Lake Champlain Early Summer Fishing Report: Smallmouth Sizzle, Largemouth Lurk, Lakers and Salmon Shine

Artificial Lure here with your June 14, 2025, Lake Champlain fishing report, coming at you from the heart of the Vermont/New York border. Sunrise hit at 5:13 AM and we’re looking at sunset around 8:17 PM—plenty of daylight to hunt those lunkers. No tides to worry about on Champlain, so let’s talk conditions and what’s hot on the water.

Weather-wise, we’re enjoying classic early summer with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s, partly cloudy skies, and a gentle south wind around 5-10 mph. Water temps are pushing into the upper 60s on the main lake, and after a mild week, fish activity is cranking up all over.

Bass are the headline catch right now. Smallmouth are on absolute fire across rocky points, gravel flats, and drop-offs—Valcour Island and Willsboro Bay are producing steady limits of 2- to 4-pounders, with some five-pound slabs caught this week. Tube jigs in green pumpkin and drop shot rigs with 4-inch finesse worms are top picks, but don’t overlook the PXR Mavrik 110 Jerkbait in metallic yellow perch, especially mid-morning when the bite gets twitchy.

Largemouth are heating up in the weed beds and sheltered bays. Shelburne Bay and St. Albans Bay are local favorites, with anglers pulling in fish up to 7.5 pounds. Go with Texas-rigged soft plastics along weed edges or mix it up with a white spinnerbait. Early morning and dusk bring the best topwater action—frogs and poppers are drawing big blowups near heavy cover.

Lake trout are holding deep between 80 and 100 feet from Westport to Cumberland Head, and also off the Burlington ledges and Port Henry. Spoons trolled just off bottom are doing the trick, especially when fish are chasing rainbow smelt. The restoration efforts are paying off too, with more wild fish showing up and fewer lamprey scars noted by local guides.

On the salmon front, Split Rock to Shelburne Point has seen some good action with downriggers set at 40-60 feet. Flasher and fly combos in green/silver and Michigan Stinger spoons are the go-tos.

Panfish haven’t slowed down either—crappie and bluegill are thick in Bulwagga Bay and Missisquoi Bay, taking small jigs tipped with worms or soft plastics.

Hot spots for the weekend:
- For smallmouth, head to the rocky shorelines and points around Valcour Island and the drop-offs in the Inland Sea.
- Largemouth hunters should work the weed beds of Shelburne Bay and St. Albans Bay.
- Lakers are biting deep off Burlington and Port Henry, while salmon chasers should target between Split Rock and Shelburne.

That’s the scoop from Lake Champlain, folks. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for daily updates. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.