"Springtime Bounty on Lake Champlain: Salmon, Trout, and More Await Anglers"

Good morning anglers! Here’s your Lake Champlain fishing report for Saturday, April 12, 2025. With spring in full swing, the lake is alive with activity, and the conditions today look promising for a successful outing.

The sun rose at 6:07 AM and will set at 7:33 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to hit the water. The weather is expected to be mild with light winds, which is ideal for both shore and boat fishing. Water levels are stable, and the predicted high tides today are at 10:59 AM and 11:23 PM, while low tides will occur at 7:34 AM and 7:59 PM.

Recent catches around the lake have been excellent, particularly for landlocked salmon and lake trout. Reports from anglers indicate salmon in the 2 to 4-pound range being active near river mouths, and lake trout are holding in deeper waters off structures like reefs and humps. Yellow perch are showing up consistently, with schools being found in mud-bottomed and near-reef areas, while black and white crappies are moving closer to the shallows as their spawning season nears.

If you’re targeting salmon or lake trout, trolling with spoons, especially Little Cleo’s or other brightly colored lures, has been working wonders. Anglers have also had success with Smithwick crankbaits for browns. For perch and crappie, minnows or waxworms on jigs are your best bet.

Prime fishing locations include Shelburne Bay, a hotspot for largemouth bass, and Missisquoi Bay, which offers outstanding action for largemouths and smallmouths alike. If you’re after trout and salmon, try the middle section of the lake between Westport and Cumberland Head, which features great deep-water fishing. For crappie enthusiasts, South Bay and Bulwagga Bay are heating up with their shallows drawing these fish in.

Get your rods ready and tackle boxes packed—today is shaping up to be a fantastic day on Lake Champlain. Tight lines!