Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain, Vermont and New York fishing report for Tuesday, November 18th, 2025. We’re deep into that late fall transition, so grab your layers, sharpen your hooks, and let’s get right to it.

Weather-wise, we woke up to a frosty start with air temps hovering in the upper 30s, climbing only into the mid-40s by afternoon. Northwest winds will be gusting 10-15 mph—so main lake runs are choppy, and you’ll want to stick to sheltered bays and leeward shores. Clouds hold in most of the day, with just a few peeks of sun.

Sunrise today was at 6:46 a.m.; sunset’s coming early—be off that water by 4:27 p.m. As usual this time of year, Lake Champlain isn’t tidal, so you don’t have to worry about any tidal swings, but water levels are just a hair below average for November, so watch those flats as you launch and load.

Fish are transitioning, but the bite is still reliable if you adapt. Smallmouth bass action remains strongest on the Vermont side, with depths around 15 to 25 feet holding solid pods of fish. Most folks are working the rocky points south of the Apple Tree Bay area and around Juniper Island, slow-dragging finesse jigs and drop shots. Green pumpkin and brown continue to be the key colors, imitating craws and gobies. Several nice bags have been reported, including one catch with four bronzebacks over 4 pounds, according to a reliable Instagram update from Collin Fiske just yesterday.

Largemouth are a bit more scattered, with best results coming from the shallower back bays and around remaining weed clumps. Skip a jig or a Texas-rigged creature bait under docks—Lawson Hibdon’s recent advice is spot-on for Lake Champlain this week: a 3/8-ounce jig with a beaver trailer, colors in brown or green pumpkin, and don’t shy away from 15-20 pound fluorocarbon to muscle those bigger bass from under cover.

Lake trout are still cruising the deeper shelves. Reports from this past weekend show anglers near Split Rock and the Four Brothers Islands getting into them trolling spoons and vertical jigging white tubes in 60-90 feet. One camper even pulled off a lake trout catch-and-cook right on the lakeshore.

For northern pike, Westport Bay on the New York side is a standout. Pike are whacking large spinnerbaits and white swimbaits, especially on the windblown shoreline.

Crappie and perch are schooling up, particularly in the Malletts Bay and Carry Bay areas. Smalls jigs tipped with a minnow or a piece of nightcrawler are pulling slabs, especially late morning as shallow waters warm.

Best lures right now:
- Finesse jigs (green pumpkin/brown, 1/4 to 3/8 oz)
- Drop shot with 3” shad or goby imitation plastics
- Medium jerkbaits in natural patterns, especially when the wind lies down
- White tubes for vertical jigging lake trout
- Large spinnerbaits for pike
- Small hair jigs tipped with bait for panfish

Hot spots to try:
- Apple Tree Bay and Juniper Island rock piles for smallmouth
- The weed edges in Malletts Bay for largemouth
- Westport Bay’s shoreline for pike
- Four Brothers Islands drop-offs for lake trout

Final tip: slow down your presentation. That water is cold and the bite can be subtle. Stay safe, keep an eye on the clock, and enjoy one of the most beautiful times to be out on Champlain.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Champlain fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe—this is Artificial Lure. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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