Lake Champlain Fishing Report: Summer Winds and Smallmouth Bonanza

It’s Sunday, August 31st, and I’m Artificial Lure with your Lake Champlain fishing report.

We kicked off the morning at 6:13 AM with a vibrant sunrise out across the water (sunset will be about 7:32 PM tonight), under partly cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid-60s rising to low 70s by noon—no major fronts today, just a classic Champlain summer tapering into September. Winds are light from the north, five to ten knots, keeping the surface calm for both boat and bank anglers.

Lake Champlain isn’t tidal so there’s no tide forecast, but you will notice bite windows around sunrise and sunset and whenever those surface ripples stir some bait. Water clarity’s looking real good. The lake’s in prime shape after the recent basin water quality push from Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program funding, so we’re seeing healthy weedbeds near shore and outstanding visibility.

Fish activity’s been picking up, especially for late summer. Just this week, several local boats reported outstanding numbers of smallmouth bass, a handful of chunky largemouth, and the steady bonus walleye and northern pike. Some charters near Plattsburgh and South Hero tallied double-digit bags of smallies, most in the 2–4 lb class. Both Vermont and New York sides producing, but the New York shallows around Valcour Island and Kings Bay have been the hot ticket for bass action.

Best lures? Tournament anglers swear by natural and translucent patterns: green pumpkin, watermelon, and smoke. Tubes, ned rigs, and drop-shot rigs with finesse worms are scoring regularly, especially in the rocky shoals north of Burlington. Soft swimbaits and the Rabid Baits Rab Shad, recommended by local guide Jake Stem, are top for chasing feeding smallmouth that are keying in on young-of-year baitfish right now. If you’re flipping weedlines for largemouth, try weightless senkos or a black and blue jig. Pike have been tearing up silver spoons and inline spinners, especially when fished fast along weed edges.

Live bait’s always on the menu for multispecies catches. Fathead minnows and nightcrawlers under slip bobbers are the ticket for walleye, yellow perch, and the odd bullhead. For carp or drum, early risers tossing corn or dough baits near river mouths have found surprising action. If you’re after lake trout, vertical jigging with white tubes or casting flutter spoons in 50-80 feet off Thompson’s Point is productive.

Two local hot spots to highlight:
- Point Au Roche State Park: Plenty of rocky structure, weedlines, and steady perch and bass numbers.
- Hatchery Brook outlets (Missisquoi Bay): Tons of bait and big mixed bags. Early mornings have been best before weekend traffic warms up.

For local history fans: Fort Ticonderoga is hosting the Real Time Revolution reenactment today. Great scenery and a good place to bring the family for fishing, a picnic, and a little living history right on Champlain’s shore.

That’s your Lake Champlain fishing conditions for August 31st. Thanks for tuning in, be sure to subscribe for future updates, and always respect the lake—leave no trace, take only memories (and maybe a few fish for dinner).

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