Lake Champlain fishing report for the week of October 1, 2026. Fall on Lake Champlain is one of the best times of the year. The leaves are turning, the water is cooling, and the fish are feeding heavily before the winter. Smallmouth, salmon, and pike are all active.
What’s Hitting
What’s hot this week: smallmouth bass are feeding on the rock piles and the points, and some big fish are being caught. Landlocked salmon are moving closer to shore as the water cools. Northern pike are in the weed beds, feeding aggressively. Lake trout are on the deeper structure, and yellow perch are schooling.
Where to Find Them
For smallmouth, fish the rock piles, the points, and the drop-offs in 10 to 30 feet of water in the main lake. For landlocked salmon, the shoreline areas and the river mouths. For northern pike, the weed beds in the bays, such as Missisquoi Bay and Malletts Bay. For lake trout, the deeper structure in the main lake.
The Inland Sea and the broad lake near Burlington both have productive rock piles, and the smallmouth are grouping up on the sharper drop-offs as the shallows cool. Watch your electronics for schools of perch, since the bass are often right below them. Salmon fishing tends to improve from mid-October as the fish stage near the river mouths, including the Lamoille and the Winooski.
Tides & Conditions
There are no tides on Lake Champlain, but the wind and the weather drive the fishing. Fall storms can make the lake rough, so check the forecast before heading out. Water temperatures are dropping, which triggers feeding activity in all species.
Tackle & Tactics
For smallmouth, a tube jig, a drop-shot rig, or a jerkbait. For landlocked salmon, a trolled streamer or a spoon. For northern pike, a spinnerbait, a spoon, or a swimbait. For lake trout, a jig or a trolled spoon on the deeper structure. Medium spinning gear works for most of it.
For pike, a larger swimbait slowed down along the outer weed edge is often more effective in the fall than a fast spinnerbait. Use a wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader to prevent bite-offs. For salmon, early morning trolling with long lines behind planer boards keeps lures away from the boat in clear water.
Local Intel This Week
Public launches include the Converse Bay area access, the Malletts Bay area ramps, and the Plattsburgh area on the New York side. Fish are concentrated on the rock piles for smallmouth and in the weed beds for pike. Lake Champlain spans Vermont, New York, and Quebec, so check current Vermont Fish and Wildlife, New York State DEC, and Quebec regulations and seasons before fishing.
This Week’s Tip
Fall smallmouth on Lake Champlain feed heavily on perch and baitfish. Match the hatch with lures that imitate perch, and focus on the edges of the rock piles where the bait gathers.
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