As longtime readers of this blog know, I’ve had many a Lake Champlain fishing trip. For those who might not go quite as often as I do, I figured I’d provide some tips about the best time of year to fish Lake Champlain, where to catch certain fish, and a few “watch outs” you might not be aware of.
What is the Best Time of Year to Fish on Lake Champlain?
Don’t let the time of year dissuade you from planning your next fishing trip to Lake Champlain. There are plenty of fish to be caught year round, it just depends on how you like to fish. Many years, a good portion of the lake will freeze over and allow for ample ice fishing opportunities. For those of us who prefer to stay warm, you really can’t beat spring and fall on the lake. While summer can be a little tough given all the bass tournaments you’ll be competing with each weekend, it is the best time of year to visit the Adirondacks.
If you wanted to know the best time of year to catch a trophy fish on Lake Champlain, plan your fishing trip for late April or May. Most bass are going to be in the prespawn time during this time of year, making them quite large and gorging. The only issue is that bass season doesn’t start until mid-June, so make sure you catch and release.
Another great time of year to plan your Lake Champlain fishing trip is September. There aren’t nearly as many people out there sharing the water with you after Labor Day, and the fish start gorging for winter. This can be the best time of year to fish for northern pike on Lake Champlain.
If you’re planning on taking a fishing charter trip to Lake Champlain during these times, plan on booking a year in advance as they fill up quick!
A Note on Water Levels
One quick thing I do think I should mention – if you’re planning on bringing your boat on your trip to Champlain, consider the local water levels. While it isn’t a huge deal with most of the public launches, if you rent an Air BnB with a ramp, you may find you can’t use it after late July or so. This is because the water level dries up so much by that time of year.
The past few years there has been draught which has exacerbated this. Luckily, 2023 looks like its a more normal year, but definitely check out the conditions before you go. This website will tell you what the water levels are at any given time.
A Note on Hazards
Lake Champlain has a few hazards you should worry about especially if the water levels are low. While you should always get a good navigational chart when fishing an area you’re unfamiliar with (here is one for Lake Champlain), the three below should definitely be on your radar.
The Cribs at Ticonderoga
Just east of Fort Ticonderoga there are a few pilings that can become a major problem. The main issue is that they are the perfect distance between a boat’s trolling motor and main motor. Don’t ask me how I know this. Be careful when you’re in this area. Note these are marked on the navigational chart atlas I recommended you buy above.
The Hazards Guarding Bulwagga
There’s a very significant hazard that runs across the entrance to Bulwagga Bay. It is marked by buoys but these can be difficult to see in certain conditions. This hazard is a giant rock/crib formation that you definitely don’t want to hit at any speed. It is, however, a great fishing spot so long as you can practice solid boat control!
The Sand Bar
Every year, you read about at least a few boats getting stuck on the natural sand bar that extends from South Hero Island and Milton, VT. This is a natural formation that isn’t going anywhere and if you aren’t careful, you’re going to be paying for an expensive sea tow. Read more about the area here as it is near a cool park for the kids assuming you don’t ruin your fishing trip to Lake Champlain by beaching your boat!
Where is the Best Fishing on Lake Champlain?
This is a matter of contentious debate. For years, you’d see plenty of professional anglers blast out of Plattsburgh during a tournament only to make the long journey to Ticonderoga. This has changed somewhat in recent years, ironically probably due to those anglers bringing fish up from the south. There was a fascinating study done by the University of Vermont that looked at fish dispersal post tournament. The TLDR is that they never make their way back anywhere close to Ticonderoga after they get dragged up to Plattsburgh!
Perhaps as a result of this, more and more tournament anglers have been choosing to fish in the relatively close north rather than make the run down to Ticonderoga during tournaments.
Now, if you aren’t trying to fish a tournament, the question of where the best fishing on Lake Champlain is depends on what you’re after. To help you plan your next Lake Champlain fishing trip, in general, here’s where to look for different species:
Where to Fish for Largemouth Bass on Lake Champlain
The southern end of Lake Champlain is renowned for largemouth bass fishing, especially near Ticonderoga. I wrote an article breaking down where to fish near Ticonderoga, but really you can’t go wrong in that region. Find weedbeds and you will find largemouth bass. Basically anywhere south of the Crown Point bridge is considered largemouth territory. Some of the better places to start are the shallow bays outside of the three major creeks and several inlets in this region.
Don’t forget to look in Bulwagga Bay, either. The southern end of the bay has all the makings of fine largemouth territory and is a major spawning bay. Here’s an article I wrote breaking down fishing Bulwagga Bay as well.
Where to Catch Smallmouth Bass on Lake Champlain
Smallmouth bass are more typically found in the northern regions of Lake Champlain than the south. This doesn’t mean you can’t catch a large number of them in the Crown Point and Ticonderoga regions, but you’re definitely going to find better “smallie” habitat to the north around Plattsburgh. You’ll find plenty of rocky shorelines in this area around the various islands that hold smallmouth year round. While these fish can be a little challenging to locate day to day, they do tend to school up so when you find one you’ll often find many more.
I’ve had some phenomenal days fishing for smallmouth near Rock Island near Westport as well. There are a few sunken humps out near this island as well as a fairly deep flat to the south of the island. I’ve had great luck chucking topwaters out in the area.
Where to Fish for Northern Pike on Lake Champlain
While you can catch northern pike anywhere on Lake Champlain, you’ll definitely find more in the cooler waters of the north than in the south. Frankly, having fished the south most of my life, pike have been almost a “bonus fish.” Yeah, you can run into a few of them now and then, but not like you can up in the Gut or near North or South Hero to the north.
If you have to fish in the south and want to find northerns, the bay just north of the Sylvamo Paper Mill is a pretty good bet on the north side. I’ve also found them due east of Fort Ticonderoga, almost near the breakwater south of the launch.
With that said, your by far better bet is to head north. If you need help finding some northern pike on your Lake Champlain fishing trip, consider giving Captain Mickey Maynard a call or at least stopping by his Facebook page for Lake Champlain Angler to see what I’m talking about.
Where to Catch Chain Pickerel on Lake Champlain
Chain pickerel are all over the place in Lake Champlain but definitely more prevalent south of the Crown Point bridge. Here, the water is shallower, warmer, and weedier in general than to the north, which makes it more pickerel territory than pike. Basically any weedy bay or flat in Crown Point or Ticonderoga is sure to hold some pickerel. You’ll tend to catch them at a significant rate vs. pike on this end of the lake.
One of my favorite ways to fish for chain pickerel in Lake Champlain is to troll for them. You can cover a ton of water and it works well with kids because you can time the troll around their lunch or when they need a break with a card game. It’s also a good way to put a little kid on a big fish before they can cast well.
Where to Fish for Freshwater Drum / Sheepshead on Lake Champlain
There’s a fishing forum full of guys who focus on freshwater drum and sheepshead and they’re all launching out of Benson’s Landing and Larrabee’s to the south. Basically, you’re going to find these fish in concentration south of Ticonderoga along various rocky points.
I catch them as a byproduct fairly regularly in the Crown Point region and have seen some real monsters come out of the Vermont shoreline south of the bridge. However, I will state I don’t fish for them often and they just kind of show up, so I’d go south of Ticonderoga as the folks who are actually seeking this fish do.
Where to Catch Channel Catfish on Lake Champlain
The southern end of Lake Champlain is probably your better bet for giant channel catfish. I’ve caught them all over the place in the Crown Point and Ticonderoga region. Good lure choices include chicken liver, dead shiners, or even parts of hot dogs or kielbasa. It can help to offer these stinky baits upstream from whichever way the current is blowing the water. This will help take their scent to the cats.
Where to Fish for Lake Trout on Lake Champlain
Most guys fishing for Lake Trout on Lake Champlain are fishing the middle section of the lake, either launching from West Port, Willsboro, or the Burlington area. In summer, you’ll want to jig them up from the depths around structure or to troll for them. My son and I had a great time jigging for lakers with a famous charter captain on the lake – I definitely recommend it!
During early spring, you can catch lake trout closer to shore. Bulwagga Bay has a good number of boats targeting them and while dodging “the fleet” can be a chore, it can pay off.
Can you Eat Fish from Lake Champlain?
Yes, you can eat fish from Lake Champlain, but you need to be careful about how many you consume, especially if you are a woman of childbearing age or a child. However, it’s not so easy to figure out just how many you can eat. You see, Lake Champlain is bordered by two U.S. states and a Canadian province and none of them agree on how many fish are safe to eat. In general, New York thinks you’ll die if you so much as look at a fish, Vermont thinks you should take things in moderation, and Quebec is trying to kill you.
The chart below illustrates this difference. While there are sections of the lake separating NY and VT that a baseball could likely be hit upon, apparently there is something mystical that happens to the fish depending on what side you catch them. How else could one explain how Vermont thinks a kid can consume 5 bullhead each month while New York says none should be eaten? Quebec isn’t exactly far away from Vermont or New York, either, and look at the difference there.
Considering how litigious New York is compared to Vermont and Quebec, perhaps this shouldn’t be a surprise, but it’s an interesting phenomena all the same. Just one of the nifty consequences of being a Republic, I suppose.
What Fishing License Do You Need to Fish Lake Champlain?
It can be tricky to determine what fishing license you need to fish Lake Champlain, because you might need as many as three, or as little as one, depending on where you intend to fish. While much of the lake is reciprocal between New York and Vermont, there is a large section north of Burlington that requires a Vermont license. This place has some outstanding fishing and many guides operate there.
Likewise, there is a tiny section (South Bay) where you must possess a NY license. If you’re headed up to Champlain chances are you aren’t planning on fishing this as it’s not the main draw, but some guys go for walleye in the area, so you may need it.
To make things even more confusing, most of Missisquoi Bay is in Quebec and requires a QC fishing license.
Your best bang for your buck is going to come by buying a Vermont fishing license as this allows access to the overwhelming majority of Lake Champlain. The only exceptions being South Bay in New York, and part of Missisquoi Bay in Quebec. Most though not all of the rivers people like to fish are also going to be in Vermont (East Creek in Ticonderoga and Otter Creek in Vergennes being the prime examples).
This site has a good map that breaks down what regions require what license. Just note that we’re only talking the main lake here – not the tributaries as well.
What About the Children?
Finally, bear in mind that your kids may not need a license, depending on their age. This gets a little confusing as VT requires kids 15 and up to have a fishing license while NY allows 16 year olds to fish without one. I’m not sure how that would be interpreted in reciprocal waters, so be sure to check with local police.
What Fishing Lures Work Well on Lake Champlain?
The best fishing lures to use on Lake Champlain depends on what you’re going for, however here are some of my favorite that work well for bass and even northern pike.
- The spinnerbait is a great lure for Lake Champlain once the water temperatures reach around 60°F or so. These work well anywhere that you can find submerged vegetation that isn’t so thick you can’t get a lure through. My favorite color spinnerbait for Lake Champlain used to be chartreuse, but the past few years, white has been the ticket. Try one by War Eagle — it’s been my favorite the past few years.
- Jerkbaits are wonderful lures on Lake Champlain in early spring. Really, they work year round if you can find an area you can get them through. There’s just so many weeds in the summer that it gets tough. An X-Rap in size 10 works very well. Clown seems to be the best color around the lake.
- Early in the year, a cherry craw colored Rat-L-Trap will catch just about anything as evidenced by this post.
- Senkos are always a good choice, especially on Lake Champlain south of the bridge. I usually throw something in green pumpkin with whatever flake (purple, red) they have at the store.
- Frogs are outstanding around July, especially south of the Crown Point bridge. There’s so much matted milfoil at this time that frogs can really be your best chance at catching a big summer bass. My tackle box is full of the Spro Bronzeye Frogs.
Where Can I Take My Family Besides Fishing on My Trip to Lake Champlain?
There is at least some chance that your family may want to do some things other than fishing during your next trip to Lake Champlain. Luckily, there’s plenty to do. Here are a few ideas I love:
- Burlington is a fun choice with the Echo Aquarium featuring local wildilfe and some nice restaurants for lunch.
- The Shelbourne Museum isn’t that great of an idea for little kids, but your wife or girlfriend will love it.
- Fort Ticonderoga has a little bit of everything for everyone. It’s a great destination around July 4th as they often have live events.
- If you have a passport and want to have Canadians roll their eyes at you, Parc Safari is a great destination as well. I will admit, however, that this one was more fun as a kid than when I returned as an adult.
Conclusions – Have Fun Planning Your Lake Champlain Fishing Trip!
I hope this article was helpful to you in planning your next fishing trip to Lake Champlain. You might also find the following articles useful:
- The Definitive Guide to Lake Champlain Fishing Resources
- My fishing reports section for Lake Champlain specifically.
Also, bear in mind that most of the tips and tricks in the books below my signature were learned while fishing Lake Champlain. You may want to check them out! Go ahead and click on either picture to buy them.
Thanks,
John Paxton
Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!
