Vermont fishing reports
129 reports for Vermont — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Champlain smallmouth tuck into rock as landlocked salmon retreat to cool depths
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came in for Lake Champlain this cycle, and none of this week's angler intel filed directly from the lake — so this update leans on typical August patterns for VT's flagship smallmouth and landlocked salmon fishery. Expect smallmouth to be holding tight to deep rock piles, boulder fields, and drop-offs as surface water pushes into the upper 70s, the classic post-spawn deep-summer setup for the species. Elsewhere in New England freshwater this week, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, anglers working smallmouth on the Merrimack River found steady action on Senko-style soft plastics and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms fished slow around structure — a technique worth carrying onto Champlain's rock. Landlocked salmon, meanwhile, are typically pushed below the thermocline by now and call for deep trolling or downrigging rather than surface presentations. Check state regs before harvesting, and confirm any seasonal closures locally.
VT Bass Slide Deep as August Heat Grips Champlain, CT River
Bass fishing has turned tough on nearby New England waters as August heat sets in — Saunders Boat Livery in Southwick reports largemouth sliding onto deep drop-edges, lily pads, and deep-water docks, still biting Ned Rigs, jigs, and Senkos, while Merrimack River smallmouth are keying on Senko-style plastics and Yamamoto Cut Tail Worms fished on Aziz rigs (per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater). No VT buoy or gauge data came through this cycle and no direct Champlain or Connecticut River reports landed, so we're reading the regional trend: expect Vermont bass to follow the same pattern, sliding deeper and going quieter through midday. Walleye should still respond to structure changes worth probing with forward-facing sonar, a technique shift Fishing the Midwest has tracked closely, and morning and evening windows remain the reliable bet as recreational boat traffic picks up on popular water.
Champlain smallmouth stage draws pro tournament trail in August
The Lake Champlain smallmouth fishery got a national spotlight this week when the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit's Stop 6 ran on Vermont water, per Wired 2 Fish, though the story's real hook was a Day 1 disqualification after pro Chad Mrazek fished without a valid Vermont license, a reminder that VT and NY both require their own paperwork on a lake that straddles the border. We don't have fresh buoy or gauge readings for Champlain this cycle, so treat conditions as a seasonal read rather than a real-time one. Early August typically has Champlain smallmouth locked onto deeper rock piles, humps and current-swept points as surface temperatures peak, while landlocked salmon slide down into cooler, oxygenated water and get harder to reach without electronics or downriggers. No shop or charter intel came in on this stretch of the lake this cycle, so species status below leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than a fresh bite report.
Lake Champlain draws pro bass anglers as VT rivers run low and clear
A Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit stop landed on Lake Champlain earlier this month, per Wired 2 Fish, a reminder that the lake still draws national bass tournaments even in peak summer heat — the same report flagged a competitor disqualified for fishing without a valid Vermont license, worth noting before you launch. On the Connecticut River side, our reading from USGS gauge 01135300 has flow sitting near 39.3 cfs, consistent with the low, clear water typical of a dry Vermont August. No direct Vermont bite reports came through this cycle's angler intel, so species status below leans on seasonal patterns: smallmouth and largemouth bass pushing to deeper structure and shade through midday heat, with walleye and pike staying most catchable around dawn and dusk low light.
Champlain smallmouth push deep as peak-summer heat sets in
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data came through for Lake Champlain this cycle, and none of this week's angler-intel feeds filed a direct report from the lake, so this update leans on regional patterns rather than on-the-water testimony from Champlain itself. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes bass nationwide are solidly post-spawn and pushing to the deepest water they'll hold all year, a pattern that tracks for Champlain smallmouth as surface temps peak in early August. Elsewhere in New England, The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports smallmouth keying on Senko-style stick worms and Ned rigs worked along deep drop-edges, reservoir docks, and lily-pad edges, a technique set worth testing on Champlain's rocky points and ledges. Landlocked salmon have no direct reports either way this week; expect them holding deep near the thermocline, which is typical for this stretch of summer. Check Vermont state regs before harvesting.
Bass and Walleye Dial In as Summer Heat Grips Vermont Waters
Smallmouth bass are getting finicky as water temperatures bounce around in the late-summer heat, per this week's dispatch from The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, where anglers at Congamond Lakes found the bite 'much slower than it was a week ago' despite working deep drop-edges, lily pads and deep-water docks with Ned Rigs, jigs and Senkos. No VT-specific buoy or gauge readings came back for this cycle, and no dedicated Connecticut River or Lake Champlain dispatch landed in this week's intel sweep, but the same pattern typically holds across Vermont's freshwater fisheries in early August: post-spawn bass pushed deep, walleye leaning on structure and forward-facing sonar per Fishing the Midwest, and pike ambushing weed edges. We'd focus early mornings and dusk, working the thermocline break rather than the skinny water, until a cold front resets the pattern.
Champlain smallmouth slide deep as summer heat settles in
No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge feed is currently reporting for Lake Champlain, so this update leans on seasonal pattern rather than live readings. Early August has smallmouth bass and landlocked salmon in their classic post-spawn, deep-water mode, and that lines up with the broader trend Wired 2 Fish flagged in its August lure roundup this week: fish nationwide are done spawning and pushing "as deep as they'll get all year" once surface temps peak. On Champlain that typically means smallmouth sliding onto mid-lake rock piles and humps, while landlocked salmon and lake trout drop toward the thermocline to stay comfortable. No shop, charter, or state-agency reports specific to Champlain came through in this cycle's intel sweep, so treat species status below as seasonal-typical rather than confirmed bites. Check a current forecast and, if available, a local shop report before planning a trip around this write-up.
Vermont bass and walleye slide deep as August heat sets in
Post-spawn bass across the country are holding as deep as they'll get all year, with water temps at their yearly peak — that's the read from Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup, and it lines up with what we'd expect on the Connecticut River and Lake Champlain this week. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for this stretch, so anglers should lean on their own thermometer and structure knowledge rather than a specific number. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are pushing to rocky drop-offs and deep weed edges, walleye are sliding off typical bottom haunts into suspended, open-water positions — a shift walleye anglers elsewhere are chasing with forward-facing sonar per Fishing the Midwest — and pike activity typically eases in the warmest stretch of summer. Early mornings, late evenings, and the low light around this week's Last Quarter moon should be the highest-percentage windows.
Smallmouth Bass Push Deep as Peak Summer Heat Grips Champlain
Our reading from USGS gauge 04294500 puts water in the mid-70s this week, squarely in the post-spawn heat window that regional bass reports describe as the toughest stretch of the season. Wired 2 Fish's August lure roundup notes that by this point bass across the country are full-blown post-spawn and pushed to their deepest water of the year, a pattern that tracks for Champlain smallmouth as the shallows warm past their comfort zone. Tactical Bassin's recent summer-pattern videos back that up, describing bass keying on submerged vegetation, offshore cover, and deeper structure once the bank bite fades, with jigs and swimbaits producing when moving baits slow down. Fishing the Midwest's notes on forward-facing sonar changing how anglers locate suspended fish apply directly to smallmouth working deep humps and drop-offs here. Landlocked salmon, typically holding near the thermocline in August, should stay a deeper, patient bite through the heat.
Vermont anglers adjust as rivers run thin into August
Flow at USGS gauge 01135300 measured just 7.19 cfs before dawn on August 3, a reading that points to the thin, warm water typical of Vermont's smaller tributaries by early August. No angler reports came in specifically from Lake Champlain or the Connecticut River this cycle, so we're leaning on regional New England patterns and seasonal norms rather than fresh local intel. Elsewhere in the region, The Fisherman's New England Freshwater column notes bass relating to drop-offs and deeper grass and structure as summer heat sets in, with Senko-style baits and live shiners producing for shore and boat anglers alike — a pattern that typically carries over to Champlain's bays and the Connecticut's slower pools. Smallmouth and largemouth should still be catchable working deeper cover through midday and shallower edges at dawn and dusk. Walleye tend to slide deep and go quiet in early-August warmth, while pike stay opportunistic around whatever weed growth remains. Check current state regulations before harvesting anything.
Champlain bass slide into cover as August heat settles in
No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the Connecticut River or Lake Champlain this cycle, so this report leans on seasonal pattern and technique guidance rather than a live local bite. Early August typically pushes Champlain smallmouth and largemouth off the shallow banks and onto submerged grass, drop-offs, and offshore rock once the shallow bite fades in the heat, a pattern Tactical Bassin has been documenting in its recent summer breakdowns. For walleye, Fishing the Midwest notes that forward-facing sonar has shifted a lot of pressure away from classic bottom structure toward suspended fish in open water, a technique worth testing on Champlain's basin if the usual points and weedlines go quiet. Northern pike remain a dependable bycatch on moving baits worked through emerging weed edges this time of year. Connecticut River flow and clarity should be in a typical late-summer range; check local conditions before launching. We're treating today's report as pattern-based guidance rather than a confirmed bite report until fresh readings and regional intel come in.
Champlain smallmouth hold tight to rock as August heat settles in
Lake Champlain settles into its typical early-August pattern this week: warm surface temperatures push landlocked salmon down toward the thermocline while smallmouth bass stay locked onto rocky points, gravel bars, and deep weed edges. No fresh buoy or gauge readings came through for the lake this cycle, so this report leans on typical seasonal behavior rather than a live temperature snapshot -- check a local reading before you head out. Smallmouth action should stay solid on drop-shot and tube presentations worked slow along deep structure, the pattern most Northeast smallmouth fisheries fall into once summer heat sets in. Landlocked salmon get tougher this time of year and usually require trolling deep with downriggers or leadcore line to reach cooler water. A recent Wisconsin DNR study reported by Wired 2 Fish found individual bass vary widely in how readily they bite regardless of conditions, a reminder that persistence and thorough coverage matter as much as pattern selection this month.