Artificial Lure reporting in from Lake Champlain on a crisp Monday morning, November 24th, 2025. The lake’s settled deep into late fall—temps are hovering near freezing at sunrise, with the mercury set to climb just into the low 40s by midday. Winds are steady out of the north-northeast, 8 to 12 miles per hour, making for a little chop but nothing the local fleet can’t handle.

Sunrise hit at 6:58 AM today, with sunset due around 4:24 PM. That gives us a short window, so best to focus efforts during peak bite: locals say the hot periods are an hour on either side of dawn and dusk. No tide movement to report this far inland, but wind-driven currents have baitfish piling into leeward bays and points.

Recent catches have been most impressive: plenty of solid smallmouth bass with numbers popping in the three to four-pound range, especially during the cloudy weather we’ve seen the last few days. According to Major League Fishing, the recent big tournament out of Plattsburgh saw over 64 pounds of Champlain smallies across three days, with anglers hammering them on finesse presentations and deep structure. Lake trout are also biting well below 30 feet, with a few trophy fish hitting the scales over 10 pounds. Northern pike action is picking up as water temps fall into the upper 30s—target weed edges for the best shot.

If you’re rigged up for bass, now’s the time to throw drop-shot rigs with goby or shad colored plastics, or go with classic tubes in green pumpkin or smoke. Edges of mid-lake humps hold big schools. Small swimbaits in natural colors are solid, and a suspending jerkbait like Yo-Zuri 3DB or Duel Hardcore Minnow works wonders for those hesitant, cold-water fish—twitch and pause near docks and rocky points for the best results. For smallmouth, keep your baits subtle and slow your retrieve.

Lake trout hunters: vertical jigging spoons and heavy white bucktails tipped with cut bait put numbers in the boat—focus on deep ledges near the ferry channel or the Split Rock area. For northern pike, large spinnerbaits rolled slow along the dying cabbage beds are producing strikes. In the back bays, a big golden shiner under a float rarely gets ignored.

Looking for a couple local hotspots? The area off Valcour Island is prime for smallmouth right now, with baitfish holding close to rock piles. The mouth of the Saranac River is producing mixed bags—bass, pike, and a few surprise walleye, especially when the wind is up. Don’t overlook Shelburne Bay for late-season crappie if you’re after panfish, and the bridge piers at Crown Point still have fish lurking in the shadows.

For bait, minnows are at the top of the list for multi-species success, followed by nightcrawlers for walleye and perch. Shiners and smelt are key offerings for everything from lake trout to jumbo bass; local shops in Plattsburgh and Charlotte are well stocked.

Weather for the week looks stable, with more clouds and scattered light rain possible toward Wednesday. Layer up, keep your hands dry, and rig extra slow—cold water means the bite’s subtle but steady if you put in the time.

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