Lake Champlain Fishing Update: Bass, Salmon, Walleye, and More Biting in April 2025

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for April 19, 2025.

We had a cool, crisp start this morning with temperatures hanging in the low 40s, but expect it to warm into the mid-50s by this afternoon. Winds are light out of the southwest, about 5 to 10 mph—nothing to keep you off the water. Sunrise today was at 6:10 AM, and sunset is coming at 7:41 PM, so there’s plenty of daylight to fish every pattern you want.

Water clarity is stained in a lot of areas, thanks to recent rain and fluctuating lake levels. Surface water temperatures are running 50 to 53 degrees, warmer than last month and pushing more fish shallow[3]. Areas with hard bottom in 4 to 6 feet are seeing fresh weed growth, and that’s attracting both bass and bait[2].

Right now, the most active bite is for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Dragging soft swimbaits and bladed jigs slowly along the bottom is the ticket—think Owner Flashy Swimmer, 3/8 oz with a willow blade, silver, or a similar bait that kicks some flash and thump[2]. If you’re not feeling the lure tick the bottom, you’re probably moving too fast. Really slow it down, and don’t be afraid to kill the bait mid-retrieve for a reaction bite.

Landlocked salmon and lake trout have been active too, especially near the drop-offs and points, with best results coming from 50 to 75 feet of water. Try trolling small spoons or stickbaits in natural colors. In the river mouths and tributaries, there’s still action for salmon in the 2 to 4 pound range, with early risers getting the best of it[5].

Walleye reports are solid in the Inland Sea and Malletts Bay, with fish running 3 to 5 pounds. Drifting or casting minnow-tipped jigs at dusk is working best. Yellow perch are biting in the south end if you want steady panfish action[5].

Recent catches have included 30+ bass days for anglers working soft swimbaits and blades over vegetation. A few boats landed lake trout and salmon trolling deeper water off the main channel[2][5].

If you’re heading out, try these hot spots:
- The rocky drop-offs near the mouth of the Winooski River for salmon and lake trout
- The hard-bottom weed flats out from St. Albans Bay for bass
- The sandbars and shallows in the south end for yellow perch

Best live bait right now is large shiners and nightcrawlers. For artificials, soft swimbaits, bladed jigs, and flashy spoons or stickbaits in silver or white are the top picks.

No tidal influence to report on Lake Champlain, so fish will be moving mostly with wind, light, and bait.

That’s today’s on-the-water scoop, straight from your fellow anglers and some time in the shallows. Good luck, and tight lines!