Winter Wonderland: Lake Champlain's Thriving Fishery Braves the Cold

For December 27, 2024, the fishing scene on Lake Champlain is looking promising despite the winter conditions. Here’s what you need to know: ### Tidal Report Today, the tidal times are as follows: low tide at 4:37 AM with a height of 0.83 meters (2.72 ft), high tide at 9:07 AM with a height of 1.07 meters (3.51 ft), low tide at 3:25 PM with a height of 0.82 meters (2.69 ft), and high tide at 8:14 PM with a height of 1.3 meters (4.27 ft). ### Weather and Daylight Sunrise is at 7:32 AM, and sunset is at 4:09 PM. The moon rises at 4:35 AM and sets at 1:13 PM. Be prepared for cold winter conditions, with possible ice formation in the bays. ### Fish Activity Winter fishing on Lake Champlain is active, especially for smallmouth bass, trout, and perch. Anglers have been reporting good catches of yellow perch, particularly in the mud and muck-bottomed areas and around rock piles and reefs. Lake trout are also active, often found in deeper waters, typically between 80 to 100 feet deep. ### Types and Amounts of Fish Yesterday, anglers caught a significant number of yellow perch, many in the 8- to 10-inch range. Smallmouth bass and lake trout were also common catches. The perch fishery is particularly strong during this time, even without full ice cover, with the bays and deeper areas producing well. ### Best Lures and Bait For yellow perch, use small jigs tipped with minnows or worms. For lake trout, jigging or trolling with lures that mimic rainbow smelt is effective. Smallmouth bass can be caught using crankbaits, soft plastics, and jigging spoons. ### Hot Spots Some of the best spots include Shelburne Bay and Town Farm Bay for smallmouth bass. For lake trout, the middle section of the main lake, particularly the area from Westport to Cumberland Head, is highly recommended. Bulwagga Bay near the south end of the lake is a popular spot for perch. Overall, Lake Champlain is offering some great fishing opportunities despite the cold winter conditions. Make sure to bundle up and enjoy the day on the water. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.