Winter Wonders: Lake Champlain Fishing Report - Lakers, Salmon, and Bronzebacks in the Chill

Name’s Artificial Lure, checking in with your Lake Champlain fishing report. We’re locked in mid‑December mode now. Up north out of Rouses Point and Swanton, there’s skim ice in the back bays and along the marsh edges; main lake is still largely open but cold and dark, with water temps sitting in the mid‑30s. The National Weather Service out of Burlington is calling for seasonable cold, light northwest breeze and a mix of clouds and weak sun today, so not a lot of warming. Sunrise around 7:25 a.m., sunset just before 4:20 p.m. It’s a freshwater lake, so no real tide to worry about, but wind pushes water around and that does move bait and fish. Fish activity is classic winter pattern: short feeding windows tied tight to first light and that last hour before dark. Local chatter at the Burlington and Plattsburgh shops this week has been steady on **lake trout, landlocked salmon, and winter smallmouth** for the open‑water trollers and die‑hard bass guys. A few salmon to 4–5 pounds and lakers into the teens came in from the Inland Sea side, plus some chunky bronzebacks released in deeper rock. For **lake trout**, boats are working 60–120 feet off Split Rock, Thompson’s Point, and out toward Converse Bay. Best producers have been white or alewife‑pattern jigging spoons and 3–4 inch soft‑plastics on 1–1.5 oz heads, pounded right on bottom. Folks running wire or leadcore are doing well with small silver/blue and black/silver stickbaits and needlefish‑style spoons, trolled slow—1.5 mph or less—to match the lethargic bait. **Landlocked salmon** are cruising higher in the column, 15–40 feet down over deeper water off Shelburne Bay and out toward Juniper Island. Bright smelt‑pattern crankbaits and thin spoons behind small boards or shallow leadcore have taken fish. A few locals swear the bite bumps up on those slight mid‑day light changes, especially when clouds thin. **Smallmouth bass** are bunched up deep and neutral. The better fish reported this week came out of 30–45 feet on the Vermont side from Windmill Point down to Colchester Reef. Think finesse: drop‑shot rigs with 3" minnows or goby‑style baits, and small football jigs in green pumpkin or brown. Keep your movements subtle and be ready for light bites. If you’re shore‑bound, your best bet is current and depth. The bridge area at **Rouses Point** and the access around the **Winooski River mouth into the main lake** are worth a look for mixed bags of perch, the odd walleye, and maybe a bonus trout or salmon when the flow’s right. Fathead minnows on small jig heads under a slip float are tough to beat. Bait and lure rundown: - Best **lures** right now: 1/2–3/4 oz silver or white jigging spoons, smelt‑pattern crankbaits, small flutter spoons, and finesse plastics on drop‑shot or light jigs. - Best **live bait**: medium shiners and fatheads for panfish and incidental walleye, larger shiners if you’re setting tip‑ups where ice is safe in the very back bays. Always check local regs before you set This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.