Hey folks, this is Artificial Lure, your go-to guy for all things angling on Lake Champlain. It's January 7th, 2026, 8:20 AM, and we're kickin' off the day with crisp winter air hoverin' around 25°F, light winds from the northwest at 5-10 mph, and partly cloudy skies—perfect for bundlin' up and hittin' the ice or open water edges. Sunrise was at 7:28 AM, sunset tonight at 4:42 PM, givin' us a short window but prime low-light bites. No real tides here on the big lake, but those narrows and inlets are seein' subtle current shifts from wind and river inflow—watch for 'em near the mouths.

Fish are active despite the cold; smallmouth bass are the stars right now, with recent Toyota Series reports from Major League Fishing showin' limits over 20 pounds, like Stephen Estes' 21-15 bag of chunky smallies. Locals at the docks been pullin' northern pike, walleye, and lake trout through the ice, plus perch stacks in shallower bays—dozens reported last week alone. Perch and smelt are hot for panfish crowds, and don't sleep on those holdover brown trout near tributaries.

For lures, go with **jiggin' spoons** like 1/4-oz Kastmasters in silver or glow for vertical ice work—smallies and pike inhale 'em. Drop-shot rigs with 3-inch soft plastics (smoke or green) shine for suspended bass. Best bait? Live **smelt** or shiners on tip-ups for pike and walleye; dead minnows or worms for perch. Tube jigs in white or purple are killin' it too.

Hot spots today: **Split Rock area** on the NY side for smallies and pike—deep edges at 25-35 feet. Over on Vermont, **Malletts Bay** near Burlington for perch and walleye through 12-18 inches of ice. Stay safe, Champlain's got sneaky currents and cold shocks per World Atlas warnings—life jackets and ice checks mandatory.

Thanks for tunin' in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

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