Champlain's Bass, Cats, and Crappie - Early Fall Fishing Report

Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for Sunday, September 7, 2025. We kicked off this early September morning to cool temps in the high 50s, with a brisk northerly breeze sweeping down the broad lake. Local forecasts are calling for a partly cloudy day, reaching the upper 70s, and a shot at scattered showers mid-afternoon—so bring a light rain jacket just in case. Sunrise hit at 6:22 AM, and you’ll have daylight until sunset at 7:21 PM, giving you prime hours for casting. Lake Champlain's water temps are holding steady in the mid-60s, and clarity is good after last week's rain flushed out some algae. No tides here—Champlain's a freshwater gem, but water level is a touch higher than average after labor day storms. Surface chop is moderate, especially north of the bridge, which means the fish are feeding just off structure where currents break. Recent reports from Outdoor News and Adirondack Almanack say anglers are seeing a real uptick in activity: **smallmouth and largemouth bass** are both active, with early morning topwater strikes on points near Port Henry and Button Bay. Word is, a few double-digit stringers were pulled from the shallows just west of Ticonderoga, especially where rock meets weed—ideal bass country. **Walleye** have been rising in the southern channels, especially when folks slow-roll a crawler harness or jigging Rap over deeper drop-offs near Crown Point. **Northern pike** are cruising at the mouths of tributaries, picking off perch and bluegill—try a large spinner or swimbait in firetiger pattern if you’re chasing big toothy critters. Perch and sunfish are thick near Malletts Bay and the Missisquoi Delta, hitting small jigs tipped with live worms or small chartreuse grubs. Local kids pulled some dinner-plate sized pumpkinseeds just inside Shelburne Bay last Thursday. Best lures this week have been: - **Green pumpkin soft plastics**—rigged texas style for bass around weedbeds. (Popularized by local tackle makers and plenty of TikTok tutorials—search “how to rig green pumpkin worms” for a demo.) - **Square bill crankbaits** in shad or perch color—run them tight to rocky shorelines early and late for aggressive strikes. - **Spinnerbaits** and **white swimbaits** for pike and pickerel near inflows and reed lines. For bait, **live shiners** and **nightcrawlers** are gold standard for multi-species action, especially on slip bobber rigs or jig heads. Early fall is the transition window here; fish are moving from summer patterns to fall feeding mode. **Hot spots to try today:** - The rocky shoals off Valcour Island: bass are hammering jerkbaits near drop-offs at dawn. - Dead Creek near Addison: solid perch and crappie bite where muddy bottom meets old stump fields. - Ticonderoga narrows at mouth of the La Chute River: big cats and pike prowling the deeper cuts. Keep an eye on the birds—osprey and kingfishers have been active, chasing bait up against rocky points. If you see a flock working the wa This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.