Sun’s just starting to cast golden streaks across the misty expanse of Lake Champlain, and here’s Artificial Lure with a boots-on-the-dock fishing report for Sunday, October 12th, 2025.

Let’s hook into the details, starting with the weather. This morning, the air’s crisp, but there’s not a breath of wind stirring—mirror-flat water right off the bat, perfect for the early rodders. The Lake Champlain, Vermont/New York Daily Fishing Report says the day will be mostly sunny with highs in the mid-60s, so dress in layers—you’ll want to shed a jacket once you get into the groove. Sunrise lit up the lake about 7:08 this morning, and we’ll see sunset fade around 6:13 tonight, giving us a solid day to play the water from dawn to dusk.

Now, if you’re used to saltwater, you might be scanning for tidal action. Truth is, Lake Champlain’s a natural, freshwater jewel—no tides here, just wind and waves to set your rhythm. But that’s not a drawback; it’s what makes October fishing so reliable. The lake’s all about water temps, structure, and forage patterns now.

Fish activity is living up to Champlain’s autumn reputation. We’re in the heart of the classic October bite. Topwater blitzes at daybreak are fading, but smallies and largemouth are still hammering reaction baits in the shallows. Deeper, the walleye and lake trout are staging off rocky points and humps. From late September to now, local guides and shore anglers alike have been landing good numbers of smallmouth bass, some tipping the scales at 3-4 pounds on a steady chew. The Daily Fishing Report also notes healthy pickups of largemouth, especially off the outside edges of weedlines. Pike are lurking, too, with a few solid catches in the last week, mostly hitting big, flashy spinnerbaits and jerkbaits ripped through cabbage beds.

Heard a rumor the salmon are turning it on at the mouth of the Winooski, and a couple of die-hards nailed lake trout just north of Valcour Island fishing cowbells on the downrigger. Panfish, well, they’re playing second fiddle, but a slip bobber and a wax worm suspended over a deep weedbed can still pull up a mess of perch or crappie for the fryer.

Best lures for the current vibe? For bass, it’s all about the drop shot with a wacky-rigged senko in natural greens and browns, or subtle swimbaits fished slow, ticking the rocks. Walleye slayers are scoring with deep-diving crankbaits in perch patterns, fished along the edges of those deeper shelfs, especially out from Bulwagga and Mallets Bay. Trout and salmon? Try running spoons off boards or long-line trolling, silver and chartreuse have been hot.

Live bait? If you’re anchoring, nothing beats a big fat golden shiner for trophy bass, and crawlers fished on a slip-sinker rig are still putting walleye in the boat after dark. For the catch-and-release types, artificials are killing it—just match the hatch and keep your retrieves slow, especially as the water cools through the day.

Let’s talk hotspots. For bass, head to the rocky banks just south of Crown Point—structure’s prime for smallies right now. If you’re after walleye, work the drop-offs around Appletree Shoal or the boulder fields south of Westport. Lake trout anglers, don’t miss the deep channel runs between Valcour and Keeler Bay. And for pike, the muddy flats around St. Albans Bay are holding some aggressive fish among the dying weeds.

Remember, this is the season when the big fish go on the feed before winter sets in. Fish hard, fish smart, and always check your regs—limits and slot sizes are there for tomorrow’s fishing.

Thanks for tuning in to your Lake Champlain fishing report. If you like what you’re hearing, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI