It’s a fishing day

Lake Champlain fishing conditions · New York

Tomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 98. Wind builds to 18 mph out of the northwest by tonight at 6:00 pm.

Log a trip here
Right now: 87 for walleye, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 874 pm
  2. 83
  3. 68
  4. 687 pm
  5. 68
  6. 68
  7. 8010 pm
  8. 80
  9. 83Sun
  10. 831 am
  11. 83
  12. 83
  13. 944 am
  14. 94
  15. 98
  16. 947 am
  17. 94
  18. 94
  19. 9810 am
  20. 98
  21. 98
  22. 941 pm
  23. 94
  24. 94
  25. 984 pm
  26. 94
  27. 94
  28. 947 pm
  29. 94
  30. 94
  31. 9410 pm
  32. 98
  33. 98Mon
  34. 941 am
  35. 94
  36. 94
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
16 mph

From the northwest

Flow
15.5 cfs

steady · -8% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:35 pm

Sky
Chance Light Rain

36% chance of rain

Air
48°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are New York regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

98GoTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Walleye bite in 50–72° water, best near 62°.

Why

Walleye is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18" minimum, 3 a day, from the first Saturday in May to Mar 15.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on walleye

Lake Trout

Lake trout

Salvelinus namaycush

80Worth the tripTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Lake trout bite in 40–52° water, best near 48°.

Why

Lake trout is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 30–200 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 3 lake trout a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Sep–Jun. More on lake trout

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

80Worth the tripTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Yellow perch bite in 45–70° water, best near 58°.

Why

Yellow perch is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Any size and any number, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on yellow perch

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

68MarginalTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Chain pickerel bite in 45–80° water, best near 60°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Any size, 10 pickerel a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–May, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on chain pickerel

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

51Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Smallmouth bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum, 5 a day from the second Saturday in June to Nov 30; catch and release with artificial lures the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

45Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Largemouth bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Largemouth bass is here May–Oct. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 12" minimum, 5 a day from the second Saturday in June to Nov 30; catch and release with artificial lures the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Lake Champlain (NY–VT border water)

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. New York statewide: carp are open all year, any size, any number.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · New York

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River15.5 cfs · steady · -8% in 24 h
  • Barometer29.82 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:35 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:40 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarTonight 9:50 pm–11:50 pm
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am
  • Major solunarTomorrow 10:00 am–12:00 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

New York DEC report, undated

Names lake trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, which people fish for here. It covers the whole state, so it may not describe these waters.

Read it at New York DEC

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A 120-mile lake on the New York–Vermont line, consistently rated among the best bass fisheries in the country — giant largemouth and smallmouth, plus lake trout, walleye, pike, and perch.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Lake Champlain (Burlington)9 mi · VermontBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am
86Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Lake Champlain?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Lake Champlain you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Lake Champlain?

Lake Champlain is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout, Walleye, and 3 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Lake Champlain?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Lake Champlain against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Lake Champlain have?

Lake Champlain has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Lake Champlain?

state agency regulations apply at Lake Champlain. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Lake Champlain tidal water?

No. Lake Champlain is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.