Early Ice Action on Lake Champlain with Artificial Lure

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Champlain fishing report. We’re sitting on a classic early–ice pattern now. According to the National Weather Service in Burlington, air temps are riding the mid 20s to low 30s, with a light northwest breeze and a mostly cloudy sky—cold enough for skim and early walkable ice in sheltered bays, but main-lake ice is still sketchy. Local reports out of the Inland Sea and Malletts Bay say guys are just starting to poke around the coves, spudding every step and wearing float suits. Sunrise is about 7:30 a.m. with sunset near 4:15 p.m., so your prime bite windows are short and sharp around dawn and that last hour of light. With the stable chill and low light, fish are sliding shallow early and late, then easing off the breaks. Recent catches: local Vermont Fish & Wildlife creel summaries and YouTube ice reports from Champlain show good numbers of **lake trout** and the odd **whitefish** coming on jigging spoons over 25–45 feet, plus mixed **yellow perch** and a few bonus **walleyes** in the bays. Inland Sea anglers are reporting consistent flags on eater lakers, with a couple fish brushing the 30-inch mark. Shoreline panfish action has been steady but size is hit or miss. Best offerings right now: - For lake trout and whitefish: 1/4–3/8 oz jigging spoons in silver, glow, or white, tipped with a minnow head. A white tube jig or minnow-style plastic on a 3/8 oz head has been deadly, echoing the same alewife-imitating “minnow” baits that cleaned up in the Toyota Series bass event on Champlain earlier this year, as covered by Major League Fishing. - For perch and panfish: small tungsten jigs in chartreuse or glow pink tipped with spikes or mousies; tiny spoons with just a couple maggots when they’re roaming. - For walleye: deadstick a medium shiner on a quick-strike rig just off bottom, and jig a slender spoon or Rap-style swimmer nearby. Live bait shops around Burlington and Plattsburgh report emerald shiners and medium fatheads as the top sellers; bring both, as trout have been picky some days. A couple local hot spots to try, if the ice is safe: - **Malletts Bay**: Inside weed edges and first main-lake breaks for mixed perch and the chance at a bruiser pike. Work 8–15 feet at first light, then slide to 20–25 as the sun climbs. - **Inland Sea, around Knight Island and the deeper basins**: Classic early-ice laker water. Set a spread of tip-ups along 25–40 feet and jig just off any points or humps you can find on your map. Remember, Champlain isn’t tidal, so no tide swings to worry about—just watch the barometer. A falling barometer with light snow has had fish chewing; high, bluebird days have been tougher and required downsizing. Check ice thickness often, avoid current areas around the Gut, bridges, and inlets, and don’t fish alone this time of year. Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Lake Champlain report, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. This has been a qui This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.