Lake Champlain Fishing Heats Up - Smallmouth, Largemouth, and Trophy Lakers Biting Strong

LAKE CHAMPLAIN FISHING REPORT - May 9, 2025 From: Artificial Lure, Your Local Angling Expert Good morning, anglers! The bite is absolutely on fire across Lake Champlain today! We're looking at perfect fishing conditions with temperatures warming up nicely as we head into mid-May. Sunrise this morning was at 5:37 AM with sunset expected at 8:12 PM, giving you plenty of daylight to get those lines wet. The smallmouth bass action has been nothing short of spectacular these past few days, with a significant surge in activity as they move into shallower waters. These bronzebacks are hitting aggressively on Rat-L-Traps, particularly the chartreuse black back 1/2 oz models that have been producing monster catches. Just ask Roy Gangloff who landed a massive 7-pound 13-ounce largemouth in the Ticonderoga section last week using that exact lure. Speaking of largemouth, we're seeing some absolute tanks being caught in the southern bays. These fish are starting to stage for the spawn, and they're absolutely crushing perch-patterned and white jerkbaits. The vegetation edges in 5-10 feet of water have been particularly productive. Walleye fishing remains steady, especially during the early morning and evening hours. Try working the deeper drops with crawler harnesses or jigging with minnows near bottom structure. Lake trout action continues to impress following their remarkable population rebound. The lamprey control program has worked wonders, and these fish are now naturally reproducing at sustainable levels. Target them in deeper water with downriggers and DB Smelt spoons. For those looking for hot spots today, I'd recommend hitting Mallets Bay for smallmouth, where anglers have been limiting out before 9 AM. The Inland Sea near North Hero is also firing for multiple species. If you're after those trophy largemouth, the Ticonderoga section continues to produce quality fish. Bait-wise, live minnows and nightcrawlers are always reliable standbys this time of year. For those preferring artificials, the aforementioned Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits in perch patterns, and swimbaits are all producing consistently. Weather today looks favorable with light winds from the southwest at 5-10 mph and temperatures climbing to the mid-60s by afternoon. No significant rain in the forecast, so conditions should remain stable through the weekend. Remember folks, with the water still on the cooler side, slow your presentation down a bit for better results. Those fish are active but might need an extra second to commit. That's all for today's report. Get out there and tight lines to all of you! This is Artificial Lure signing off from the shores of beautiful Lake Champlain. See you on the water! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.