Vermont Fishing Guide

Vermont Fishing GuideVermont Fishing Guide

FISH & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

www.vtshandwildlife.com • 802-828-1000

Where, When and How to

Enjoy Vermont’s Fishing

Vermont Fishing Guide • 1

This guide will help you learn what sh to target

as well as where, when and how to enjoy shing

in Vermont.

Trout

Page 2

Pansh

Page 4

Bass and Toothy

Critters

Page 9

he great outdoors are truly

great here in Vermont, but

we can easily become too

busy to enjoy them. If you live in,

or visit, Vermont why not enjoy

the best the state has to oer?

Fishing is a great way to escape,

relax, and be refreshed while

reconnecting with the wonderful

natural world in which we live.

Fishing is also a great way to spend

quality time with family and

friends. Chances are your children

won’t remember their best day of

watching television, but take them

shing and you’ll make memories

you can share for a lifetime.

Fishing is a very aordable hobby.

A shing license costs only half

as much as a tank of gas or about

the same as a few movie tickets.

Children under 15 years of age

can sh for free! Perhaps the

best part of your shing license

purchase is that it helps support

the work of the Vermont Fish

& Wildlife Department, which

exists to protect and conserve the

sh, wildlife, plants, and habitats

of Vermont. e department

employs several sheries biologists,

who study and manage the state’s

sheries resources. ey have

developed this guide to help

you learn what sh to target as

well as where, when, and how

to enjoy shing in Vermont.

For more information about

shing regulations in general,

see the Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Regulations or visit

www.vtshandwildlife.com.

Excise taxes paid by hunters and anglers have led to some of the greatest

conservation gains in history. Along with license sales, these funds have

been used for sh and wildlife restoration, shing access areas, and

to provide opportunities for hunting, shing and other wildlife-based

recreation throughout Vermont.

2 • Vermont Fishing Guide

rout are the most popular target of Vermont’s

anglers and for good reason. Nearly every

small, cold stream throughout the state

supports wild brook trout. Trout are considered

“coldwater” sh, which means that they need cold

water to survive.

Where to Fish:

Small streams that are shaded by forested stream

banks are generally cold enough to support trout,

whether these streams drain the Green Mountains

or ow through the Northeast Kingdom highlands.

Cold, clean water and diverse habitat in many of

Vermont’s rivers and streams allow trout to survive

and reproduce naturally.

Development and other activities along our

waterways have left many of our larger streams too

warm in the summer to support wild trout, so the

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department stocks them

with brook, brown, and rainbow trout for anglers to

enjoy. Many of the state’s lakes and ponds are also

stocked with trout to enhance shing opportunities

in these waters. For the beginner angler the easiest

shing is usually in the smaller ponds.

The department publishes on their website what

waters will be stocked. To determine which waters

in your area are stocked with trout, check out the

stocking schedule at:

www.vtshandwildlife.com.

When to Fish:

The best shing for stocked trout is in the spring

and early summer, shortly after the sh have been

stocked. Trout season opens on the second Saturday

of April, but most of the rivers that are stocked do

not receive sh until the month of May. Lakes and

ponds are often stocked before the season opener or

shortly thereafter. You can determine whether your

favorite water has been stocked by visiting

www.vtshandwildlife.com.

As noted above, trout need cold water to survive,

so as water temperatures increase in the summer,

trout in rivers and ponds become harder to catch. In

contrast, wild brook trout in the small, cold streams

can be caught all summer long and even into the

fall. Regardless of the season, shing is usually best

around dawn or dusk, when trout are most active.

Trout

RAINBOW TROUT

BROOK TROUT

Brown trout have a yellowish-brown overall color, especially in

streams, with dark spots intermixed with reddish-orange spots

along their anks, with each spot surrounded by a light halo.

BROWN TROUT

Brook trout have light spots on a dark background, with worm-like

markings against a greenish back. Their anks are covered with

light yellowish spots, with small bright red spots surrounded by

blue halos along the literal mid-section.

The tail and anks of Rainbow trout are heavily spotted with small,

well-dened black spots, and their ank usually has a pink or red-

dish stripe, for which they are named.

Vermont Fishing Guide • 3

How to Fish:

The rst challenge in trout shing is to

nd the right place to sh. A good way

to choose a shing spot is to think like

a trout. A trout needs to eat, but it also

wants to avoid being eaten by birds, otters,

or anglers. Try to imagine where a bird or

otter would have the hardest time seeing

and catching a trout, such as areas with

deep water or where the water’s surface

is so turbulent that you can’t see what is

underneath. If you nd deep water and

surface turbulence, you have probably

found a good place to sh.

Stocked trout in the larger rivers and in

ponds can be caught with a variety of

baits and lures. A live worm with a sinker

for weight is a great choice. In areas with

current, you can cast across the current or

slightly upstream, and let the bait drift downstream.

At the end of the drift, reel in and cast again.

Trout

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department stocks

trout in the spring.

One of the many small wild brook trout streams in the Northeast Kingdom.

Note the ideal combination of deep water and surface turbulence as

indicated by the white water.

In areas with slow or no current, you can simply cast the

worm out and let it sink to the bottom. Because trout

are typically not “bottom feeders”, the worm will

be even more effective if you use a “worm

blower” to inject an air bubble into it so that

it will hover just off the bottom.

Lures like spoons and spinners can

also be very effective at catching stocked

trout. Always

use small-

diameter

shing line, six

pound test or

lighter, to avoid

spooking wary

trout.

Wild brook

trout in the

smaller streams

are often eager

to feed, but

shing smaller

streams can be

challenging. These sh can be easily spooked. Keep a low prole

so they don’t see you.

Casting can be a real challenge in smaller streams. Use a short

rod and/or make short, underhand tosses. Worms are the bait of

choice in small streams because there is usually not enough room

to effectively sh an articial lure.

Spoons are metal lures designed to look like a

swimming baitsh or minnow. Spinners have one or

more blades that spin, or revolve, around a straight

wire shaft. Some spinners have tails made of soft

plastic or animal hair.

4 • Vermont Fishing Guide

Pansh

ullheads, crappie, perch, rock bass,

and sunsh are often referred to

as “pansh” because they are easy

to catch, abundant, and taste delicious,

making them a good choice for the frying

pan. Many of Vermont’s lakes and ponds

and some of the larger rivers host one or

all of these species. The Vermont Fish &

Wildlife Regulations booklet includes lists

of water bodies in different parts of the

state and the sh species that are present in

them. Here, we only highlight a few of the

better shing opportunities for the shore-

based angler.

BROWN

BULLHEAD

Brown bullhead

have smooth,

olive-brown

to dark-brown anks with a sharp, stout spine on the leading edge

of their dorsal and pectoral ns. They have a broad, at mouth

surrounded by six whisker-like barbels.

YELLOW PERCH

Yellow perch have golden-yellow anks with 6 to 8 dark

vertical bars. In the late winter and early spring, spawning

males develop bright orange lower ns.

ROCK BASS

Rock bass are a large and robust

sunsh with a black spot at the

edge of the gill cover and red eyes.

BLACK CRAPPIE

Black crappie have silvery anks and a

dark olive or black back. Spots occur

along their sides in a more or less

irregular and scattered pattern.

PUMPKINSEED SUNFISH

Pumpkinseed sunsh range in color from

olive-green to brown, yellow, green and

blue on the top and sides. The breast

and belly are usually a light color such as

cream, white or yellow and occasionally

orange.

WHITE PERCH

White perch have silvery white

sides. Despite its common name,

the white perch is actually a bass.

Vermont Fishing Guide • 5

Where to Fish:

The lower Missisquoi River downstream of Swanton

offers excellent public access and shing in the Missisquoi

National Wildlife Refuge. Anglers can launch boats or

sh from shore at Louie’s Landing, a shing access area

maintained by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Shore

shing is also permitted along the river bank downstream

of Louie’s Landing to Mac’s Bend.

Bullheads, yellow perch, and white perch are the pansh

species anglers are most likely to nd here, but you could

catch just about any species of sh that calls Lake Champlain

home, including largemouth bass, northern pike, channel

catsh, and the occasional walleye. The best action is in the

spring and early summer when both perch species, bullheads

and walleyes ascend the river on their annual spawning runs,

but perch and bullheads can be caught here all summer long.

Avoid shing after heavy rains, which can increase ows and

muddy the water, making shing difcult.

Gardner Park, located on Lake Memphremagog in

Newport City, provides shing opportunities for bullheads,

rock bass, sunsh, and yellow perch. These species can

be caught here spring through fall, but the shing can be

especially good in the spring when these species congregate

to spawn in the Clyde River or near its mouth. Much of

the Gardner Park waterfront can be shed easily. A good

location to try is where the Clyde River enters the lake. A

footbridge just to the west of the US-5 bridge also provides

good shing opportunities. Canoes and kayaks can be rented

from the local livery. In case the kids get bored, the park

also has a very nice playground.

Island Pond, in Brighton, has bullheads, rock bass, sunsh,

and yellow perch. A good place to sh from shore is the

town park at the very north end of the pond. This park also

has a playground and a beach. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Department owns and maintains an access area at the south

end of the pond, where you can launch a boat. The pond is

also stocked with trout.

Newark Pond, in Newark, has abundant populations of

yellow perch and smallmouth bass. The Vermont Fish and

Wildlife Department owns an access area near the north

end of the pond. You can either cast from the access area

or from the shoulder of the road, which travels right along

the north end of the pond. You can also sh from the road

shoulder at the dry hydrant, further south. If you have a

boat, you can launch at the access area. This pond is also

stocked with trout.

Pansh

Newport

Lake

Memphremagog

Island Pond

Newark Pond

Lower

Missisquoi River

Maquam Bay

Gardner Park

Clyde River

Swanton

Maquam

Louie’s Landing

Mac’s Bend

Foot

Bridge

Dry Hydrant

Fishing Access

Area

Town Park

105

114

6 • Vermont Fishing Guide

The lower Lamoille River, located in Milton, drains into

Lake Champlain. Two Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

access areas provide shing opportunities on this stretch of

the river. Closest to Lake Champlain is the Lamoille River

Access Area. The second, Sears Access Area, is located

just upstream. Both access areas have shing platforms

and the shing is often good right from the platforms. The

lower Lamoille River offers excellent shing from mid-May

through the fall. Yellow and white perch are the two pansh

species that you are most likely to encounter. Anglers can

also expect to encounter bass, walleye, and northern pike in

this area. Water levels can uctuate following heavy rains,

which can make shing difcult until ows subside.

There are two public access areas on the lower Winooski

River, which is located in Colchester and Burlington and

drains into Lake Champlain. Both access areas have shing

platforms, and the shing is often good right from the

platforms. At Windermere Way you can walk down the bike

path and get near the mouth of the river. The Heineberg

Bridge access area is further upstream, where VT Route 127

crosses the river. The lower Winooski River has a diverse

sh population, primarily because it has a direct connection

to Lake Champlain. Any species found in Lake Champlain

can be found in the lower river. Some common pansh

species you should expect to encounter are: bullheads, yellow

perch, and white perch, but smallmouth and largemouth

bass and northern pike are also common. In general, mid-

May through fall offers excellent shing in the lower river,

however the variety and abundance of species will change

through the season. Avoid shing after heavy rains, which

can increase ows and muddy the water, making shing

difcult.

Shelburne Bay is a large bay on Lake Champlain, located

in the town of Shelburne, south of Burlington. You can

sh along the shoreline at the Vermont Fish and Wildlife

Department’s access area, with best shing from the bridge

on Bay Road to the point. You can also access the La Platte

River, where the best shing is usually found closer to the

bridge. As part of Lake Champlain, this location has an

incredibly diverse sh community. Lake Champlain has

over 90 species of sh, many of which are highly-prized

recreational sport sh. This access area offers excellent

shing both in Shelburne Bay and in the La Platte River for

pansh species such as bullheads, rock bass, sunsh, yellow

perch, and white perch. Late spring and early summer offers

excellent shing for pansh and bass, as well as northern

pike. If you sh at the right time of year (early spring and

late fall), you may even encounter lake trout or rainbow

trout. If the shing is slow, there are a number of fun

Pansh

Lower Lamoille River

Shelburne Bay

Access Area

La Platte River

Lower Winooski River

Shelburne Bay

Lamoille River

Access Area

Sears

Access Area

Windermere Way

Access Area

Heineburg Bridge

Access Area

127

Colchester

7 • Vermont Fishing Guide

Pansh

things to do nearby. Just west of the access area is Shelburne Bay Park which has a beautiful one-mile walking trail along Lake

Champlain. If you head into the town of Shelburne you can nd more trails at La Platte Nature Park, just off Shelburne Falls

Road.

Marsheld Reservoir (a.k.a. Molly’s Falls Reservoir) is located along US Route 2 roughly midway between St. Johnsbury

and Montpelier. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department access area offers plenty of opportunity to sh from shore,

including two shing platforms. You can also launch a boat here if you like. Yellow perch is the pansh species you would be

most likely to encounter here. Trout are stocked here, but the best trout shing will be in the spring before the water gets too

warm and they move to deeper areas.

Baker Pond in Brookeld is owned by the Vermont Fish

and Wildlife Department and offers plenty of places to

sh from shore. You can also launch a small boat at the

access area. Largemouth bass and pumpkinseed sunsh are

abundant in this pond. The pond is also stocked with brook

trout, but your best chances of catching them will be in the

spring before the water gets too warm for them.

Sunset Lake is also in Brookeld and very close to Baker

Pond. Children that have difculty casting may nd it easier

to sh from the oating bridge that crosses this pond.

Yellow perch are present here, along with largemouth and

smallmouth bass. Trout are also stocked here.

Kent Pond and Colton Pond are separated by less than a

mile in the town of Killington. There is a Vermont Fish

& Wildlife access area at each pond. At Kent Pond, the

best place to sh is along the dam breast. Gifford Woods

State Park is just across the road from Kent Pond and

offers camping and hiking opportunities. Kent Pond has

a very abundant largemouth bass population. It also has

pumpkinseed sunsh, and you can catch trout there in the

spring.

Colton Pond offers largemouth bass, yellow perch, and

early season brook trout shing. Both ponds can be easily

accessed from VT Route 100, just north of the junction with

US Route 4.

The state park day-use area is a good place to sh Lake

Bomoseen (Castleton) from shore, or you could rent a boat.

If the shing is slow, you can go swimming at the beach or

play at the playground. You will need to pay an entrance

fee to access the state park. Pansh species include crappie,

rock bass, sunsh, and yellow perch.

Lake St. Catherine in Putney can also be shed from the

state park. With the purchase of an entrance fee, the state

park offers shoreline shing, camping, swimming, and a

playground. Pansh species include bullheads, crappie, rock

bass, sunsh, and yellow perch. Mid-April through mid-May

is the best time to catch pansh, but they can be caught all

year. Target pansh around the weeds by casting a bobber

Baker Pond and

Sunset Lake

Kent and

Colton Ponds

8 • Vermont Fishing Guide

Pansh

with a split shot, single hook and bait such as a worm or

minnow to the edges of weeds or to open pockets within the

weeds. If you have a boat, try Cones Point and Cones Bay

along Route 30.

The US Army Corps of Engineers’ day-use area offers

shoreline shing access, picnic facilities, and restrooms at

Stoughton Pond in Weatherseld. Bullheads, sunsh, and

yellow perch can be found in Stoughton Pond. Trout are

also stocked there, but your best shing for them will be in

the spring.

Lowell Lake in Londonderry can be shed from the

state park. It is free to access this undeveloped state park,

which offers shoreline shing, picnic facilities, and portable

toilets. If you have your own canoe, you can launch it here.

Motorized boats are not allowed. Pansh species include

bullheads, sunsh, and yellow perch.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department land around

Bullhead Pond in Manchester provides good opportunities

for shing from shore. There is no entrance fee. Bullheads

and yellow perch call this pond home. Brook trout are

stocked here, but if your preference is for trout, you will

have to go in the spring before the water gets too warm.

Sadawga Pond in Whitingham is just north of the Massa-

chusetts border. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department’s

access area offers shoreline shing opportunities, or you

could launch your own boat. Bullheads, sunsh, and yellow

perch live here.

When to Fish:

Most of these species spawn in the late spring (May to June),

and shing can often be good just before or during the

spawning period, when they form large schools in shallow

water. Unlike trout, pansh prefer warm water, so shing

can be good all summer. Pansh species can be caught at

any time of the day, but morning and evening is often best.

The best shing for bullheads is usually at night.

How to Fish:

The best way to catch pansh is usually to sh

a worm on or near the bottom of the pond or

suspended under a bobber. Again, remember

that these sh want to avoid predators, so look

for them near deep water or some type of

cover like aquatic vegetation or a fallen tree. A

fun and effective way to sh for bullheads is to

sh after dark with a worm on the bottom of

the pond

Any lake or pond that has perch can be a

good place to try ice shing (if it is open to

ice shing, refer to Vermont Fish & Wildlife

Regulations). Try small jigging lures tipped

with a live maggot or a perch eye. Maggots

(a.k.a “spikes”) are available at most bait shops

in the winter.

While using maggots or perch eyes may sound gross, they are

some of the best types of live bait you can use for pansh.

Fortunately, there are articial alternatives that work almost

as well. Try using small plastic “micro jigs” that you can buy

at most tackle shops catering to ice shing. These can be

found in the shape of maggots, minnow heads, small sh,

and even insects like mayies. Many are even scented with

an attractant.

Small jigs tipped with maggots are a great way to catch

pansh through the ice.

9 • Vermont Fishing Guide

ass have been growing in popularity with Vermont’s

anglers, and this is no surprise given the many great

options for catching largemouth and smallmouth

bass throughout the state. Northern pike are also growing

in popularity among Vermont’s anglers, especially with ice

shermen. While chain pickerel are much less popular with

Vermont’s anglers, they are widespread, abundant, easy to

catch, and taste delicious (if prepared properly, as they are

very bony). Some of the better options for the shore-based

angler are listed below. See the “Pansh” section for more

detailed descriptions of these locations.

Where to Fish:

The lower Missisquoi River offers shing opportunities for

largemouth bass, northern pike, and the occasional walleye.

Walleye are more abundant during their spring spawning run.

The rare and elusive muskellunge can also be found here.

Gardner Park on Lake Memphremagog is a great place

to sh for both species of bass and for chain pickerel and

northern pike. Large numbers of smallmouth bass enter the

Clyde River in late-May and June to feed and spawn.

Island Pond has both species of bass and chain pickerel.

The Newark Pond smallmouth bass population is very

abundant.

Both species of bass can be caught in the lower Lamoille

River. Fishing for smallmouth bass can be especially good

in the fall when these sh gorge themselves on

minnows in preparation for the coming winter.

Northern pike and walleye are also present.

Both species of bass can be caught in the lower Winooski

River, along with walleye and northern pike.

Shelburne Bay offers shing for both species of bass,

northern pike, and chain pickerel. Fishing is best in the late

spring and early summer.

Marsheld Reservoir has smallmouth bass, chain pickerel,

and northern pike.

Largemouth bass are especially abundant in Baker Pond.

Sunset Lake has both species of bass and chain pickerel.

Colton Pond and Kent Pond both have largemouth bass,

and the population in Kent Pond is very abundant.

Lake St. Catherine has both species of bass and northern

pike. Fishing is best for these species from mid-May through

September. Casting in-line spinners, spoons, and crankbaits

Bass and Toothy Critters

SMALLMOUTH BASS

Closely related to the Largemouth Bass, when a Smallmouth

Bass closes its mouth, its upper jaw extends only to just

below the eye. Their anks are golden green to brownish

bronze, often with 8 to 15 dark, thin vertical bars.

CHAIN PICKEREL

Although similar in appearance to the Northern Pike,

Chain Pickerel have fully scaled gill covers, and their tail,

dorsal and anal ns have no conspicuous spots or blotches.

Their anks are a light, golden green, with dark, chain-like

markings.

LARGEMOUTH BASS

True to their name, Largemouth Bass have a large, round

mouth when open, and when it’s closed, the upper jaw

extends well past the eye. Their anks are light green to

golden green, with a pronounced horizontal stripe.

NORTHERN PIKE

Northern Pike are long, slender sh with large mouths, and

dorsal and anal ns placed far to the rear. Their anks are

greenish gray with several rows of irregular, yellowish-white

bean shaped spots. Their gill covers only have scales on the

top half, and their tail, dorsal, and anal ns have dark spots

or blotches.

10 • Vermont Fishing Guide

Bass and Chain Pickerel

around the mouth of Endless Brook can be an effective way to

target these sh.

Lake Bomoseen has both species of bass and northern pike.

Stoughton Pond has an abundant population of largemouth

bass.

Lowell Lake has largemouth bass and chain pickerel.

Bullhead Pond and Shaftsbury Pond have largemouth bass.

When to Fish:

Bass spawn in May and June. From December 1 to the Friday

before the second Saturday in June, anglers shing lakes

and ponds can only target bass with articial ies and lures,

and they must be immediately released. From the Second

Saturday in June until November 30, anglers can use live or

articial baits and they can keep some bass if they choose to

do so. Refer to Vermont Fish & Wildlife Regulations book for

more information on regulations for bass, chain pickerel and

northern pike.

Like pansh, bass and pickerel prefer warm water, so they can

be caught all summer long. Best shing is often at dawn and

dusk, when these predatory species are most active.

Chain pickerel and northern pike are very active under the ice,

so any pond that has them and is open to ice shing can be

a good option for ice shing for these species. Refer to the

species lists in the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Regulations book

to determine where pickerel and pike can be found near you.

How to Fish:

These sh are commonly caught while using worms to sh for

pansh. Live minnows are even more effective for bass, pike,

and pickerel. These species also respond well to articial lures

such as soft plastic worms, crankbaits, spoons, and spinners.

Spoons and spinners are

especially effective for pike

and pickerel because they can

be cast a long distance, and

their bright ash and vibration

often trigger vicious strikes

from these “water wolves.”

Pike and pickerel have sharp

teeth that can bite through

many shing lines. Use an

abrasion-resistant shing

line or a wire leader to avoid

having your lures bitten off.

There are two main methods for catching pike and

pickerel during the ice shing season. Pickerel can be

caught on jigging lures that are tipped with maggots,

perch eyes, or small pieces of perch meat. However, the

most effective method for both pike and pickerel is often

to sh a minnow or small perch under a tip-up. If perch

are present in the pond where you want to sh, you can

often catch your own bait with little effort.

Handling and Releasing Fish

While harvesting and eating freshly caught sh is

an enjoyable part of the angling experience, catch

and release angling can also be a rewarding past

time. In certain instances, regulations may actually

require you to release your catch (see Vermont

Fish and Wildlife Regulations). Using the proper

techniques when releasing sh will help to ensure

that the sh will survive to be caught again. Here

are some tips:

 Don’t play the sh to complete exhaustion.

 Minimize the sh’s time out of the water. If

at all possible, keep the sh in the water while

you remove the hook.

 Consider pinching down the barbs on your

hooks to make hook removal much easier.

 If the sh is hooked deep in the throat, gills, or

stomach, simply cut the line close to the sh’s

mouth. e sh may have a good chance of

surviving, and the hook will eventually rust

out.

ow that you know a little about Vermont’s sh

and where to go nd them, we hope you’ll take

the time to explore all the shing opportunities

that this great state has to oer. Tight lines!