Lake Champlain

Published: Nov 1, 2018Updated: May 22, 2025

Species

Smallmouth Bass

Season

Summer (Current)

137 Fishing Reports

938 Followers

Overview
Fishing Reports (137)
Techniques

Lake Champlain Overview

SLOWWind (mph)FAST

01020406080100

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Top Techniques Reported for Smallmouth Bass + Summer

Drop Shot
8
Ned Rigs
5
Damiki Rig
2
Bladed Jigs
1
Finesse Jigs
1

Total Fishing Reports

137

Top Species Reported for Summer

Largemouth Bass37 Reports
Smallmouth Bass27 Reports

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Fishing Reports

137 Reports on Lake Champlain

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Katherine Field
Blue Ambassador
7/2/21
- Species
  Largemouth Bass
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Texas Rigs (Worming)
- Structure
  Submerged Vegetation
Just finished fishing the Hobie Bass Open series on Lake Champlain. Lake was transitioning post-spawn for smallies, though some were still bedding. I had two great patterns for this lake, one focused on structure and one focused on submerged vegetation. For the Largemouth bite I was fishing offshore in heavy swaths of submerged vegetation in very murky water. I used my own 'Kate Rig' style of worming, to work on a more vertical plane and pop vertically through the weed clumps. I used a Giant TRD, backwards texas rigged in the small end of the worm, pegged and lightly weighted with a tail spinner. Largies were slamming it on both sides of the lake. When it got to windy, I headed for the bridge and worked in the current and wash for giant smallies. I used a Medium Fast spinning rod, 20lb braid to 12 lb leader, with an okashira screwhead and a megabass spark shad. I went with a heavier leader than I normally do as the bridge abutments are covered with zebra mussels, so use caution when you get close to this structure.
Boatpotato
Silver Ambassador
7/1/23
- Species
  Largemouth Bass
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Texas Rigs (Pitch/Flip)
- Structure
  Matted Grass
- Water Temperature
  76°
Another 20+ lb sack and win for pops and I on Champlain! Hot and hazy conditions always seem to have that lake on fire. The best bites came from pitching the swimming mama to the deepest edge of mats. If they didn’t smoke it on the fall they would smash it on the swim out. Love this bait!!
Tophatbass
Silver Ambassador
7/6/23
- Species
  Largemouth Bass
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Frogs/Toads
- Structure
  Matted Grass
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  73°
Froggin' milfoil mats in the setbacks of southern Champlain will never get old. Tie a frog on, make sure you have a good sturdy rod, like the Sixgill Anura, or 6th Sense Vega rods, dial your reel in so that you can send kermit into orbit, and let 'er fly! Once the frog hits the water, let it sit for a few seconds. Sometimes bass will inspect the bait and then hit, but any movement seems suddenly discouraging. If no strike, either pull the frog a few inches at a time to mimic an actual frog, or walk it. Walking can take some practice, but the side to side action is deadly. Always keep an extra foot of slack line between your rod tip and the frog, and twitch it with a relatively steady rhythm, immediately letting the line have its slack each time. When you get a bite, in your head count to one thousand two, before you set the hook to make sure the fish has committed to eating. Many times, the fish will only have the frog by a butt whisker, and a premature hookset can cause more heartache than a premature e, uh anyway, if your frog is still floating after the blow up, and you managed to stifle your urge to set the hook, there's a good chance that fish will keep trying.