Artificial Lure here with your Lake Champlain fishing report for October 11, 2025.

We’re waking up to a cool fall Saturday, with sunrise rolling in at 7:04 AM and sunset set for 6:13 PM. The weather forecast promises mostly sunny skies, brisk southwest winds around 15-20 mph, and high temps near 61°F—so throw on an extra layer and expect a little chop out there. Water levels across Vermont are low for this time of year, with flow in major rivers about 25% of normal, thanks to the dry spell we’ve been having. That said, Lake Champlain’s depth keeps things steady for the big bite.

Let’s talk fish activity. The fall bite is on, and bass are on the feed. Last week’s Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series on Lake Champlain saw 158 anglers bring in impressive limits—37 limits over 90 inches, and two topping the 100-inch mark, by Bailey Eigbrett from New York and Nick Audi out of Pennsylvania, who finished first and second. While day two of that series got knocked out by weather, day one made it clear: there are plenty of big smallmouth and largemouth bass still hungry and aggressive.

Local tales from the ramps have focused on bass, but don’t count out northern pike and lake trout, which are showing a little more activity with cooling temps. Salmon are still running in connected waters, especially in feeder rivers like the Saranac, drawing anglers looking for that fall ritual, as reported in the Adirondack Explorer.

Now, what’s working best for lures and bait? Kayak anglers and local pros agree: jerkbaits, Ned rigs, and finesse swimbaits have been hot. Top performers in the tournament favored soft plastics in watermelon and green pumpkin on drop shots and Ned rigs. Don’t be afraid to throw a suspending jerkbait along rocky slopes or a white spinnerbait if the wind picks up. If you’re after smallmouths, focus on hard-bottom humps in 10-20 feet of water off Valcour Island or the Four Brothers, dragging a small paddle-tail or working a tube.

For bait, shiners are the ticket if you want multi-species action—especially for pike or a bonus walleye at dusk. Local shops are keeping minnows in stock this weekend, anticipating the classic fall bite.

A couple of hotspots to put on your GPS:
- The Inland Sea’s Sandbar Bridge to north of Grand Isle is producing both size and numbers for smallmouth, with some bonus largemouth in the weed pockets.
- The bays around Ticonderoga are firing for largemouth right now, especially early and late—work the edges of milfoil and scattered rock with a jig or chatterbait.

No tidal report is available for the lake itself—Champlain isn’t tidal—but wind-driven current can play a role, especially in open sections, so keep an eye on wind direction while you set up.

That’s it for today’s report. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for daily updates!

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