Fall Fishing on Lake Champlain: Exceptional Opportunities Await Anglers

As of October 9, 2024, Lake Champlain is offering some exceptional fishing opportunities despite the transitioning fall weather. Here’s what you need to know for a successful day on the water.

### Weather and Tidal Conditions
The weather is expected to be mild, with temperatures ranging from the mid-50s to the low 60s. There will be partial cloud cover, which should help keep the sun from spooking the fish too much. As for tidal conditions, Lake Champlain is a freshwater lake and does not have tides, so you don’t need to worry about that.

### Sunrise and Sunset
Sunrise today is at around 6:55 AM, and sunset will be at approximately 5:55 PM. These times are ideal for catching fish, especially during the early morning and late afternoon when fish are most active.

### Fish Activity
Fish activity has been robust, with many anglers reporting successful catches over the past few days. Yesterday saw a lot of action from bass, both largemouth and smallmouth, as well as northern pike, walleye, and even some trout.

### Types and Amounts of Fish Caught
Yesterday, anglers reported catching a good number of largemouth bass in the 2-4 pound range, with some smallmouth bass weighing up to 5 pounds. Northern pike were also plentiful, with some catches reaching up to 10 pounds. Walleye were caught in smaller numbers but were still a welcome addition to many anglers' bags.

### Best Lures and Bait
For bass, soft plastics like curly tail grubs and plastic worms have been working well. Jigs with a minnow or crawdad trailer are also effective. For northern pike, spoons and spinnerbaits are the way to go. Walleye have been biting on live bait such as minnows and nightcrawlers, as well as on jigs tipped with these baits.

### Hot Spots
Some of the hot spots right now include the areas around the Champlain Bridge, where the structure and current create ideal conditions for bass and pike. The bays and inlets around Grand Isle and South Hero are also producing good catches of walleye and bass. Additionally, the rocky shorelines and weed beds near Ticonderoga have been yielding some nice trout.

Overall, Lake Champlain is in great shape for fishing this fall, so grab your gear and get out there to take advantage of these excellent conditions.