, Point Au Roche State Park is a prime spot—fish around Deep Bay’s mooring zone and marshy edges for mixed bags. You’ll find smallmouth on rocky drop-offs and largemouth tucked into weed beds and shaded timber. Perch are biting on live minnows and nightcrawlers, with kids landing plenty right off the docks. Good numbers of eating-size yellow perch and reports of a few big rock bass mixed in.

Bowfin and tench have shown up in catch reports—Instagram angler sightings noted monster bowfin over 11lb and chunky tench up to 5lb in back bays and muddy sloughs, with cut bait and crawfish-lure hybrids doing the trick. Sucker and the occasional sturgeon are being landed in the river mouths on dough balls and heavy gear, especially right after dark. The Bouquet River’s flowing steady, thanks to recent rains, so trout and walleye are active where the cooler water enters the main lake.

Hot spots for today:
- **The sand flats off Point Au Roche State Park:** excellent for smallmouth and perch early, especially on cranks and tubes.
- **Missisquoi Bay:** frog baits along the pads for largemouth, with evening topwater bite heating up as wind picks up and sun dips.
- **The mouths of the Bouquet and Ausable Rivers:** deep jigging for walleye and the chance at a stray big sturgeon.

Best lures and bait—soft plastics for bass, live minnows for panfish, cut bait for bowfin and sucker. Topwater frogs and poppers after sunset, especially during this warm spell.

Looking ahead, expect the fish to get more active with the front passing through and some winds picking up. Remember, day-use at Point Au Roche is until sunset, pet-friendly, and the trails are beautiful if you want a break from casting.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Lake Champlain fishing report—don’t forget to subscribe for more angling updates and hot tips. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Good morning, anglers—Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Lake Champlain fishing report for Saturday, August 9th, 2025.

We’re kicking off the day under the glow of August’s Full Sturgeon Moon, just past peak. The name comes from the legendary lake sturgeon that called these waters home, and if you’re after legend-sized fish, today’s a fine day to be out. The sunrise at Burlington hit around 5:47 a.m. and we’ll have sunlight until about 8:10 p.m., giving you over fourteen hours of opportunity to chase ‘em.

Weather’s coming in hot—expect highs pushing 94°F, with heat indexes up to 100 thanks to thick humidity. There’s a 30% chance of showers and the possibility of a rumble of thunder this afternoon, mainly after lunchtime, so keep one eye on the sky and plan accordingly. Winds will be out of the south at 8 to 11 mph. With the water warm and the skies patchy, early morning or late evening is your best bet for a strong bite. According to the latest NOAA forecast, high temps will keep fish moving deep during mid-day, so target drop-offs, ledges, and shaded structure[10].

On the bite: The lake has been productive this week. Wild lake trout numbers are on the uptick, with consistent catches reported near Thompson’s Point and around the deeper humps off Juniper Island. Local reports mention solid smallmouth and largemouth bass hauls from rocky points northeast of Valcour Island and in the weedbeds along the New York side at King’s Bay. Word from the Westport launch is that the perch bite remains steady, especially jigging small minnows or plastics near submerged timber.

Hot catches: Anglers trolling the main lake basin have landed lake trout in the 5–8 pound class, mostly on silver-blue spoons pulled 50–70 feet down. Bass folks are doing well on soft plastics—think green pumpkin tubes and creature baits—in 10 to 20 feet, particularly when fished slow along drop-offs. I’ve been hearing chatter about some nice walleye taken at dusk along the mouth of the Winooski River with deep-diving crankbaits and big nightcrawlers.

With the Sturgeon Moon lighting the night, nocturnal catfish action has picked up, especially using chunk bait near the mouth of the Bouquets and Missisquoi River. On the muskie front, efforts have been rewarded near the Champlain Bridge using oversized jerkbaits like the Kanata Megabass—worth a shot if you’re after a toothy giant.

Best lures and bait for today:
- Lake trout: Silver or blue flutter spoons, white tube jigs tipped with smelt strips.
- Smallmouth/Largemouth bass: Green pumpkin tubes, Ned rigs, topwater poppers in low-light, and black Senkos.
- Perch: Small chartreuse jigs tipped with worms or fatheads.
- Catfish: Cut bait (dead perch or sucker) or heavy stinkbait near structure in slow-moving water.
- Walleye: Deep-diving shad-imitators and crawler harnesses at dusk or dawn.

A couple hot spots:
- Thompson’s Point drop-offs for lake trout and smallies.
- The northern side of Valcour Island for a mixed bag, especially bass and perch.
- The mouth of the Bouquets River for evening walleye and catfish.

Flows on the local rivers like the Saranac and Bouquets are down but still fresh from recent rains, so tributary mouths are worth attention for opportunistic trout and walleye. Remember that with the hot sun, take plenty of water and keep your catch cool—released fish will appreciate a gentle touch and quick revival in these summer temps.

Thanks for tuning into today’s Lake Champlain fishing report. I’m Artificial Lure, reminding you to subscribe for daily updates, tips, and a bit of local know-how.

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Artificial Lure here with your August 8th Lake Champlain fishing report—sunrise lit up the lake at 5:44 AM and we’re looking at a classic late-summer pattern, with temps starting off in the low 60s and highs pushing into the upper 70s by afternoon, under partly cloudy Vermont skies. Winds will be a gentle 5-10 mph out of the west, which means you’ll find a perfect ripple on most open water stretches. Heading into the evening, expect sunset at 8:08 PM, and don’t forget, that big Sturgeon Moon is peaking tomorrow, but moonrise tonight (8:07 PM) should push some fantastic after-dusk activity—especially for catfish and walleye, which historically bite well under a bright August moon according to local tradition and reports from North American fishing tribes.

Water temps on Champlain are hovering right around 74-76°F on the surface, creating lively but scattered bait activity. There’s still a decent push of larger bunker in deeper water, but more bait is shifting to bay anchovies and silversides, and those are stacked up in shallower weed beds and along the drop-offs near Shelburne Bay and the Sand Bar. These are drawing in big smallmouth and largemouth bass, especially as the sun gets higher.

As for catch reports, this past week anglers have bagged plenty of chunky smallmouth, with numerous limits in the 15-20 pound range, especially up by the mid-lake humps and rocky points from Valcour Island down to Split Rock. A couple of locals weighed in smallmouth topping four pounds, and a few largemouth over five came out of heavy weeds in Carry Bay and Missisquoi Bay. The north end of the lake is seeing solid Northern Pike action in the mornings, and bowfin have been surprisingly active in the thickest shallows near Dead Creek.

Best baits right now are dark-colored Texas-rigged worms—10-inch Power Bait or Yum models for thick weeds, and a compact black-and-blue jig for punching into the milfoil. For open water and rocky shoreline, it’s tough to beat a drop-shot rig with a natural smelt-colored Berkley Gulp or Z-Man Finesse TRD—these are killing it on rocky shelfs and points. Early mornings and dusky evenings, toss a topwater Spook or popper if you see shad flipping on the surface. For live bait, local shops report golden shiners and sucker minnows are the go-tos for pike and walleye, especially near river mouths and deeper bends. Nightcrawlers on a slip sinker rig are working wonders for channel cats after dark.

Hot spots today: Shelburne Bay is prime, especially at dawn before the boaters roll in. The Sand Bar causeway area is stacking up fish thanks to current and bait clusters—expect mixed bags, from bass to perch and the occasional big walleye. South of the bridge, check the weed edges along Cole Bay and hit the Missisquoi River outflow if you want a shot at trophy pike and the rare bowfin.

Remember, the Ausable Marsh Wildlife Management Area on the New York side offers easy access and a shot at both bass and pike, plus a chance for panfish if you want to bring the family. Bring abrasion-resistant line—both braid and fluorocarbon—since these weed beds are thick and fish are not shy about digging deep when hooked.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Champlain angling report—I’m Artificial Lure. Don’t forget to subscribe for the latest conditions, tips, and catches straight from the lake. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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Lake Champlain anglers, this is Artificial Lure coming to you with your latest fishing report for August 6, 2025. The region’s been blessed with classic summer weather—warm temps today in the low 80s, some high cloud cover, and a soft southwest breeze that held steady at 7-10 mph most of the day. Sunrise slid in at 5:38 AM, painting the islands gold, and sunset's at 8:13 PM, giving you ample daylight to chase that next big one. Water clarity is good, with surface temps sitting right around 74°F, and wave heights have stayed modest, creating safe boating conditions across most of the lake, according to the National Weather Service in Burlington.

With a full moon last night—the “Buck Moon”—there’s been plenty of nocturnal fish activity. Early morning and dusk are still your premium bite windows: predator species like smallmouth and largemouth bass have been actively feeding on the flats and around rocky points at first and last light, typical for August. Northern pike and pickerel have been cruising the weed beds, while reports out of the deeper basins from local anglers, like sam_hanggi_fishing, confirm success jigging up lake trout in 70-90 feet near Juniper Island and Outer Mallets Bay.

If you're targeting bass, the Bassmaster Kayak Series, which hit Champlain last weekend, showed that shallow running squarebill crankbaits, black and blue chatterbaits, and weightless Senkos are getting hammered in the grass and along breaklines—especially in Missisquoi Bay and around the mouth of the LaPlatte River. Ned rigs and drop shots are also putting numbers in the boat off gravel and rock transitions. For natural bait, live crawlers and golden shiners drifted just outside thick weed lines are coaxing up both smallmouth and the occasional chunky perch.

Lake trout have been keyed on white and silver tube jigs or 3” flutter spoons—anglers working those deeper humps off Split Rock and the Colchester Reef are finding quality fish. Early risers out of the Lamoille and Winooski river mouths are still connecting with some bonus walleye at dawn, mostly on chartreuse jigheads tipped with nightcrawlers.

Here’s your quick hot spot rundown if you’re launching soon:
1. Missisquoi Bay: Still loaded with fish and decent weed edges—try a walking topwater at first light.
2. Juniper Island ledges: Deepwater trout and the occasional bonus salmon, perfect for vertical jigging and trolling.
3. The Sandbar Causeway: Classic summer panfish site, also solid bass fishing along the drop-offs.

Boat launches at Access Road, Isle La Motte and Apple Island Resort remain open and are seeing good use—arrive early if you want a spot on weekends. For those looking for shore access, the Colchester Causeway and the South Hero F&W access provide an easy option for families and casual anglers.

Word from the camps and the Apple Island Resort is the bite’s better than it’s been in weeks, so make the most of these mild evenings and the full moon cycle. Remember, August is a prime month for landing a “double”—bass in the morning, trout in the deep by noon.

Thanks for tuning in to your local Lake Champlain fishing report. Be sure to subscribe for updates as the season heats up. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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Artificial Lure here with your July 7th, 2025, Lake Champlain fishing report, bringing you the sweet and salty news from both the Vermont and New York sides of the kingdom. Settle in, because it’s early summer prime time and the bite’s popping hotter than a cast iron skillet on the Fourth of July.

Let’s talk weather. Today’s been classic July—warm afternoon highs around 82°F, partly cloudy, with a gentle southerly breeze nudging five to eight knots across the main lake, calming down some of that midday chop. Water temps are up in the low 70s in most of the bays and stretches, perfect for both smallies and largemouth to stay aggressive. Sunrise hit this morning about 5:17 AM, sunset’s sliding in at 8:36 PM—long daylight means lots of fishing opportunity, especially for you after-work warriors.

Now, the Champlain fish activity has been stellar this week. According to the Lake Champlain, Vermont/New York Daily Fishing Report podcast, smallmouth bass are still on a tear, with post-spawn wolfpacks cruising shallow rocky flats and points. Recent derby numbers show three-day totals topping 60 pounds, and multiple bags over 20 pounds per day—Cortiana just locked up a Major League Fishing win with 64 pounds of smallmouth, all caught within the past 72 hours.

Largemouth are lurking in the weedbeds on the east side near Sand Bar and Missisquoi Bay, with topwater frogs and Senkos drawing strikes in the slop, especially early and late. Panfish, especially yellow perch and bluegill, remain active in deeper weedlines—perfect for families and beginners working around the islands.

Best baits right now? For smallmouth, it’s hard to beat a mix of the Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General wacky rigged on a 2/0 hook and the Berkley Flatnose Jerk Shad on a light jighead—major winners in the recent tournaments. Crankbaits are back in style too, with the Berkley Frittside 5 in ‘lone ranger’ color tempting big smallies off mid-depth rock piles and transition points. For largemouth, go with a hollow-body frog or a classic Texas-rigged creature bait pitched into those thick weeds.

If you’re into topwater, try a Berkley J-Walker or your favorite spook-style bait right at sunrise and sunset over shallow shoals and docks—explosive strikes have been the talk all week. Minnows and soft plastics are also pulling in some quality walleye at dusk, especially south towards the Crown Point Bridge.

A couple of hot spots for tonight and tomorrow: The Inland Sea’s southern edge near Burton Island has been loaded with smallmouth, and around the Willsboro Bay area on the New York side, decent numbers of smallies and the occasional bonus salmon are coming on tubes and flukes. Don’t forget the mouth of the Bouquet River—it’s running a little low right now, but always holds a mixed bag, especially when the wind lays down at sunset.

No tidal swing to worry about out here, but watch the wind—it can push warmer surface water and bait into certain shorelines, so follow the birds and you’ll likely find the big ones.

That’s the scoop from Artificial Lure for July 7th on Lake Champlain. Thanks for tuning in and don’t forget to subscribe for daily updates and hot tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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It’s Artificial Lure coming to you with your July 6th, 2025, narrative fishing report for Lake Champlain, straddling the Vermont and New York border.

Bright sunshine dominated most of the day, with temps sitting in the comfortable mid-70s and a gentle northwest breeze keeping things fresh. Sunrise rolled in at 5:21 AM, and sunset will dazzle at 8:38 PM, giving us a generous window to work the water. After a recent cold front, the lake was finicky in spots, but the bite stayed steady for anglers willing to adjust.

Let’s talk fish. Bass are the current stars of Lake Champlain, both smallmouth and largemouth showing up in numbers and size. Yesterday, just up north, pros and locals alike hauled in bags over twenty pounds, with Bryan LaBelle landing a five-bass limit topping 22 pounds, 15 ounces to clinch a win in a weekend derby. The shallows have held plenty of action, and bites were reported consistently from north to south, especially where milfoil and rock mix close to drops or current seams. Mixed bags included the odd hefty walleye and even a sturgeon or two for the lucky few, but bass are the big draw.

Bait and lure selection has been crucial. Locals in the know have been rolling with a few top producers:
- Texas-rigged soft plastics like the 4- to 5-inch Damiki Stinger or perch-colored Senko worms. Go subtle on those pressured spots—natural greens and browns outperformed flashier colors.
- Drop-shotting goby-hued shad shape worms or Roboworms around 12-15 feet of water found shy smallmouth hugging the bottom, especially as the day warmed.
- Carolina rigs, especially with a short, 1-foot leader and a green pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw, delivered when fish weren’t chasing. Drag slow across gravel or sand.
- For surface action, the brown SPRO frog was unbeatable in heavy weed mats, and a Strike King Sexy Dawg or Lucky Craft Gunfish produced those wild topwater strikes during the early morning calm.

Don’t forget the swim jig paired with a craw trailer—green pumpkin with a dash of orange claw did best—when working transition areas where weeds thin out into bare bottom.

Hot spots today included the mouth of the Bouquet River where current and bait meet, and the milfoil lines off the mouth of the Missisquoi Bay, particularly at first light. Both regions coughed up numbers and some real bruisers. If you’re hunting for consistent action, don’t overthink it—work windblown points with healthy grass and swap between finesse drop-shots and heavier jigs as conditions shift.

On the tidal front, Champlain isn’t tidal, but keep an eye on wind-driven current and inflows like the Bouquet and Ausable rivers. They’ve kept fish active and bait moving, especially after rains.

Overall, today anglers reported steady catches, with several describing it as “another day in paradise” despite some tricky wind and the lingering effects of last night’s cold front. Expect the bite to get hotter and more aggressive as the week progresses and the water warms back up.

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Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for June 22, 2025, covering the heart of Vermont and New York’s premier big water.

We’ve got sunrise this morning at 5:13 AM and sunset holding steady around 8:40 PM—plenty of daylight for long drifts or a few hours of evening dock casting. The forecast calls for bluebird skies and a gentle northwest breeze, with morning temps in the high 50s rising into the upper 60s by late afternoon. The main lake is running cool for June, with surface temps near 54°F, but the sun is warming up those shallower coves—exactly what you want for a variety of summer bites. Lake Champlain, being non-tidal, lets you focus on wind and sun cycles without worrying about tides.

Smallmouth bass are the main event this week. Reports from mid-lake—especially around Valcour Island, Willsboro Bay, and the Inland Sea—are lighting up with catches of 1-4 pound bronzebacks. Crews in the central basin bagged up to 20 smallies in a session, plus a few bonus northern pike. The bite is best early and late on topwater frogs, then it shifts as the sun rises: switch to jerkbaits like the PXR Mavrik 110 in Metallic Yellow Perch or a classic 5" Green Pumpkin Black Senko, Texas-rigged. If you’re targeting beds or rocky flats, tube jigs in green pumpkin and drop shots can’t be beat. Some anglers are finding success with sight fishing, but stained water in a few north shore bays means reaction baits could put more fish in the boat.

Largemouth are showing but not as thick as the smallies right now. If you want to hunt them, hit the weed beds in southern bays or try Shelburne Bay and Town Farm Bay, both known largemouth haunts. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, and soft plastics are the go-tos here.

Northern pike season is still productive, especially with those cooler lake temps. Pike are hanging around weed edges and submerged timber—throw big chartreuse or red/white Pike Bunnies, or drag a classic Clouser Minnow on the fly rod if that’s your jam.

Lake trout anglers are working the deeper ledges from Westport up toward Cumberland Head. The lakers are mostly deep by now, so break out your downriggers and troll narrow spoons or plugs that mimic smelt, the lake’s primary forage. Early risers have been rewarded, but a steady troll throughout the day can yield nice multi-fish boxes.

A couple of hot spots for this week:
- Valcour Island’s rocky points for smallmouth early and late
- The weed beds just outside Shelburne Bay for largemouth and bonus pike
- And for deep-water action, the stretch from Willsboro Bay north to Cumberland Head is prime time for lake trout

That rounds out today’s report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for the latest on bite windows, tactics, and all things Champlain. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for Saturday, June 21, 2025, covering both the Vermont and New York sides—let’s get right into the action.

We started our day with a sunrise at 5:13 AM, and anglers have until tonight’s sunset at 8:40 PM to put in work on the water. No tidal swings to worry about here—Lake Champlain is an inland lake, so fish patterns are driven by weather and daylight. Today’s weather is shaping up to be just about perfect: highs in the upper 60s to low 70s, partly cloudy skies, and a gentle south wind at 5 to 10 mph. Water temps are sitting around 54°F in the main basin, which is keeping the bite steady but concentrated, especially around those sun-heated shallows and rocky structure.

Smallmouth bass are the stars of the week. The spawn is winding down in most spots, with fish either guarding nests or cruising flats. According to the latest reports out of the central lake, it’s not uncommon for anglers to haul in up to 20 smallmouth in a session, with several fish in the 2- to 4-pound range and a few tanks pushing past 5 pounds. Early and late in the day, topwater frogs have been the ticket, especially around shallow bays and weedy lines. Once the sun gets up, switching to jerkbaits—like that PXR Mavrik 110 in Metallic Yellow Perch—or a Green Pumpkin Black Senko, Texas-rigged, is putting numbers in the boat. Don’t sleep on the classic tube baits, either, especially along rocky drop-offs and submerged humps.

Largemouth bass are biting pretty well in the southern bays and backwaters—go slow with a weedless jig or a wacky-rigged stickbait in the thicker stuff. Northern pike are always ready to ambush, especially on flashy spinnerbaits or big soft swimbaits near weed beds.

If you’re targeting cold-water species, the lake trout bite is solid from the Westport area north to Cumberland Head. Lakers are starting to slip deep with the warming surface temps, and trolling with long, narrow spoons or plug baits will get you results. Smelt imitations are hands down your best bet. Folks running downriggers are picking up steady numbers, with occasional bonus landlocked salmon, especially off Thompson’s Point and around Split Rock.

Hot spots to hit? The Inland Sea, particularly around the islands and Sandbar Causeway, is loaded with smallmouth right now. Plattsburgh Bay is another solid bet, especially for numbers of bass and a shot at big pike. If you want to chase lakers, set up between Westport and Split Rock—the thermocline is forming, and big marks are showing up in 40–60 feet.

That’s the scoop for today from beautiful Lake Champlain. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for future reports. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease.ai.