Vermont fishing reports
54 reports for Vermont — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
CT River Shad Run Builds as Lake Champlain Bass Enter Post-Spawn
The Connecticut River shad run has kicked into gear over the past 10 days — a welcome signal for Vermont anglers watching fish push northward. The Fisherman — Connecticut reports strong shad action, and The Fisherman — New England Freshwater confirms rising shad numbers with Steaves Leaves willow-leaf rigs on ¾- to 1-ounce sinkers as the hot ticket downriver. Those same presentations should produce on Vermont's Connecticut River stretches as fish press upstream. USGS gauge 01135300 logged 82.8 cfs this morning — moderate, fishable spring flow. Water temperature data is unavailable at this gauge. On Lake Champlain, no direct charter or shop reports surfaced this week, but mid-May puts smallmouth bass squarely in their spawn-to-post-spawn window — historically one of the most productive periods of the year on the big lake's shallow rock flats. Fly anglers should watch for caddis emergence windows in the afternoons, a pattern highlighted in recent regional hatch coverage from MidCurrent.
Lake Champlain: Landlocked Salmon Prime, Smallmouth Staging Deep
USGS gauge 04294500 recorded 42°F water on the morning of May 7th — a reading that puts landlocked salmon squarely in their prime spring feeding window while keeping smallmouth bass pinned to deep structure ahead of the pre-spawn push. No Lake Champlain-specific reports surfaced in this week's angler intel, so this update is anchored to the gauge reading and seasonal patterns. Landlocked salmon are cold-water fish and at 42°F should be feeding aggressively on smelt and alewife imitations near tributary inflows and the upper water column, before the lake stratifies into summer. Smallmouth tell a different story: 42°F is well below the 50°F-plus threshold for meaningful pre-spawn staging, and the fish are almost certainly deep and lethargic. Tactical Bassin notes that early-May bass nationwide are in transition between spawn phases and respond best to finesse presentations — sound advice for cold Champlain conditions. A waning gibbous moon supports dawn feeding windows for both species.
Connecticut River shad run building north
The Connecticut River shad run has kicked into gear across the region. Per The Fisherman — Connecticut (Aaron Swanson), the run "kicked into gear over the last 10 or so days with some very good fishing" in stretches well south of Vermont — a migration front that historically pushes upstream through May. The Fisherman — New England Freshwater confirms shad numbers "rising daily" in the Connecticut River, with willow-leaf Steaves Leaves rigs on ¾–1 oz casting sinkers dominating the bite and selling out at area shops. USGS gauge 01135300 logged 265 cfs before dawn on May 7 — a moderate, fishable flow well-suited to bank and wade anglers. No water temperature was available from that gauge. Lake Champlain's walleye and bass fisheries carry no direct reports in this cycle, but early May typically marks the tail end of walleye spawning and the onset of bass pre-spawn to post-spawn activity across the shallower northern bays.
Lake Champlain Smallmouth Stir as Round Goby Study Flags New Threat
A study flagged by Wired 2 Fish warns that round goby — the small invasive species already reshaping bass fisheries in upstate New York — may be closing in on Lake Champlain, one of the Northeast's premier smallmouth venues. On the water, USGS gauge 01135300 logged a modest flow of 136 cfs on the Connecticut River system as of May 6 — a low early-season reading pointing to clear, wadeable conditions. No water temperature was available from gauges at press time. MA Bass competition records document consistent smallmouth production on both Lake Champlain and the Connecticut River during tournament events; early May is typically prime for pre-spawn staging as Vermont's shallows warm. The Battenkill Fly Fishing & Arts Festival ran April 30–May 2 in Arlington, VT, per MidCurrent, with fly anglers finding tributary trout season well underway. American shad typically push up the Connecticut through May and into June — no on-the-water report yet confirms their arrival at Vermont stretches.
Lake Champlain Bass Beds Active; CT River Caddis Hatches Peak
Largemouth and smallmouth bass are crowding Champlain's shallows in full spawn mode — MA Bass Federation competitors at Ticonderoga confirmed a productive bite, with state championship results fresh off the water (MA Bass). On Vermont's moving water, USGS gauge 01135300 registered 71.7 cfs on the Connecticut River system early this morning, and Hatch Magazine reports caddis emergences are hitting their spring stride. The Battenkill Fly Fishing & Arts Festival just wrapped May 2 in Arlington, Vermont, drawing regional fly anglers to benchmark spring conditions (MidCurrent). Wired 2 Fish this week outlined a swimbait-to-finesse-bait two-punch for bed fish in shallow cover — well suited to Champlain's weedy bays and rocky transitions. Walleye should also be seasonally active in Champlain's shallower bays as water temperatures climb, though no direct reports were available this week. The waning gibbous moon favors active morning and evening windows. No water temperature reading was available at publication time.
Connecticut River at 84.8 cfs as May Hatches Begin for Vermont Trout
USGS gauge 01135300 logged 84.8 cfs on the Connecticut River watershed as of May 2—a moderate, stable reading that puts wading conditions in solid shape heading into the week. No water temperature was recorded at the gauge, though early May on Vermont river systems typically places surface temps in the high 40s to low 50s°F, right at the threshold where trout metabolism accelerates and mayfly emergences become consistent. Field & Stream's current trout guide highlights the insect life that should be emerging right now—mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, and midges—making this a meaningful window for dry-fly and nymph presentations on Connecticut River tributaries. The full moon peaking this weekend adds a timing edge: predator species in Lake Champlain, walleye and pike especially, are known to feed hard in the low-light hours flanking a full moon phase. No Vermont-specific charter or shop intel reached our feeds this cycle; the on-the-water detail below draws on seasonal benchmarks and regional inference where direct attribution isn't available.