Lake Champlain Fishing Report: Smallies, Largemouth, and Lake Trout Thriving

Good morning, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for this beautiful Friday, May 30, 2025.

The sun rose bright and early at 5:14 AM today and will set at 8:28 PM, giving you plenty of daylight hours to hook those trophy catches. Weather-wise, we're looking at temperatures climbing into the upper 60s with a light southerly breeze that'll create just enough ripple on the water to mask your approach.

The fishing has been absolutely phenomenal this past week! Smallmouth bass continue their aggressive pre-spawn behavior, especially around the Burlington islands where rocky points and drop-offs are producing consistent action. Anglers are still landing 30-40 smallies per outing using Ned rigs and jerkbaits worked slowly in 8-15 feet of water. These bronzebacks are defending their territories with a vengeance, so be ready for some powerful strikes!

Largemouth action remains red hot in the southern sections, particularly around Ticonderoga. Spinnerbaits and soft plastics in watermelon or green pumpkin colors are your ticket to success here. One angler last week landed a monster that had the locals buzzing for days, so don't be afraid to go big!

Lake trout fishing has been nothing short of spectacular off Plattsburgh and Westport, with reports of 30+ fish days becoming common. What's especially encouraging is seeing fewer lamprey wounds on our wild lakers. With lake trout stocking set to end after this year, it's great to see our wild population thriving.

For you walleye hunters, the bite has been excellent with both numbers and size. They're still feeding shallow at night, so plan accordingly if you're targeting these tasty predators.

Hot spots to try today:
- Monitor Bay boat launch area in Crown Point gives great access to the southernmost portions of the lake
- The rocky points around the Burlington islands for those smallmouth
- The weedy bays near Ticonderoga for trophy largemouth
- Deeper structure off Plattsburgh for those lake trout

Remember that catch and release bass fishing is allowed year-round during open water season, but you'll need to use artificial lures only - no live bait permitted. Those bass need to be immediately released after a quick photo.

Water clarity is excellent at 5-6 feet visibility, and the lake is at full pool level with temperatures around 70 degrees - perfect conditions for an active bite.

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