Legendary Lake Champlain Fall Fishing Update: Smallies, Walleye, and Surprises Abound

This is Artificial Lure bringing you the latest on fishing the legendary Lake Champlain, Sunday, October 19, 2025. Classic October weather’s set the mood: crisp air at dawn, a glassy sunrise over the water at 7:10 AM, and we’re looking at sunset splashing out about 6:05 PM tonight. Temps opened in the upper 30s, not shaking off that autumn chill until closer to noon, and winds are riding out of the northwest at around 11 mph—brisk enough to make for a lively drift and put a little chop on open spots. Lake Champlain doesn’t experience true tides, but water levels have been steady the last couple of days, according to current Canadian hydrographic data for our northern reaches. No tidal swings means those resident bass, walleye, and pike are keyed in on weather shifts—plan your spots accordingly. Now to the fish. Reports from Advanced Bassin’ and the Vermont/New York Daily Fishing Podcast confirm a real mixed bag as of late. Main lake points and gravel flats are still producing top-notch smallmouth action, with multiple folks this week walking away with 20-plus fish mornings. Deep shoals off of Split Rock and the rocky stretches south of Valcour Island have both been hot—especially on those cloud-bright mornings when the wind kicks up just enough to break the surface. If you’re working the north, King’s Bay and the drop-offs by Point Au Roche have been loaded, particularly early and again just before dusk. Walleye numbers are climbing now that water temps are dipping into the 50s. Anglers dragging bottom bouncers tipped with nightcrawlers or slow-rolling Rapalas near the mouths of the rivers—especially the Lamoille and the Ausable—reported several mid- to upper-20-inch fish this week. Meanwhile, bonus northern pike and even the occasional jumbo perch are getting in on the action where the weeds meet open water. According to Advanced Bassin’, a couple of guided runs even ran into some decent sturgeon and—believe it or not—a stray eel! For your best odds today, toss a finned jerkbait like a Smithwick Rogue or go-to soft plastics such as a 4-inch tube in green pumpkin. Deep smallmouth are crashing heavier dropshot rigs, and any slow, bottom-oriented approach is murdering it on lethargic bass and walleyes alike. Swim jigs in spicy craw or shad patterns are a top bet along weedlines, while a live minnow or crawler is hard to beat anywhere the water moves. Top hotspots: Make a run to the shallows inside Missisquoi Bay at first light—big smallies and a surprise largemouth or two are stacked tight along submerged wood. A quick move out to the Pumpkinseed Ledges come mid-morning will get you in front of bigger, aggressive fish. Down south, the narrows off Benson Landing are loaded with walleye, and don’t sleep on the Cary Bay channel edges—big pike are lurking, looking to crush anything that strays too close. In sum, Lake Champlain’s fall bite is at its peak—hold tight to your rod, watch for those windy windows, and don’t be afraid to slow things down This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.