Tag: lake champlain

Fourth of July Fishing Fireworks on Lake Champlain

A gentleman recently posted in a Facebook fishing group that he felt that several recent fishing tournaments on Lake Champlain had hurt the fishery. I respectfully disagree. I’ve just returned from a week of fishing with my family up at Lake Champlain, and the fishing was very consistent and fun.

Here’s a look at how we did. Hopefully it will be of some use to your own family, especially if you’re planning a fishing trip to Lake Champlain in July!

The Weather Conditions

We showed up on Saturday, July 1 after what had been a rainy few weeks in the North Country. I was pretty excited about this to be honest, as my Lund Impact can be tough to launch in the shallows at the house. While it’s not a big deal to go use the town launch down the street, with kids, it’s just easier if it works at home. I was hoping that the rain had sustained the lake at a level where I’d be able to get Penelope off her trailer, and (with some heavy pushing) it was.

It seems like the lake has finally normalized a bit since the droughts we saw a few years ago. Normally, I can at least use the dock if not the launch through about early August, and I think that will be the case this year.

The week ahead was the usual Champlain July doldrum of doom and gloom. The weather reports figured there’d be thunderstorms the entire week save Thursday. If I could give anyone reading this any advice: trust your smart phone radar. Not the report. The counties up north are enormous. A 50% shot of rain in Essex County still has a very good chance of missing you. You have to be smart and safe about it and keep an eye on things, but don’t cancel a trip just because of a lousy weather report.

July sunset over Lake Champlain
The weather might have been crazy but it produced some amazing sunsets.

The Lake Conditions

As stated the lake was of relatively normal water level of around ’95. The rain throughout the week actually brought it up a few inches which made retrieving the boat easier than launching it. If you’re familiar with the Crown Point area, it was possible to drift a deep v across the entire entrance to Putnam Creek, though I had to raise both motors to do it.

The water in the south was quite clear in many locations. The temperatures were consistently high. Everywhere from about 72 to 80 where we were fishing. Absolutely perfect temps for pickerel and largemouth bass as you’ll see, but northern pike were hard to come by.

The Techniques that Produced

Tristan and I fished hard for six straight days. He can cast on his own now, and he brought up his birthday baitcaster with him and was having a ball learning on it, so he wanted to fish spinnerbaits as much as possible. Much of the time, we casted them, but given that he’s still little (and was getting a little sore from all the fish we were catching) we did troll with spinnerbaits quite a bit as well. If you’re new to the technique, I wrote this article a few years back with some tips.

In addition to spinnerbaits, we also fished a lot of plastic worms, gulp, and frogs & buzzbaits at dusk. We didn’t spend much time at all with crankbaits or anything with a treble hook.

For the most part, we found the fish active and willing to hit a fast moving target. I’d estimate 85% of fish were caught on a variety of spinnerbaits. The #1 producer was a 1/2 ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait in white. We caught so many pickerel on these that I now have to completely restock as my supply was eventually hammered. They do hold up well but every lure has its limits. In any event, on Champlain, I’d argue these are some of the best spinnerbaits you can use. You should really pick up a few from that link I posted.

The Places We Fished on Lake Champlain

Here’s a look at a few general areas we fished hard. Some were productive and others were not. However, bear in mind, I’m a dad fishing with an 8-year-old. I’m looking for numbers and action and not necessarily “bigguns.” This blog post really is aimed more for the parent who is vacationing up there, so perhaps one of you pros would do better in these areas that we did, using different techniques.

Bulwagga Bay

Longtime blog readers will know that I love fishing Bulwagga Bay. It’s like a mini lake all in and of itself with all sorts of habitat for pretty much every species of fish the lake offers (at certain times of year that is). We started by fishing the western shore and had a few hits here and there. There were too many boats given the holiday weekend to set up a troll as I like to there, but Tristan managed a few good bass on spinnerbaits including this bruiser here.

Largemouth bass caught in Bulwagga Bay, Lake Champlain
A nice bruiser of a bass from Bulwagga Bay.

We also invested some time on the eastern shore and found some huge bluegill and yellow perch along the various rock points that are on that side.

We did not spend much time in the south though there were some bass boats plugging away at the vegetation and they seemed focused on specific areas.

The Putnam Creek Delta

We spent a lot of time in the general area of Putnam Creek. Many chain pickerel came out of here. The bay just south of the creek is completely slopped over so you’re looking at frogs if you go deep. Spinnerbaits can be used along the edges but there aren’t as many fish.

While there are bass in this bay, I’ve really found it to be a major pickerel producing spot, which is why if you have kids with you and you want them to catch “something big” I recommend it. Unfortunately, that can make it a very frustrating spot to fish a frog. You can tell when a pickerel hits a frog as opposed to a bass because it almost attacks it like a dolphin sailing through the water whereas a bass has a giant localized “plop and boil.” You’re going to have to identify them this way because you sure won’t get many chances to reel one in. The way pickerel snatch a frog coupled with their bony mouths makes them very hard to hook. You will tear the heck out of your frogs trying, however.

Giard’s Bay

Per Google this is the spelling, but what do they know. This is the bay north of Yellow Lighthouse Point. I always try it for a spinnerbait trolling run or two, and I’m usually disappointed. This time was no different, but I mention it as a fishing report also ought to have what didn’t work. The reason I keep headed back here is I have caught some nice pike in the area. Pike and I have an abusive relationship where I’ll go fish a half dozen “memories” any given trip trying to find them.

Ticonderoga

We spent an entire day south near Ti. The area near the fort was the most productive, but we were so exhausted from casting the day prior that we mainly trolled the area just south of the fort to the La Chute River. It’s a challenging troll as the weed line takes some near 90 degree turns, but we caught a number of fish there including these nice crappie.

If you decided to troll this area, be very careful of the old pilings near the fort. One year my friend got both his outboard and his trolling motor caught on the rocks at the same exact time and it wasn’t fun! With trolling, you could easily collide with these if you didn’t know to look out for them, so I’d recommend finding them first and then avoiding trolling near them lest a hooked fish breaks your concentration.

White and black crappie caught on Lake Champlain
These crappie came on the same troll in Ticonderoga near the fort. It was interesting to catch a white and black one more or less at the same time!

Mill Bay

Since we had already made the trip down to Ti, we decided to head even further to Mill Bay. Now, I can’t fit my boat through the entrance to the actual bay itself, but we didn’t really want to go there anyway because it looked nearly dried out and choked with weeds. Instead, we fished the rip rap around the entrance for a bit. We mostly fished with drop shots and plastic worms, which produced a few bass, but not enough for us to stick around for long.

Of interest, there really weren’t any weeds to be found in this immediate area, which I found odd. To be fair, I don’t go there often enough to know if this is unusual, but if you’re looking for a weed pattern as we were, you wouldn’t find it there.

The Bay North of Stony Point

The bay just north of the paper mill on the NY side doesn’t have a name as far as I can tell. I’ve always called it “1000 Cast Bay” because it feels like it can take that many to cover all the water in it. It is, however, one of the better bays to troll. There’s a weedline that follows the contours on a humminbird fish finder very well and is almost shaped like a shallow “V.” While there’s weeds on either side of it, this is the edge of the heavy stuff and so as close as you can practically troll.

We lost what we believe to have been some larger pike while trolling, based on how hard they fought, but we also caught many bass. Tristan caught his personal best chain pickerel, this fine 25″ specimen. This would have been a VT Master Angler fish for an adult and blew the youth category out of the water.

25" Chain Pickerel caught on Lake Champlain
This chain pickerel was an absolute beast.

Other Photos

I had the pleasure to take my friend out with his children and their buddy alongside Tristan. If you ever hear someone say that bass boats are just as family friendly as Deep V’s, ask them if they could pull this off.

Note that literally every fish in this picture was landed from a drop shot with a simple nightcrawler. Most were caught on the same Ugly Stiks I’m always harping on you to buy. All were released safely after the photo.

A squad of kids landing fish is what this blog is all about!

Tristan and I went out the next day and continued to hammer them, bringing home a respectable limit of our own. Again, all fish were released safely after posing for a photo.

My New Favorite Family Photo

I wrote on Facebook that this is one of those photos I hope make it to my collage when I die. You can clearly see I’m exhausted in it, and am totally rocking the Dad-approved white New Balance sneakers that so many ladies give me such grief about, but in my view they make the photo.

Other Thoughts

This was one of those trips that reminded me just how good the fishing on this lake can be. While we didn’t catch a true giant bass, we had a few 4-pounders, which, to a kid, is dynamite. We also had no shortage of white perch and other panfish to target. I managed to put five different kids on fish throughout the week, some with minimal experience who were only four years old. It’s not every lake that you can do that this easily. So, while I respect the opinion of the gentleman who was concerned about all the recent fishing pressure, it didn’t hurt us.

I hope this helps someone headed up there soon!

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!


Lake Champlain Fishing Report: Memorial Day 2023

So I finally had that moment in life that every father both dreads and also looks forward to. My son whooped my butt fishing. Look, he’s always been a good fisherman, and there have been days he’s caught the biggest fish, sure, but I’ve usually held my own. Not this weekend. No, folks, aside from my errant thumb, you won’t find a single picture of me below. This weekend was all about Tristan. He caught the most fish, the biggest fish, the first and the last fish. He caught the most species by far, and he even managed to catch is own shoe. He was an absolute machine this weekend, choosing to leave his seventh year in grand fashion before turning eight in a few days.

Here’s a look at what he accomplished, for posterity.

Saturday, May 27, 2023

We got a late start on Saturday as the dock was being put in and our friends deploying it were using our boat launch. This is just as well as I took my daughter, Amber, with me too, and she takes after her mother and likes to sleep in on fishing trips.

We didn’t get out on the lake until it was about 11 a.m. or so. The water is still reasonably high but has gone down a bit since last week. The weeds are also starting to grow in though the bulrush is only about 6″ off the surface if that makes sense. Water temps throughout the trip ranged from 63°F to around 67°F depending on where one was. It had been quite hot a few days and remained so while we were there.

The First Fish

In keeping with this blog’s mantra of “When fishing with kids, get a fish in the livewell as soon as you can,” we set off for a spot I know holds a ton of panfish. The “bad” news was that the first fish my son caught wasn’t legal for the livewell this time of year. The good news is because it was a 4.5lb largemouth bass!

I had just gotten done telling Tristan that I felt some nibbles when he started saying “I feel nibbles too! I feel nibbles too!” in a funny voice. I kept fishing but then glanced over and saw his Ugly Stik bent over in half! I dropped my rod and rushed over to unfold the net and land this bass. The darned kid has been fishing so long and caught so many fish that something like this doesn’t even prompt him to scream for the net – he just uses it to razz on me!

Tristan's first fish of the trip, and his personal best largemouth bass, caught on Lake Champlain on a nightcrawler.
Tristan’s first fish of the trip, and his personal best largemouth bass, caught on Lake Champlain on a nightcrawler.

We kept fishing this area with my Terrova’s spotlock engaged, much to the amusement of Grandma Jean who had never seen such a contraption. Amber got her share of panfish that were legal for the livewell and spent most of her time naming them “Nemo” and “Dory” while Tristan kept going for the big ones. Unfortunately for him, four-year-olds have a short shelf life so we headed back in after a short trip.

Frogging at the Dock

Tristan was undeterred. I went up to the house to handle a few things while Grandma watched Amber splash in the water and Tristan took out a frog rod. He’s always had a blast using these and just loves to see the explosions. While frogs aren’t exactly a lure I’d advocate using with most kids because they’re hard to land fish on, Tristan has gotten pretty good at it. Here’s some evidence: a nice sized bass he caught on one while I was off doing chores!

Largemouth bass caught on a frog in some bulrush on Lake Champlain.
Largemouth bass caught on a frog in some bulrush on Lake Champlain.

A Few More for Evening

Emboldened by his frog catch, T asked me to take him out in the evening frogging. Surprisingly, we got very few strikes and didn’t land any. I didn’t notice any bass attacking the frogs and the few strikes we had were likely pickerel. If you’re too far to see the fish outright, you can tell because pickerel will almost strike a topwater lure like a dolphin breaching the surface whereas bass just nail it like a bulldog shaking a lunch box open.

Since they weren’t going for the frogs, we tied on some spinnerbaits and chatterbaits and T managed this pickerel below on the latter. A main goal of mine has been to try and get him casting more and more this year so I can prep him for an eventual bass and pike trip with our friend Mick Maynard of Lake Champlain Angler Fishing Charters. He’s taken Tristan out once already, jigging for Lake Trout which is a more appropriate option when the kids can’t cast well, but I think T’s nearly ready for a good bass and pike trip. I’d better get one on the books.

If these were the only fish he caught the entire trip, he (and I, as his father) would have plenty to be proud of, but he had far more in store the next day.

Sunday, May 28, 2023: GAR AND CATFISH!

We stayed up a little later than we should, reliving my youth and watching 80’s swords and sorcerer movies, but we did get out again in the late morning on Sunday. Looking back on the photos, I guess T thought the secret sauce was the shirt he wore to catch his big bass the day before because he put that smelly thing back on! Can’t say I blame him.

We started our adventure with my daughter and grandma in the boat. Amber’s too little to cast on her own and frankly isn’t as into it as Tristan always has been, so she fished up front with me. I’d do the usual parent thing, casting out, hooking a fish, and reeling it in and then handing her the rod. This is fine for her and she just likes to see how many white perch she can get in a livewell and if she can remember all their names.

Meanwhile, in the back, Tristan went to work. We fished the Vermont shoreline near Crown Point. It’s a well known spot so I don’t think I’m giving much away since there’s always a line of boats doing the drift. Anyway, T got his fill here with a decent smallie that gave him a good fight.

Smallmouth bass caught on Lake Champlain.

It was only after we’d dropped off his sister that Tristan really started to knock me out. As we drifted along, we saw a large group of gar spawning on some rocks. Tristan, naturally, got all excited and wanted to catch one. I just chucked “knowing better” that spawning fish aren’t going to be interested in eating. Well, I was wrong because this gar right here smacked Tristan’s nightcrawler and bent his rod clear over. All I heard was “I told you, Dad! I TOLD you!” while he fought the fish in. Netting it, I was just happy that I had lost a giant carp last year that compelled me to upsize the net as this was a breeze and I wouldn’t have wanted to lose it on him!

Long nose gar caught on Lake Champlain.

He wasn’t so crazy about picking up this fish without a rag, which I’d say is probably fine for this species. You really want to be careful about doing this with most fish because they have an external slime that protects them from disease and such, but these gar are completely armored and in any event, no one is going to tell me this rag is going to do more damage than the rocks they’re going to be swirling all about as they spawn over the next few weeks.

The VERY NEXT CAST

On his VERY NEXT CAST his rod bent over again. At first I thought it might be another gar, but this one fought different. It’s funny, but you can usually tell what sort of fish you have on based on how it fights – or at least narrow it down considerably. While gar make long fast runs relatively close to the surface, this fish was going deep. The two fish on Champlain that do that consistently are catfish and carp, so I figured it was one of them.

This fight lasted a good 3-4 minutes though to a father it probably seemed like twenty. Honestly, when you saw the relief in his face and heard him complain of the aches in his arms, it probably seemed like twenty to him as well! This catfish went about eight pounds, which to a kid is huge. Again, I had a very proud moment as a father watching him expertly bring this one in. It’s not that easy to land a fish this big, keeping it away from the motor. I didn’t touch his rod once and the most guidance I had to give him was “Take it easy… Take it easy.” He did the rest!

A nice channel cat to top it off!

Until Next Time!

Well, you know that even a day like this wouldn’t satisfy Tristan, so we were back out at it until night, using my navigation lights for pretty much the first time ever, trying to catch more. He actually had what I’d estimate to be a 4-5lb northern pike on the line right to the boat, but the boat got stuck in the hook for my bow storage netting and I couldn’t get to it in time. Honestly, with fish like pike and pickerel, sometimes you’d rather they shake off right next to the boat unless they’re true trophies, but try telling that to a kid!

I’ve never had to use these navigation lights before.

We’ll be back soon enough. Maybe next year I’ll finally sign him up for the Vermont Master Angler Program as I believe he would have had three fish this trip that would have qualified!

Thanks all,

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!


Lake Champlain Fishing Report: May 4-7, 2023

Well, the second trip up to Crown Point, NY in 2023 is in the books. This was supposed to be a boys weekend with my buddy Andrew from past adventures, but the week worth of rain in the region forced him to call it off as he finally got the weather needed to get some work done locally. I considered taking my first solo trip in forever, but my son has had such a hard time with the divorce lately that I asked his mom if I could spring him from school early and drive him up with me. She said yes, and so we were off for another Adirondack Adventure together.

Thursday, May 4, 2023 – Crown Point

As mentioned, it had rained for several days prior and stopped as we arrived Thursday afternoon. The lake was higher than it was two weeks ago when I took Dad up. While this would bring an influx of cold and murky water, I was still glad to see it. I’m tired of the years of drought the lake has had. It will be nice to be able to use the dock in July this year!

Thursday and Friday featured the end of the front with fairly high north winds Thursday and still significant Friday afternoon. It was bad enough Thursday that I didn’t want to take Tristan north of the bridge, figuring if it was that dicey in Crown Point the bridge area would be a disaster.

Instead, we poked around the Crown Point area, not really having much luck until we made our way to the south side of an island that kept us out of the wind. When you’re fishing with kids, very often you’re fishing with worms, and that’s what we were using here. We got the skunk out of the boat with a number of panfish before Tristan tied into this nice sheepshead.

sheepshead (freshwater drum) caught at Lake Champlain

It’s a four hour ride up, so we called it pretty early on Thursday and sat down to watch a movie. We planned to hit up Bulwagga Bay Friday morning.

Friday, May 5, 2023

So the next morning, I made one of my bigger boneheaded mistakes of all time (guess I have a fishing mistakes blog post to update soon). I had my son get in the boat with his life jacket while I backed it down the launch. Unfortunately, being tired or just an idiot (and maybe a bit of both) I forgot to tie the boat to the trailer and poor Tristan took a little ride into Champlain by his lonesome. He handled it like a champ and with some coaching was able to paddle the boat to shore where I joined him. We laughed about it, and he spent the rest of the weekend razzing me (He claims he’ll continue to do this for life).

You did great, buddy!

As planned, we headed up to Bulwagga Bay. Unlike the week before, the salmon fleet was nowhere to be found. The only company we had were two bass boats that blasted past us towards the back bay. We worked the western rip rap instead, but didn’t have much luck. The bay was as muddy as I’ve seen it, which might have something to do with it. I forgot the #1 rule of taking a kid fishing (get ANY fish in the boat as fast as possible) and quickly decided that we’d better head back to some proven areas in the south to fix that.

We continued to poke around drop shotting nightcrawlers and Tristan eventually hooked this nice bass. He was pretty happy though it didn’t come through in the photo. Perhaps he was still annoyed at me for the morning’s mistake!

child holding largemouth bass caught on Lake Champlain in May
Tristan still not looking that happy with me about the morning’s mix up.

Lunch in Crown Point, NY

After the chaos of the morning, and with the weather picking up again, we decided to hit up War Cannon Spirits for some nachos and soda. This is a new place, having opened recently in what used to be the local Agway. It has character, charm, and some damn good cream soda. I’m not much of a drinker so I can’t speak for their whiskey, but the nachos and especially pretzels are delicious. Frankly, there’s not a whole heck of a lot in the area as far as eateries with the old staples of Frenchy’s and Frenchman’s both disappearing, but this is worth the trip. I wish the owners the best of luck and hope it brings some business to the region.

War Cannon Spirits Dining Room in Crown Point, NY
The dining room has charm and plenty of seating for lunch, though I think you’d better get there early if you want a place to sit for dinner.

The Evening Catfish Bite

It stayed windy for most of Friday and we decided not to go back out. Tristan wanted to see one of his friends who lives up there and eventually I’d pick him up and take them to the Windchill in Ti, but first we’d catch some “Polish” catfish. We called them this because what they wanted more than anything was Rosol’s kielbasa. If you ever make your way to New Britain, CT, pick up a few links. It’s great for you and cats love them too.

Channel Catfish Lake Champlain
This catfish favored Rosol’s kielbasa.

Saturday, May 6, 2023

We had a late night Saturday with Tristan’s friend and didn’t wake up all that early. No matter as this time of year you’re often better off in the late afternoon than in the early morning. We started the day plugging away near the house and catching a number of catfish on kielbasa as well as yellow perch (no more forgetting rule #1 for this guy). And yes, I tied the boat this time.

We were off and on the lake throughout the day taking breaks as needed. We stuck around locally rather than making any long runs since this trip was really more about putting Tristan on fish than catching monsters. All the same, he had some good ones.

The day had a high of 57 degrees or so and the water temperatures climbed to the high 50’s low 60’s in the bays we were fishing. I think a lot of the cooler rainwater had a chance to settle and sink so the bays started warming and the fish started getting active. We didn’t notice many spawning bass yet (just one nest DEEP in the flooded woods with the telltale sign of a parent chasing away panfish). However, clown colored x-raps fished around flooded timber was too much for many chain pickerel to pass up.

Chain pickerel caught on Lake Champlain, May 2023
Chain pickerel love jerkbaits in the spring.

Towards evening, Tristan had luck with a cherry craw colored Rat-L-Trap. He caught several bass, the largest below. He was very proud as this was his first time using one of these lures. I’m sure all of you know the thrill of catching a bass on a “new” technique and his smile says it all. It was very hard getting him off the water to come home, and I could only convince him by promising an early start the next day.

largemouth bass caught on Lake Champlain, May 2023
This may be my new favorite photo of my son.

Sunday, May 7, 2023

Since I promised, we headed out early Sunday, right to where we caught them the night before. The water had cooled by 4-5 degrees over night and we didn’t see many boils. We did manage to catch a few fish (two chain pickerel and a largemouth bass) and I managed to get what I feel is a pretty sweet photo below, but we had to get off the water soon so we could clean up and head out. Until next time, Lake Champlain!

Sunrise on Lake Champlain
Sunrise on Lake Champlain.

Thanks for reading,

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!


Bulwagga Bay Fishing: Lake Champlain’s Great Secret

Bulwagga Bay presents some of the best fishing in Lake Champlain, yet you would never know it from the internet. Well, at least not if you’re a bass fisherman. “The Fleet” that goes out in search of early season salmon and lake trout know all about it. It’s just the bass tournament fishermen who never pay it much heed. No, they just blast right past it on their way to Ticonderoga, it seems.

All the better. Even though it’s a huge bay in the lake, it’s great to have less company. Bulwagga Bay, in my opinion, is one of the better places to take a kid fishing for BIG fish in Lake Champlain. Why? Well, read on, and you’ll find out.

What Makes the Fishing in Bulwagga Bay So Great?

Basically a lake within a lake, and with nearby access to a great camping site, Bulwagga Bay is a wonderful fishing destination. In terms of common species, it is one of the more ecologically diverse sections of Lake Champlain. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, chain pickerel, freshwater drum, walleye, gar, salmon, lake trout, and a host of panfish all call Bulwagga Bay home at one point or another.

It is one of the few places in southern Lake Champlain where you have a legitimate chance to catch an Atlantic salmon or lake trout without trolling, depending on the time of the year, and also one of the best places to find a northern pike.

Regardless of if you prefer to troll open water, or cast plugs or spinnerbaits to tight cover, Bulwagga Bay has you covered. I’ve personally caught some very large bass in the bay and I’m surprised more tournament anglers don’t give it a shot.

Additionally, it’s a convenient place to fish. There are two boat launches nearby, and it’s right near Norm’s Bait and Tackle. I’ve found myself making it one of my main destinations the past few years, especially as it retains deep, fishable water long into the season.

The Best Fishing Spots in Bulwagga Bay on Lake Champlain

As stated earlier, Bulwagga Bay is a little ecosystem all of its own. Here’s a guide to my favorite places to fish in Bulwagga Bay. Hopefully it helps you have a productive day on the water!

Map of Bulwagga Bay Fishing Spots

The Sunken Sand and Rock Point (1)

If you aren’t careful entering Bulwagga Bay, your fishing trip could be over before it starts. There is a very large and dangerous sand and rock crib that extends west from the Fort at Crown Point. While it is marked, these markers are very hard to see during certain conditions. Make sure you enter the bay well to the west to avoid them.

With that said, if you are careful, this crib can offer tremendous fishing. Smallmouth bass in particular enjoy the area and can be caught with crankbaits and tubes. Just make sure you’re very careful about the approach lest the wind blow you into the hazard while you’re retying your line. A trolling motor with an anchor function like the Minn Kota Terrova really comes in handy when fishing here!

The Railroad Tracks (2)

Most of my time fishing Bulwagga Bay has been spent plugging along the western shore, throwing crankbaits at the rip rap from the railroad track fill. I usually go here later in the year when the fishing around Crown Point and Ticonderoga starts to get tough because of a decreasing water level. The great thing about Bulwagga Bay near these tracks is that it stays deep year round and holds fish. I’ve had tremendous luck throwing red lipless cranks the past few years and it is quickly becoming a staple.

This is also an area where you’ll notice many guys troll for salmon and lake trout early in the year. They don’t tend to go right up to shore, instead concentrating on the nearby drop-off, but it’s certainly a popular spot. It can get a little tricky maneuvering in the area so make sure you’re careful.

I tend to fish right close to the rip rap though the weeds extend out considerably even in deeper water. The water is so clear here that the vegetation can grow even when well submerged. This makes it a great place to run a troll searching for pike or pickerel. Just be careful because while most areas are deep, there are some shallow spots near points that can come up on you quick!

Atlantic Salmon caught in Bulwagga Bay, Lake Champlain
Early in the year, you can catch Atlantic Salmon and even Lake Trout along the western shore of Bulwaga Bay.

The Mid-Bay Point (3)

South of the railroad tracks there is a soft point that extends out into Bulwagga Bay. This is a dangerous place to boat because there are several submerged boulders off this point. These boulders often hold largemouth bass throughout the year. Try bumping a crankbait off of them to encourage some strikes, but be careful with your trolling motor.

The Southern Bay (4)

The very southern section of Bulwagga Bay can hold a number of fish early in the year, but it gets extremely weed-clogged as the year goes on. This is your typical spawning bay and also frequently has clean water available. Try tossing a Senko or jig around until you connect with some early season bruisers.

The Stable Weedline (5)

The area just south of the southern most part of Bulwagga Bay is one of my favorite places to fish in Lake Champlain. Specifically, this area sets up extremely well to troll for chain pickerel, though you’ll also catch your share of bass, and even the odd walleye!

This area has deep enough water that a troll of 2.5 – 3 mph will usually keep your spinnerbaits from fouling too much. I like to cast them out and then let line out slowly while keeping them high in the water. Going back and forth in this area can be extremely productive around Labor Day.

The Eastern Shore (6)

The eastern shore of Bulwagga Bay can be a hit and miss place to fish. The southeast section is shallow and you’ll see a ton of gar swimming around. I haven’t had much luck there. As you move north, the shoreline becomes rocky and you can catch fish. The rocks are natural and flat sloping though and I haven’t had as much luck as the jagged rocks on the western shore along the railroad tracks. All the same, this area does hold fish and it’s worth giving it a shot, especially if the other side is taken.

What Fishing Lures Work Well in Bulwagga Bay?

Given the water clarity, I prefer to use more natural colored lures in Bulwagga Bay. Whereas chartreuse works very well south of the bridge, I feel like fish can get a closer look at your offering in Bulwagga Bay and accordingly, you ought to give them something white or even fish colored. The one exception is my tried and true red Rat-L-Traps which I love so much, and which are dynamite in this section.

The main lures I use to catch fish in Bulwagga are those red Rat-L-Traps, a perch-colored jerkbait, and a white spinnerbait with willow blades for trolling. All have their place. As mentioned earlier, there are many places where you can set up a shallow water troll in this area, so make sure you have a few tied on and ready to roll.

Special Considerations When Fishing Bulwagga Bay

Bulwagga Bay is a great place to fish for largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and northern pike, but you will likely run into another type of fisherman you don’t encounter often: trollers. There is usually a fleet of boats here early in the year trolling for salmon and lake trout before they go deep. While this isn’t a problem, per say, it is something to be aware of. Use common sense when fishing around these folks so you don’t entangle their lines or ruin their trolling run.

Another thing to consider is that depending how you get there, you could be in for trouble on the way home. Lake Champlain really opens up north of Bulwagga Bay and sometimes you don’t realize what’s going on in the main lake while you’re fishing. This lead to one of the more dicey times I’ve had fishing Lake Champlain, so be careful heading out, especially if you need to get past the bridge to get home.

Finally, do bear in mind that while there are two boat launches very close to Bulwagga Bay (one in Port Henry, and the other underneath the Bridge on the VT side), each has some quirks. The boat launch at Port Henry has folks who will check your boat for invasive species, so show up clean and dry. Across the lake and underneath the bridge, there’s a small boat launch. Get there very early or you won’t have a spot.

New to fishing Bulwagga Bay or Lake Champlain in general? Check out my Definitive List of Lake Champlain resources to learn about different ramps, fishing guides, and other websites where you can find information to help you have a great fishing trip.

I have several fishing reports for Bulwagga Bay on this website. Here are few you can check out:

I hope this helps you have a great fishing trip to Bulwagga Bay! Feel free to send me an email and let me know how your trip went!

Thanks,

John Paxton

How to Catch Fish Near Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain

Every tournament angler who launches their boat from Plattsburgh, NY on Lake Champlain has to make a decision. Do they chase smallmouth up north, or make the 90 minute boat drive down to try and catch a limit of fish near Ticonderoga? When you think about it, this travel time means committing to fishing Ticonderoga essentially means spotting other anglers an extra day over the course of a four day tournament. Yet every year, many tournament anglers do just this, because the fishing around Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain can be amazing.

What Makes Ticonderoga Such a Great Fishery?

While Lake Champlain in general is a tremendous fishery, there are a number of factors that make fishing the Ticonderoga area exceptional. Ticonderoga comes from the Indian word for “junction between two waterways” (source) and this means you have two great river mouths right next to each other. There is the La Chutte river in New York, and East Creek in Vermont. Both of these tend to stack bass up just like any other creek mouth would at certain times of the year.

Additionally, there is a deep channel that runs close by expansive spawning flats that are near both of these creek mouths. This provides fish refuge during the summer, and also allows species that appreciate the presence of nearby deeper water (like northern pike) to have a place to call home.

Further, there is a variety of habitat and cover for fish to hide and hunt in. As mentioned, there are tons of weed beds, spawning flats, and creek mouths, but there are also rocky shorelines and points for pre-spawn fish to stage on, and sunken timbers and other reefs that hold fish year round.

Regardless of what type of fish you’re trying to catch, or how you like to catch them, Ticonderoga has some sort of fishing for you.

The Best Fishing Spots on Lake Champlain Near Ticonderoga, NY

I’ve taken the liberty to use Google Maps to show you several good fishing spots on Lake Champlain near Ticonderoga, NY. These are all spots I’ve personally fished and can attest to, but don’t take my word for it. Just try and go there on a busy Saturday and actually be the only boat near any one of these – it’s not happening!

Let’s break down the fishing near Ticonderoga, NY one by one as it relates to this map.

Map of fishing spots near Ticonderoga, NY on Lake Champlain.
A map of some outstanding fishing spots near Ticonderoga, NY on Lake Champlain.

The Breakwater Near the Ticonderoga Boat Launch (1)

Just south of the Ticonderoga boat launch and ferry is a large breakwater. This can be a god send on a windy day as one side or the other is usually sheltered. It’s a popular place to fish, so you’ll want to get there early if you want the best spots.

Both sides of this breakwater drop off into the channel of about 20′ of water. There is a pronounced weed line before you get there on each side. This makes it a very good location to catch northern pike. Additionally, the point of the breakwater can act as a great ambush point that can stack bass and other species waiting for some unwary prey to move across it. Try poking around with a jig or jerkbait in this area.

The Shoreline Along Ft. Ticonderoga’s Eastern Shore (2)

This is a dangerous area as it has some hazards that are marked on most maps. Unfortunately, the hazards (underwater cribs) are just the perfect distance between an outboard motor and trolling motor (ask me how I know). If you aren’t careful, you can badly damage your boat. I would highly recommend that you get a good navigational chart and take it easy in this location. With that said, these same motor killers can hold some of the larger fish in Ticonderoga. I had a huge northern break me off near one years ago.

Spawning Flat Near East Creek (3)

Just north of East Creek is a large flat that covers up densely with weeds each summer. It makes for a decent spawning bay before this happens. Afterwards, it is a tremendous place to throw frogs all year round for largemouth bass. It is impossible to fish near Ticonderoga without seeing a few bass boats poking around in this region. The ample cover near deep water and a creek mouth combine for some amazing fishing.

East Creek (4)

East Creek itself makes for a great fishing trip. Just make sure that you have a VT license, as you’ll need it to fish this area near Ticonderoga. It can be a little challenging to navigate into the creek as beaver tend to like to make some large structures at the first bend. Once you get in, you have more room to maneuver. My ex-wife and I spent an enjoyable day fishing this area and caught a number of fish in the habitat. Just be careful as some people have a bad habit of driving too fast around the corners when there isn’t a lot of room for error.

Largemouth bass can be found in this creek year round, and folks claim huge northerns prowl it early in the year, though I’ve yet to catch one there at that time.

Catfish Bay (5)

Catfish Bay is the bay directly west from Mt. Independence, Vermont. Despite it’s name, I’ve yet to catch a catfish there. What it does have, and in large numbers, are northern pike. Toss spinnerbaits along the weed edges in this bay and hold on. I’ve also found this bay produces bowfin.

Do note that this bay gets quite shallow close to land. I’ve had better luck fishing the outside weed edge which is near the drop off. Northerns really appreciate a good deep water weed line to cruise, which can add to your success.

The Railroad Tracks (6)

You can’t drive up 22N past Ticonderoga without seeing someone out fishing near the railroad tracks that follow the water. These tracks have the same rip rap cover that are so productive throughout the lake, and there are cribs and fallen woods to add to the allure. Throw in some weed beds and you have prime habitat for largemouth bass and chain pickerel. You’ll be able to pick out the cover easy enough – it’s obvious – but don’t be afraid to throw around into areas that aren’t so obvious as well.

Mouth of the La Chute River (7)

The Mouth of the La Chute River holds fish like any other creek mouth. The water is crisp and clear which is a good transition from the stained water in most of the area. During periods of high water, such as early spring, it is possible to go far up in the mouth and even explore the large bay/marsh on the western/northern side. You’ll find many people stack up trying to catch panfish in this region year round.

Note that as you go into the La Chute River, you’ll eventually come to a railroad bridge. Wherever you can find such structure on the lake, you’ll find fish. My Dad always used to get excited to fish the railroad bridge in Putnam Creek right after a train passed as he said that this knocked bugs into the water and put fish into feeding mode. I don’t know how much truth there is to this, but it is worth a shot.

Just be aware that you will need a NY license to fish the La Chute River. VT won’t cut it.

Spawning Bay South of Ft. Ticonderoga (8)

This is another one of those spots where you’re sure to have company. It is definitely a popular place to fish near Ticonderoga, as there are plenty of bass and chain pickerel mulling around. I like to toss spinnerbaits and other semi-weedless lures in this area seeking a reaction bite. It can also be beneficial to toss out a Senko near little pockets of weeds as you would any other spawning bay.

The closer you get to the La Chute River, the better your chances of finding some clear water. However, this will also mean the water is quite cold early in the year and you may need to slow things down.

The area in front of Ft. Ticonderoga is a great place to fish on Lake Champlain.
The shoreline near Ft. Ticonderoga provides good fishing and a great view.

What Lures Work Well to Fish the Ticonderoga Area?

Pretty much anything that works well in Lake Champlain is going to work well in Ticonderoga. Just be mindful that as part of the southern end of the lake, it is considerably more stained than in the north. White has always been a great color, but I really prefer something with chartreuse in it for southern Lake Champlain. Lately, I’ve been on a real kick using War Eagle Spinnerbaits as they run true and have good durability.

Black is also great in this area given how well it contrasts. This helps fish find it easier, especially on days with overcast clouds.

You’ll find plenty of people using spinnerbaits, jigs, and the usual Senkos in Ticonderoga. It all depends what you’re after. I’ve found that this section of lake has more numerous pike than others south of the Crown Point Bridge. Keep this in mind when you’re tossing lures as you might need to replace a few.

Special Considerations When Fishing the Ticonderoga Area of Lake Champlain

If you’re planning your first fishing trip to the Ticonderoga area, there are a few things to be aware of. In no particular order:

  • This is a very popular and busy ramp. You may want to get there early to secure parking.
  • Additionally, this is a VERY popular and busy tournament ramp. You may want to check local clubs for their schedules.
  • The ramp has employees throughout much of the year who will check your boat for aquatic invasives, so show up dry and clean.
  • There are some submerged hazards as discussed above. In addition to the cribs I’ve mentioned, there’s also a ferry cable you need to be aware of when fishing near it.
  • This is an extremely pressured part of the lake. While you can absolutely kill it when you locate fish, they are going to be more spooky than some less pressured fish.

New to the area? Not sure how to start or to get your bearings on massive Lake Champlain? Try visiting my page on The Definitive List of Lake Champlain Fishing Resources. In it you’ll find guides on a litany of resources to help you get started, be it different forums, vlogs, or charter captains. Check it out!

If you find that Ticonderoga has too much action for you to handle, why not try heading north a bit and fishing near Crown Point instead? It too has excellent fishing, and this past report I wrote may be of service to you!

Finally, you may want to check out this great book by Dale D. Brown, Bass Fishing 101: Lake Champlain. It has plenty of information on Ticonderoga as well as the rest of the lake and I highly recommend picking up a copy.

I hope this article was helpful! Drop me an email and let me know how your latest fishing trip to Ticonderoga went!

Thanks,

John Paxton

The Definitive List of Lake Champlain Fishing Resources

Those of you who have followed my blog know that I love fishing on Lake Champlain. Everyone should fish it at least once in their life. All the same, as America’s sixth largest lake, it may be a bit daunting the first time you visit. Below, you’ll find a collection of resources available to help you go fishing on Lake Champlain.

If I’m missing a resource or you’d like your website added to this list, please send me an email and I’d be glad to add it.

Since this will be a long article, here are some links to jump to what you want:

Fishing Forums

Some of the best places to find information about fishing Lake Champlain are fishing forums. In them, you’ll often find fishing reports for specific areas and times of year as well as recommendations on tactics and lures. I’ve found the below to either be active today, or at least archived with very good information from the past. If you know of a forum that is either active or has a useful history, please let me know.

  • Lake Champlain United Forums – Quite an established forum with 1000’s of topics to use as a resource for fishing Lake Champlain. There is a lot of information about most species the lake has, with a particularly active salmon/lake trout community. There’s also a nice “share a ride” forum that helps you find new friends to fish with.
  • Fishing Lake Champlain Forums – Another long-established forum with 1000’s of topics on fishing Lake Champlain. There are plenty of fishing reports and more specific information to be found, however the forum activity seems to have died down lately. No matter – there’s still a ton of archived posts to learn from and likely many people checking in from time to time if you happen to have a question.
  • VTBass Forums – There’s still a few guys who are active. The main draw of this forum is most of the folks concentrate on the southern end of the lake. Many launch from Larrabee’s (across from Ticonderoga) or further south at Benson’s Landing. I’ve found this to be a great resource for fishing that end of the lake.
  • Bass Resource’s Northeast Bass Fishing Sub-forum – This isn’t a forum devoted to Lake Champlain but as one of the larger bass fishing communities out there, you can find several posts about it if you dig around. This is also a good bet for finding some lakes near Champlain in case the south wind has made life unbearable!

Websites and Blogs

There are several anglers who either maintain or once maintained a website or blog devoted to fishing on Lake Champlain. Again, even the stuff that hasn’t been updated in awhile is a useful historical record. Ever keep a fishing journal? I’ll bet you were glad for anything you wrote, even if it was years past. Here are the websites and blogs that I’m familiar with, but as always, if I’m missing something, let me know.

Note that these are websites devoted to the lake – not websites that happen to have an article about the lake. You can find those in Periodicals further below.

  • Captain Mick Maynard’s website www.lakechamplainangler.com has a number of interesting articles on it in addition to information about booking trips with his charter service. For example, he has written articles about northern pike and smallmouth bass, as well as a some hints for when to visit the lake.
  • Captain Howard Hammonds’ www.champlainbass.com isn’t updated as much as it used to be, but it still has a number of great fishing reports and articles from years past that you can refer to as a resource for your next visit to Lake Champlain.
  • New York Department of Environmental Conservation has significant resources about fishing Lake Champlain including shore access information, boat launches, and accessible angler sites. They also have an opportunity to participate in different studies such as a diary program for smelt, lake trout, and salmon anglers.
  • Likewise, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department maintains a website with some information about the northern end of the lake.
  • My website also has a section devoted to Lake Champlain fishing reports that you can access here.

Facebook Groups

As of writing, there are a number of Facebook groups available where you can quickly get information and see fishing reports. It may well be that these are now the new “fishing forums” of the future. There are many groups dedicated to this lake, but here are some of the more active/larger ones. If you’re trying to grow a group and want it included, please send me an email.

YouTube Channels and Vlogs

There are several anglers out there who are posting video resources of fishing Lake Champlain to YouTube. One nice thing about this is that often they’re hard-pressed to hide where they’re fishing! Many guys will go out of their way not to show background shots on photos that give away their honey holes. This is hard to do on video, so you might get extra clues!

While this media is ever expanding, here’s a few particularly useful videos that I’ve found. You just need to go into their channel to see what else they have. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to their channel. That will encourage them to keep posting more stuff that can help you!

Books

Remember those things called books? I sure do. I still love reading (and writing) them! Books are the ultimate resource, so I’ve spent much time trying to find the different books that talk about fishing Lake Champlain. Unfortunately, there aren’t many to begin with, and some are out of print. At least you’ll know what you need to look for on e-Bay.

  • Lake Champlain Bass Fishing Guide by Don McKee – This book is out of print and extremely hard to find, so you might want to set up an e-Bay alert for it and “Buy it Now” as soon as it’s available. This graced my dad’s coffee table for years and I grew up reading through it. It claims to be “Book I” though I’ve yet to find any others. It covers the southern end of the lake, from Westport to Whitehall.
  • Bass Fishing 101: Lake Champlain by Dale D. Brown – There are still a select few websites offering this book today. I’d grab yours while you can (I just bought two more). This book covers the entirety of Lake Champlain from South Bay up to Canada and offers a paragraph or two worth of tips of pretty much every bay, cove, and creek along the way.
  • Good Fishing in the Adirondacks: From Lake Champlain to the Streams of Tug Hill by Dennis Aprill. Written by an outdoor columnist for the Plattsburgh Press Republican, this book covers a number of different fishing spots on Champlain as well as lesser-known fishing holes around it.
Lake Champlain Bass Fishing Guide by Don McKee is no longer in print, but a fascinating resource for fishing Lake Champlain, if you can find it.
IF you can find this book, BUY it. Not only does it have fishing tips for the southern end of the lake, but it offers a fascinating look at what local businesses existed years ago. A true time capsule.
  • While not specifically written about Lake Champlain per say, most of the stories in my book, Fishing with Kids: A Parent’s Guide, take place on the lake, so there are a few hints for fishing it.

Maps and Fishing Spot Guides

There are a few companies that offer fishing maps for Lake Champlain. Here are the ones I’m aware of, as well as links to help you buy them. I’d recommend picking these up. They’re much more convenient for scouring over than a phone. Some are even waterproof so you can bring them on the boat.

Lake Champlain Fishing Charter Captains

Fishing charter captains are a living, breathing (sometimes talking) resource about fishing Lake Champlain. Here are the various folks offering fishing trips out on the Lake. If you are a charter captain on the lake and don’t see your name here, please email me and I’ll be sure to add you as well as a link to your website. I’m not leaving anyone out on purpose!

  • Captain Mick Maynard of www.lakechamplainangler.com (and, if you’re sick of hard water in winter, also of Florida’s Largemouthcentral.com). Captain Mick and I have been fishing together for over a decade now across several states. He’s a great charter captain and one I can’t speak highly enough of. We met when my wife and I were on our honeymoon and he took us out for a charter. We caught every from largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, and even lake trout in eight hours! You can normally find him fishing out of Plattsburgh, NY though he’ll come south a bit for lake trout now and then.
Smallmouth caught on Lake Champlain with Capt. Mick Maynard.
My wife with a nice honeymoon smallmouth Captain Mick Maynard put us on.
  • Sure Strike Charters, LLC. Though I’ve never had the pleasure of fishing with Captains Brian or Paul Dunkling, their website is filled with testimonials from happy anglers who have. They seem to offer two types of boats, a larger one designed for trolling and a smaller boat for bass and pike trips. They’re based out of Shelbourne, VT, which is a nice town to visit and has plenty to do after the charter.
  • Captain Mike Tarasavage of iFishLakeChamplain.com is another captain I’ve yet to meet, but I’m familiar with his charters from years of following various Facebook feeds. I’ve only heard good things. Per his website, he will take you fishing for any species, but specializes in lake trout. He’s based out of Plattsburgh, NY.
  • Fish N Rigg Charters, operated by Captain Bill Gregorek might be a good option for someone with smaller kids/spouses who aren’t too crazy about “the elements.” He fishes off of a 31′ Silverton Flybridge equipped with its own head and plenty of room to get out of the weather. This is going to limit you to fishing for lake trout, salmon, and rainbow trout, but if that’s what you’re looking for, give the captain a call to book a trip based out of Charlotte, Vermont.
  • Captain Randy’s Relax-N-Reel Fishing Charters out of West Chazy, NY offers cold and warm water species fishing charters on Champlain as well as seasonal (read: winter) trips in south Florida. He has a few boats to choose from depending on what you’re fishing for and your creature comfort needs.
  • Captain Matt Trombley of 3rd Alarm Charters is a very popular choice. He’s quite active on various Facebook groups and has a strong following. Having honed his craft over thirty years of fishing Lake Champlain, Captain Trombley offers trolling, drift boat trips, casting trips, and ice fishing adventures. This service is based out of Vergennes, VT.
  • Cloud Nine Charters and its captain, Obe White, offers a unique twist to fishing charters on Lake Champlain. While you can get the standard lake trout and salmon excursion that several other guides offer, he also will take you up into Otter Creek and anchor to catch yellow perch, white perch, and walleye. I haven’t fished with him, but this is an intriguing option that seems like it might be great for kids.

Past Tournament Results

There’s often information you can glean from past tournament results. Either the results themselves have a bit of information tucked away, or at least they give you names to google to see if you can find a news hit with some information on how they won.

There’s so many tournaments on Lake Champlain that it would be an entire series of posts just to try and find them all. I am not Google – they can do that. There is, however, one incredibly great resource: Anglerschannel.com and their link to Lake Champlain. This is basically your one-stop shop for all major tournament information on the lake with numerous articles discussing how various pros did on their fishing tournament on Lake Champlain. Check it out!

Tackle Shops

Sometimes the best place to get information is a tackle shop. Here’s a few links to get you started finding them. Most of the shop owners are happy to act as a resource for fishing Lake Champlain IF you approach them with a question like, “What should I buy that’s working?” They want you to buy more!

I need to put in a little plug for Norm’s Bait and Tackle. Located just west of the Crown Point bridge in Crown Point, NY, Norm’s has everything you need for a good fishing trip. The staff is super helpful and friendly and they’re more than willing to let your kid peek over the fish tanks to see all their live bait. I’ve been going there for years and have never been disappointed with the selection or service. You can also buy fresh food there including fresh-caught yellow perch.

If you aren’t near Norm’s, take a look at the other bait shops around. Don’t be fooled – Plattsburgh has plenty of places you can get tackle too, but it’s mostly big box stores.

Other/Miscellaneous

Here are some other resources about fishing Lake Champlain that just didn’t quite fit anywhere else.

  • www.lakechamplaincommittee.org – Limited fishing discussion (though they have a few pages) but they have a great deal of interesting articles about the lake’s ecology. They also published an interesting book, Lake Champlain: a Natural History.
  • Major League Fishing’s 2019 Challenge Select took place on Lake Champlain. You can stream episodes from Amazon. If you’ve never watched a Major League Fishing event, it’s an interesting format. Given that it relies on total weight vs. top five fish, you get to see what the pros do when they’re fishing for quantity.
  • I’ve found that SUNY Plattsburgh’s study on Post Tournament Release Movements of Black Bass in Lake Champlain to be an absolutely fascinating document. Reading it will help you understand the lake’s ecology a bit more.

My Personal Lake Champlain Fishing Reports

I regularly fish Lake Champlain myself and post fishing reports when I can. Here are some of my favorites:

I hope you found this article useful. If you have a website featured please consider linking to this to help others find it. If you would like your website added, please send me an email and I’ll be happy to oblige. Also, consider joining FishingFather’s Facebook page so you can keep up-to-date on all new content.

Have a great day for fishing,

John Paxton

Dare I Dream of Another Crown Point Fishing Trip?

Every winter, I look forward to the day when the ice will break away and I can launch my boat again for a spring fishing trip on southern Lake Champlain near Crown Point. That first walk towards the sunrise each spring is almost cathartic. The way the lake shimmers almost seems like God’s way of saying, “You’ve made it one more year!”

I only got one sunrise like that in 2020, and it was far too early in the year to make much good of it. One morning, I rushed up from Connecticut to New York right in the early throws of COVID to get my gear and bring it back home. I figured 2020 would be the year I’d never use it otherwise. While it was interesting to spend more time plying Connecticut waters for a change, it didn’t compare to Lake Champlain. I’m itching to get back and just have to “think out loud” a bit about what I’ll do.

A Lifelong Adventure

I recently found an old fishing log that I’ll have to put up here on the blog bit by bit. Here’s an entry where I guess I felt like talking about the past. This scene has been repeating for years now:

Lake Champlain – The Past

I grew up fishing Lake Champlain with my brother & sister. Dad would take us up, but we would also fish with Uncle Steve and George Daniels, who owned a bait shop near Bulwagga Bay.

I’m not sure how, but Dad managed to take the three of us out on his 15′ Fisher Hawk 2V Mod-V Bass Boat, which he had bought new in 1987 for $5,000. The plan was to usually go across the lake and drift the Vermont shore from Yellow Point lighthouse to the point north of Leonard Bay. We would catch a lot of smallmouth bass on spade-tailed green grubs with an 1/8th oz ball jig head, usually black with yellow eyes. We would also toss marabou jigs (white & red) and small light tan, skinny crankbaits [Rebel Fastrac minnows] and baby bass colored square bills. Eventually, George taught us about dropshotting live bait, and we would fish near Two Trees and the Buoy.

We didn’t spend as much time on the New York side, but when we did, it was usually the bays around the house. We would fish these with chartreuse and yellow spinnerbaits.

These formative years were when the fish went on the wall. We were young and wanted to be like Uncle Steve, who had mounted some real trophies, including the large pike he caught in the mouth of the creek before it was dredged and ruined. Our fish weren’t exactly trophies to anyone but little kids, but that is what we were at the time.

They were good days and some of the better memories I have of spending time with my siblings. We actually got along (most of the time).

Fishing on Southern Lake Champlain in April

Anyone who has fished Lake Champlain will tell you that it’s darn near crystal clear north of the bridge at Crown Point, and nearly mud once you go much south from there. Well, cold muddy water can sometimes be a problem when you want to go fishing.

I know I should really time my first fishing trips better. If I can hold out until the first or second week of May, it’s usually a dynamite fishery. Still, after a cold winter of staring at hooks in my basement, it’s all I can do to stop myself from heading up there while it’s still nearly freezing in April.

This makes for tough fishing. The weeds aren’t in and the water’s high, cold, and murky. Spinnerbaits that will work a few weeks later are largely out of the question. Instead, you’re faced with trying to poke around and see if the bass have loaded up on rocky points near spawning bays yet. If they have, a jerkbait kills them. If they haven’t, you’re going to go a long way between bites.

You’ll see many guys fishing with jigs though it’s a challenge to work them from a walleye boat while the wind is blowing something fierce as it tends to do that time of year, so I usually stick with my jerkbaits.

The Fleet is Out and Killing It

The one place you will find a ton of boat traffic down south is Bulwagga Bay. Here and near the Crown Point Bridge, you’ll find that the fleet of salmon trollers is out fishing in full force as many of the Atlantic Salmon come shallow enough to be taken here. Some day I’d like to try it, but I usually only troll for pickerel and am not quite sure that I really want to start another expensive tactic.

If you’re interested in reading up more about this, I suggest reading the forums over at www.lakechamplainunited.com. A few folks on the site have already been out getting some great action.

At Least It’s Serene

Bass season doesn’t start on Lake Champlain until a few weeks in June. Until then, you must release all catches promptly. While this is a bummer, I’m sure, for the tournament guys, it does allow late April and early May to be quiet, calm, and relaxing, Even south of the bridge, where everything narrows, you can find a bit of space for yourself.

Unfortunately, that sometimes also means that the eateries you were used to during the summer may not be open and ready, so bear that in mind and plan ahead!

A view of good fishing near Crown Point, NY.
Early Spring is serene on Lake Champlain.

May – When the Action Heats Up

Some of the best fishing I’ve had in my life has come in May in southern Lake Champlain. It’s still catch and release only for bass, but you can find plenty of them. They’re going to be splitting their time now between rocky points and actual spawning bays. To the extent you can find a point that has bass stacked on it, you can easily have 100-fish days with the use of a jerkbait or squarebill. Once the water heats up to around 60-degrees, spinnerbaits and Senkos come into their own as well.

Where to Find Fish near Crown Point

During May it’s hard not to find fish in southern Lake Champlain. The bass that haven’t spawned yet will tend to stage on the points while bass start moving into the shallows. There are several bays in Crown Point and Ticonderoga worth fishing, some more than others. Popular spots include the delta near the Fort and the bay just north of the paper mill. I haven’t found as much luck fishing bays on the Vermont side around Crown Point, but the rocky shoreline has produced some great smallmouth since I was a kid.

The shoreline in Vermont across from Crown Point has several rocky stretches that produce big football smallies like this.

When I was young and Dad was taking the three of us out on “Sinky,” we had to stay close to home. Once I upgraded to my Lund Impact, I’ve started to explore far and wide. The Ticonderoga area has a number of good spots that I’ve found recently. Pretty much anything near the fort can produce, and you’ll find many boats stacked up there. East Creek in Vermont can also be fun, though you’ll need a Vermont fishing license to fish it. Finally, if you are willing to run south a bit more, there are some spawning flats on the way to Mill Bay that can be dynamite when the fish are hitting top waters.

Lastly, there are the many rivers and creeks in this area. The mouths and deltas of all of these can work out quite well. Ticonderoga especially, with two large creeks to choose from, is well worth your time. Depending on the water temperatures, I’d throw some Senkos into weed pockets to try and entice a bite.

My Game Plan

Regardless of when I go, I think I’ll follow the usual game plan that has served me well these past few years. I’ll start by targeting the rocky points of Vermont and New York, as well as some big boulders I discovered via map research back during the drought a few years back. The goal will be to find a school of largemouth to spend a day with.

If I can’t find anything on rocky points, I’m going to go into several bays on the New York side. What lure I’ll use depends on the weed growth. If it is still clear enough to get treble hooks through the backwaters, that’s what I’ll use. If not, I will switch up to a Senko and start targeting pockets. Fish start spawning around this area in mid-May or so. You can find huge bass by looking for little ripples from sunfish raiding their nests.

If I find an area with warmer water temperatures, I’ll break out my spinnerbaits. These are great for catching chain pickerel which are everywhere in the southern end. I’m really hoping that my son will get his first spinnerbait strike from a pickerel this year.

Of course, all this depends on finding the time to go. This is my son’s first year in kindergarten so it’s not like I can just leave for a week in May. I’ll have to pick my spots and maybe take a long weekend here or there. Usually when I do that, I find that the weather turns south quickly!

Useful Resources for Fishing Lake Champlain

While I hope to expand upon my knowledge of Lake Champlain in this blog, there are several other great resources available for you in the meanwhile.

  • The forums at www.lakechamplainunited.com – long-running site with members who routinely target salmon and lake trout.
  • The forums at https://vtbassforums.proboards.com/ – a great site with members who actively fish the Ticonderoga area.
  • You also might book a trip with my personal favorite fishing guide at www.lakechamplainangler.com
  • Here’s a great book on Fishing Lake Champlain. The author’s website seems to have gone out of business, but you can find Bass Fishing 101: Lake Champlain by Dale Brown here.
  • Finally, while my book isn’t specifically written about Lake Champlain, most of the tactics and tips I write about were developed on the lake, so it’s worth a read. You can purchase that here.

Conclusions

I suppose this work was a bit rambling. I just needed to think aloud a bit about this great fishery so I’d have something to look forward to. Hopefully you were at least able to pull some information out of it to help you next time you visit this wonderful fishery.

Thanks,

John Paxton