Chilly Spring Fishing on Lake Champlain: Trout, Bass, and Pike Bite Updates

Alright folks, here's your Lake Champlain fishing report for March 21, 2025. It's a chilly morning out there with temperatures hovering around 38°F, but we're expecting it to warm up to the mid-50s by afternoon. Skies are partly cloudy with a light breeze from the northwest. Sunrise was at 6:53 AM, and we're looking at sunset around 7:04 PM.

Tides are minimal on the big lake, but we're seeing a slight rise of about 4 inches between low and high tide. Current water temp is sitting at a brisk 42°F.

Now, onto the fishing. The bite has been picking up as we transition into spring. Lake trout and landlocked salmon are still the main targets in the deeper parts of the lake. Anglers have been having good luck trolling with downriggers in 80 to 120 feet of water. Spoons like the Sutton 71 in copper or silver have been hot.

Bass fishing is starting to wake up, especially on warmer afternoons. A few nice smallmouth have been caught on drop shot rigs and jerkbaits in 15 to 25 feet of water. The Inland Sea area has been producing some decent catches.

Pike fishing has been stellar in the shallower bays. Missisquoi Bay and the area around Larabee's Point have been particularly productive. Large spoons and swimbaits are your best bet for these toothy critters.

As for recent catches, we've seen a few lake trout in the 8-10 pound range, some nice 3-4 pound smallmouth, and even a 42-inch pike was reported last weekend.

For you perch jerkers out there, the yellow perch bite has been steady. Tiny jigs tipped with small minnows or worms are doing the trick.

Hot spots to check out include Malletts Bay for a mix of species, the Inland Sea for smallmouth, and the Champlain Bridge area for lake trout. If you're after pike, don't overlook Kelley Bay or Keeler Bay.

Remember folks, the key to success this time of year is to fish slow and deep. Don't be afraid to switch up your presentations if you're not getting any bites. Tight lines and good luck out there!