Lake Champlain, Vermont/New York Fishing Report Today

Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on Lake Champlain, comin' at ya from the Vermont-New York border on this crisp winter mornin' of December 27th. Ice is lockin' in solid after that cold snap, and the Spreaker report from yesterday's got everyone buzzin' 'bout winter walleye—fish are active under the ice, with limits comin' steady from eager biters huggin' the bottom.

Weather's holdin' steady: highs in the low 20s, light winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph, partly cloudy skies per local forecasts. Sunrise was at 7:25 AM, sunset 'round 4:25 PM—plenty of daylight for drillin' holes. No real tidal pull today on Champlain, but water levels at Saint-François are stable, keepin' currents predictable for those tip-ups.

Fish activity's pickin' up as ice thickens—walleye's the star right now, with reports of 18-24 inchers stackin' up in 15-25 feet. Recent catches include a dozen or more per angler on good days, plus perch and northern pike mixin' in. YouTube vids from early ice show flags poppin' like crazy, 100+ on Champlain alone. Smallmouth bass are deeper, post-spawn holdouts from summer tourneys, but winter's all 'bout eyes.

Best lures? Tip-ups with medium shiners or sucker minnows danglin' 6-12 inches off bottom—gold or chartreuse spoons like the classic Swedish Pimple for jiggin'. Deadstick a 1/8-oz jig tipped with a minnow head for finicky biters. Live bait rules: fathead minnows or large shiners on quick-strike rigs.

Hot spots: Missisquoi Bay's yieldin' limits—check the weed edges near the delta. Inland Sea near Four Brothers Islands is firin' too, walleye schooled on humps. Drill safe, 8-10 inches minimum, and watch for pressure cracks.

Bundle up, respect the ice, and get out there—fishin' don't wait!

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to guy for all things angling on Lake Champlain. It's December 26th, 8:20 AM, and we're knee-deep in winter—ice is the name of the game right now. Sunrise hit around 7:30 AM, sunset's pushing 4:30 PM, so make those daylight hours count. Weather's crisp, highs in the low 20s, light winds from the northwest per the National Weather Service Burlington forecast, perfect for safe ice travel if it's thick enough.

No tides to worry about on Champlain—it's a lake, not the ocean—but water levels are low, with Vermont streams at just 25% of normal according to Snoflo reports. Ice coverage is building, as NEIYA notes early season buzz with frost nights and vigils starting nearby. Folks are prepping for hardwater, remembering legends like Paul Gervais who called Champlain conditions for decades. Check local ice reports before heading out—Sentinel-2 imagery shows patchy formation from Mallets Bay to Burlington.

Fish activity? Slow under the ice, but panfish are stacking up. New Vermont regs for 2026 tighten daily limits on bluegill, bullhead, black crappie everywhere but Champlain, so stock up while you can here. Recent reports whisper solid perch and crappie bites through holes; bass are deeper, less active post-fall like those Elite qualifiers raved about for healthy stocks. Limits are generous on the big lake—target 8-12 inchers.

Best lures: Tiny jigs like 1/32 oz glow spoons or tungsten drop-shot rigs tipped with maggots or small minnows. For bait, waxies or eurolarvae rule the day—slow jig 'em mid-water. No open water yet, but if edges soften, rattling grubs on light line.

Hot spots: Inner Mallets Bay for easy access and black ice potential, or Shelburne Bay shallows where perch school tight. South of the bridge if you're bold, but test ice religiously.

Bundle up, drill safe, and respect the ridge lines. Thanks for tuning in—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Champlain fishing report.

We’re locked into full-on early ice mode now. According to the National Weather Service for the Burlington/Plattsburgh stretch, we’re sitting in the low 20s at daybreak with light north wind and high clouds, warming just below freezing this afternoon. That’s keeping shorelines skimmed over and the protected bays tightening up, but ice thickness is still highly variable. New York DEC is reminding anglers that you want a bare minimum of four inches of clear, solid ice for walking, and to be extra cautious anywhere near current, inlets, or docks where bubblers run.

Sunrise is right around 7:25 a.m. with sunset close to 4:20 p.m., which means your prime bite windows are short and sweet: that first hour of gray light, and again from about 2:30 to dusk. No true ocean tides here, but Champlain does “breathe” a bit with wind-driven seiche; with the light north breeze, expect a subtle push of water toward the south end, which can nudge fish tighter to structure on the Vermont shorelines.

Fish activity has been classic early-ice funk: they’re there, but you’ve got to work for ’em. Local bait shops around Plattsburgh and Colchester are reporting decent mixed bags of yellow perch, bluegill, and a few crappie coming from protected bays, plus the odd eater-size walleye and northern pike for the folks willing to move and drill. Most panfish hauls are running 15–30 fish per angler on a good sit, with a handful of 10–12 inch perch and crappie in the mix. Bass are mostly in deeper wintering holes now; a few accidental smallmouth are being picked off while chasing panfish or walleye in 25–35 feet.

Best producers under the ice right now are small and subtle. Think:

- Tiny tungsten jigs in chartreuse, glow white, or pink tipped with a single spike, waxworm, or a sliver of perch belly.

- Size 10–12 teardrops with one or two maggots, barely quivered.

- For walleye, deadsticked shiners on a plain hook or small glow spoon with a minnow head, worked just off bottom at low light.

- Tip‑ups rigged with medium shiners or suckers along weed edges are picking off most of the pike.

If you’re still in the boat on the main lake where ramps allow, slower is better. A finesse tube, small hair jig, or drop‑shot with a minnow‑style plastic crawled along 30–40 foot breaks will scratch out some winter smallmouth. Fluorocarbon leaders and natural colors—smoke, green pumpkin, and baitfish tones—are key in this cold, clear water.

Couple of hot spots to circle:

- **Missisquoi Bay / Carry Bay area**: When the ice is safe, this is perch and panfish central. Work 8–14 feet around old weed clumps and transitions from mud to harder bottom. Mobility is everything—if you don’t mark fish in 5–10 minutes, move.

- **Kingsland Bay and the Ferrisburgh shorelines**: Sheltered enough to lock up early and always a good bet for mixed panfish and pike. Set a spread of tip‑ups along the outer weed edge and jig just inside it wit

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for this crisp winter morning.

We're locked in early winter mode now, and conditions are shaping up to be interesting. Winds are howling west at 15-25 mph, so if you're heading out, bundle up and respect that water. The lake's getting ready for ice, and we're seeing excellent activity from smallmouth bass, lakers, and panfish before the deep freeze really sets in.

The bite's been hot lately. Anglers have been connecting on smallies and lakers using metal lures and minnow profiles—these are your go-to artificials right now. If you're running live bait, quality minnows are absolutely working. The fish are aggressive, taking advantage of the forage before winter really locks things down.

For your hotspots, North Hero State Park offers solid access with good structure, and Burlington's North Beach area—despite being a swimming spot in summer—has excellent fishing access for smallmouth and walleye. Target deeper structure and channel breaks where the fish are staging.

Sunrise is around 7:15 AM and sunset hits around 4:45 PM, so you've got a tight window. Make the most of it. Get all your gear squared away before you leave the dock—you don't want to be fumbling with equipment in these conditions.

The fishing window's closing before the ice thickens up, so if you've been thinking about getting out there, now's the time. The fish are feeding, the conditions are fishable if you're prepared, and winter's best bite is happening right now.

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for this crisp winter morning, December 21st, 2025. Winds are howling west at 15-25 mph with gusts to 50 tonight per the National Weather Service in Burlington—secure your gear and watch for power outages. Sunrise hit around 7:25 AM, sunset by 4:25 PM, so bundle up for short days. No tides today on this freshwater beast, but lake levels are steady at USGS gages from Rouses Point to Whitehall.

Early winter bite's on fire for smallmouth bass, lake trout, and panfish, just like that Spreaker report from December 7th—anglers pulling limits of smallies in 20-40 feet off deep points, lakers stacking up near drop-offs, and slabs of perch hitting minnows. Recent catches include pike and bass too, per family destinations guides—folks reporting 3-6 pound smallies and feisty perch panfish galore. Salmon preps gearing up, but cold water's king now.

For lures, rip lipless crankbaits like the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap in 1/2 to 3/4 oz—Dicky Newberry from Major League Fishing swears by 'em on stiff jig rods with 15-lb fluorocarbon for reaction strikes over grass. Swap to round-bend trebles like Gamakatsu Nano for better hookups on slappers. Live bait? Minnows or worms on jigs for panfish and lakers. Yo-yo that crankbait, watch your cadence—fast reel or flutter drops trigger 'em.

Hot spots: Hit deep structure off Colchester Reef for smallies, or Malletts Bay drop-offs for lakers—ice might form soon, so check Sentinel-2 coverage from NWS.

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for Saturday, December 20th at 8:20 AM. We're deep in mid-December chill, and the lake's gearing up for winter lockdown—ice is forming in spots, but open water persists in the northern and southern ends per the National Weather Service in Burlington.

Weather's brutal today: south winds 20-30 mph gusting to 45-60 mph till early afternoon, with waves 4-6 feet on the broad lake and 2-4 feet in ice-free zones. Wind Advisories and High Wind Warnings are up for northern NY and Vermont—stay off the water if you're not ice fishing, and watch for power outages. Sunrise was around 7:25 AM, sunset about 4:25 PM, so short days with that low winter sun.

No tides on Champlain, but lake levels are steady per USGS gages at Rouse's Point, Burlington, Port Henry, and Whitehall. Fish activity's slow but solid for cold-water species. Recent reports from Spreaker's Lake Champlain Fishing Report Today note smallmouth bass, lake trout, and salmon preps holding strong—anglers pulling in smallies and lakers from deeper holes. Around Burton Island State Park, bass, pike, and perch are active in calmer coves, according to Family Destinations Guide.

Best lures right now? Jigs with soft plastics or tube baits for smallies and lakers—drop-shot rigs in 30-50 feet. For bait, go live minnows or dead smelt on tip-ups if you're ice-bound. Pro tip: layer up with suede-palm fishing gloves like the ROCK FISH Fish Baiter Pro for grip and sun/cut protection, as Jimmy Washam swears by 'em from Major League Fishing.

Hot spots: Hit the waters off Burton Island—boat or ferry from Kill Kare State Park for pike and perch ambush points. Or try structure near St. Albans Point for smallies hugging drop-offs.

Bundle up, check ice thickness (it's patchy per NWS), and fish safe—no thin ice rescues like recent DEC reports.

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Champlain fishing report.

We’re sliding into that deep-winter pattern now. Overnight temps have been well below freezing, daytime struggling around the freezing mark with light north–northwest breeze and a mix of clouds and weak sun. Local weather out of Burlington is calling for highs just above 30, lows in the teens, and barometer steady to slightly rising. That stable pressure has the bite decent but not wide open.

No true ocean tides here on Champlain, but water levels are low and fairly steady, more influenced by river inflow and north wind stacking water than anything lunar. That means predictable structure fishing: points, drops, and wintering basins are the ticket.

Sunrise is right around 7:30 a.m., sunset a touch after 4:15 p.m. The best window the last couple days has been the gray light on both ends – first hour after sunrise and last hour before dark, with a little midday flurry when the sun pops out.

Fish activity:

Smallmouth are pulled off the banks, holding 25–45 feet on rock humps, old river channels, and steep points. Folks out of Burlington and Shelburne have been picking at them with handful days of 8–15 fish, mostly 2–3 pounds, with an occasional 4. Largemouth are tougher, buried in the deepest remaining green weeds or wood in 15–25. Northern pike and a few bonus lake trout are coming from the shallower bays and breaks where smelt and perch are stacking.

Recent catch talk from local marinas and bait shops around Burlington, Colchester, and Port Kent has been pretty consistent:

– Mixed bags of smallmouth and occasional largemouth.

– Pike in the 24–32 inch class out of the weedier bays.

– Lake trout showing for guys dragging deep lines off the main lake drops.

Best lures and baits right now:

For smallmouth:

– Tight‑wobble suspending jerkbaits in natural smelt colors, worked slow with long pauses.

– 3–4" tubes and goby-style plastics on 1/4–3/8 oz heads dragged painfully slow on rock.

– Drop‑shot with small minnow or shad-style plastics for fish pinned to bottom.

For largemouth:

– Compact football jigs with a chunk trailer in green pumpkin/black.

– Subtle swimbaits slow‑rolled along remaining weed edges.

For pike:

– Silver or firetiger spoons and white spinnerbaits slow‑rolled along weed lines.

– Under a bobber, big shiners or dead bait where legal.

For lake trout:

– Heavy spoons and 3–5" white swimbaits on 3/4–1 oz heads, bounced on 60+ foot breaks.

Live bait: medium to large shiners for bass and pike, smelt if you can get them for trout. With the water this cold, scent and subtlety matter – light fluorocarbon, slow presentations, and long pauses.

A couple local hot spots to consider:

– Burlington Bay to Juniper Island: Classic winter smallmouth zone. Focus on the deeper rock piles, the ferry channel edges, and those sneaky 30–40 foot humps. Jerkbait to find them, tube or drop‑shot to clean up.

– Inland Sea / Sand Bar area: On the Vermont si

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Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Champlain fishing report.

We’re sliding into the hard‑water season now. Up north around St. Albans Bay and Missisquoi the bays are skinning over in the mornings, but main-lake Champlain is still open and rolling. No real tides here, just wind-driven seiche, and with the north breeze the water’s been stacking on the Vermont side and dropping a touch on the New York shore.

Weather’s classic December: cold nights in the teens and low 20s, daytime highs flirting with freezing, light to moderate north–northwest wind, and passing clouds with a few snow showers. Sunrise is right around quarter past seven, sunset a bit before 4:20 in the afternoon, so your prime windows are tight. Low light has been key.

Recent word from local boards and guides is that **lake trout** guys trolling the main basin out from Burlington down toward Thompson’s Point are still picking fish 60–90 feet down over 120–160 feet, running spoons and white tubes. A few bonus landlocked **salmon** mixed in off Port Kent and the Split Rock area for folks running small smelt-pattern stickbaits high in the column.

Bass action is slow but not dead. After this many cold snaps, smallmouth have grouped up on rock and hard breaks. Reports from fall tournaments out of Plattsburgh and Ticonderoga, covered by Major League Fishing, showed how the lake’s better smallies key on alewives with minnow-style plastics, Ned rigs, and small jerkbaits in 10–40 feet. That pattern shrinks in winter but the same style baits still get bit when they’re sulking on the deeper edges.

Best bets right now:

- For trout and salmon:

• **Lures:** Silver/blue and white spoons, white or smelt-color tubes on 3/4–1 oz heads, small silver stickbaits flatlined up top.

• Bait guys are running **live shiners** and **smelt** where they can get them.

- For bass:

• **Lures:** 3–4" minnow plastics on 1/4–3/8 oz heads, small football jigs with green pumpkin trailers, blade baits, and compact jerkbaits in natural perch and ayu. Tournament coverage from Champlain this season highlighted minnow baits like Deps Sakamata Shads, Ned worms, and topwaters over grass; now, think the same profiles but much slower on rock.

Fish activity has been best in short bursts late morning when the surface warms a tick, and again just before dark. You’re not filling coolers with bass right now, but patient folks are reporting small pods of quality brown fish once they land on them.

Couple local hot spots to keep on the list:

- **Thompson’s Point / Converse Bay**: classic winter lake trout water with good structure and access to deep basin.

- **Split Rock to Port Henry**: productive for mixed lake trout and salmon trolling passes.

- On the bass side, look to **outer Malletts Bay points** and the **Inland Sea rock humps** once we get safe ice; they held big schools of smallies in the fall tournaments.

Travel smart, watch that early ice, and remember Champlain can turn from flat to froth

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Hey folks, Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for this crisp Monday morning, December 15th. Winter's grip is tight on the big lake straddlin' Vermont and New York—temps hoverin' around 25°F with light snow flurries and northwest winds at 10-15 mph, keepin' things chilly but fishable if you're bundled up. Sunrise was at 7:22 AM, sunset 4:18 PM, so make those daylight hours count. No real tides down here like up in the Champlain Strait at Calamity Point, but water levels are steady, risin' a tad from recent rains per Canadian tide data.

Fish activity's solid for winter—smallmouth bass are keyin' on deep structure in 20-40 feet, with reports of limits up to 15 pounds from yesterday's crews. Lakers and landlocked salmon are active too, pushin' shallower on wind-blown points early, preppin' for that 2027 surge folks are buzzin' about. Recent catches include a mix: 2-4 pound smallies, some 5-8 pound lakers, and a few salmon in the 3-6 range, mostly on jiggin' rigs. Numbers are decent—anglers pullin' 5-10 keepers per outing if they hit the right spots.

Best lures right now? Go with 1/4-1/2 oz tube jigs or spoonin' with Kastmasters in chrome or gold for smallies and lakers—slow and steady over rock piles. Drop-shot rigs with minnow-imitatin' soft plastics like Z-Man worms shine too. For bait, live minnows or herring on a spreader rig can't be beat; dead bait like cut suckers works in current seams. Artificials rule this time of year to avoid ice-up hassles.

Hot spots: Try the ledges off Button Bay in VT for smallies, or the deep drop-offs near Crown Point NY for lakers—both holdin' fish thick.

Stay safe out there, layer up, and watch for ice edges.

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Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake Champlain fishing report for Sunday morning, December 14th. We're deep into mid-December now, and the lake's locked into those classic winter patterns—chilly waters pushing smallmouth bass, lake trout, and lakers into deeper haunts, with landlocked salmon prepping for their runs thanks to Vermont Fish & Wildlife's spawning ops.

Weather's cooperating today: expect highs in the low 30s, partly cloudy skies, light southwest winds at 5-10 mph, and dry conditions statewide per Snoflo reports—perfect for bundling up without battling gales. Sunrise hit at 7:22 AM, sunset around 4:20 PM, giving you a solid 9-hour window. No real tides on Champlain, but streamflows into the lake are running low at 25% of normal, keeping water levels stable and fish predictable.

Fish activity's solid through the ice where it's formed—especially southern end near Ticonderoga. Recent catches include smallmouth bass, yellow perch, crappie, white perch, and the odd lake trout or salmon. Bassmaster pros like Tim Dube nailed smallies on ice there last season, and Spreaker's latest report confirms smallies and lakers dominating now.

Best lures for these cold-water biters: Rapala Jigging Rap for that erratic dart-glide action over deep structure—works ice or open water. Northland Puppet Minnow or Pitchin’ Puppet for subtler presentations in 20-40 feet. Jigging spoons like Buck-Shot Rattle or Smeltinator match dying baitfish perfectly. Tiny tungsten micro jigs with craw trailers for finesse. Live bait? Minnows or maggots on small jigs if you're tipping.

Hot spots: Deep holes with sand or boulders off Ticonderoga for smallmouths; shallower bowls with grasslines near Plattsburgh for largemouth and perch. Jump around till you find 'em—they're eating, just slow.

Bundle up, stay safe on the ice, and tight lines!

Thanks for tuning in—subscribe for daily updates! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.