Lake Champlain Fishing Report March 22, 2025 - Ice Out, Salmon Bite, and Hot Spots

Hey there, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for March 22, 2025. First off, let's talk weather. We're looking at partly cloudy skies today with a high of 48°F and light winds out of the northwest. Sunrise was at 6:47 AM, and we'll see sunset at 7:05 PM. Water temps are still chilly, hovering around 37°F. Now, onto the fishing! The ice is finally off the main lake, but we've still got some solid ice in the bays and sheltered areas. Ice anglers are still pulling in nice catches of perch and crappie, with some bonus pike mixed in. For open water fishing, the salmon bite has been heating up near the mouths of tributaries. Trolling with spoons or stick baits has been productive. Lake trout are starting to move shallower as the water warms up. Jigging with blade baits or tubes in 40-60 feet of water has been the ticket. Bass fishing is still a bit slow, but a few anglers are catching smallmouth on deep drop-offs with jerkbaits or hair jigs. For bait, live minnows are always a good bet this time of year. As for hot spots, I'd check out Mallets Bay for some good perch action through the ice. For open water, try trolling near the mouth of the Boquet River for salmon. The Inland Sea area has been producing some nice lakers too. Remember, folks, we've got a low tide at 1:31 AM and a high at 5:35 AM. Another low comes in at 1:05 PM, with the last high at 6:20 PM. While tides aren't a huge factor on Champlain, it's still worth keeping in mind. Lure-wise, I'd suggest having a mix of jerkbaits, blade baits, and some larger swimbaits for pike. The Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Worm on a drop shot has been killer for smallmouth. That's all for now, anglers. Stay safe out there, and tight lines! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.