The Best Fishing Spots in Vermont
Vermont offers excellent recreational fishing across clear mountain streams, ponds, lakes and reservoirs, with famous opportunities for fly fishing in coldwater streams and riverbanks and for boat and shore fishing on larger waters; key species include wild brook trout, stocked brown trout and rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, lake trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass, plus walleye, northern pike and panfish such as yellow perch and sunfish, and many anglers also enjoy ice fishing in winter on frozen lakes.
Top Cities For Fishing
Lake Fishing
River Fishing
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Top Freshwater Fishing Spots
Crystal Lake
A deep Northeast Kingdom lake noted for lake trout, rainbow trout, and solid smallmouth; early season toplines produce rainbows, while downriggers target lakers mid-summer, and rocky shoals near Barton offer consistent smallmouth action.
Batten Kill
Famous for wild brown trout and technical dry-fly fishing, the Batten Kill rewards precise presentations in clear runs and undercut banks; target evening mayfly and caddis activity in late spring and early summer, and swing soft hackles through riffles near Arlington and Manchester .
Lake Champlain
Vermont’s largest waterbody offers outstanding multi-species action for smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, lake trout, and seasonal runs of salmon; spring bass in warming coves like Malletts Bay and Shelburne Bay , summer trolling deep for lakers and salmon, and dynamic fall pike along weedy flats, with broad access for both trailered boats and shore anglers at numerous state launches and parks.
Lake Bomoseen
A west-central gem known for quality largemouth and smallmouth bass, plus pike, perch, and trout; fish weedlines and docks in late spring, topwater over milfoil beds on summer mornings, and jig deeper rock for smallmouth off points like those near Bomoseen State Park .
Lake Carmi
Shallow and fertile, Lake Carmi shines for warmwater species—especially largemouth bass, northern pike, and panfish; fish emergent weeds and pads in late spring, slow-roll spinnerbaits along cabbage in summer, and enjoy productive ice fishing for perch near Lake Carmi State Park .
Caspian Lake
Clear, cold water supports quality lake trout, rainbow trout, and smallmouth bass; fish spring shorelines with spoons and stickbaits, then troll deeper basins as temperatures rise, and work rocky points and boulder fields near Greensboro for bronzebacks.
Clyde River
Flowing into Lake Memphremagog , the Clyde is renowned for seasonal landlocked salmon runs, plus brown and brook trout; fish streamers and spoons near the lower river in spring and fall, nymph riffles for resident trout through summer, and access popular stretches around Newport .
Lake Dunmore
A popular central Vermont lake featuring rainbow trout, lake trout, and solid bass fishing; troll spoons along the thermocline for trout in summer, cast jerkbaits on rocky points for smallmouth, and work shallow pads in spring near Branbury State Park .
Harriman Reservoir
A long, deep impoundment with lake trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and salmon in the southern Green Mountains; troll main-basin contours during summer, cast rocky shorelines and points for smallmouth, and explore coves near Wilmington for panfish.
Island Pond
Set in the town of Brighton , Island Pond offers multi-species opportunities for smallmouth, lake trout, and perch; work rocky points and mid-lake structure for bass, troll the basin for lakers during summer, and find steady panfish action near public access areas.
Lamoille River
Known for strong hatches and accessible runs, the Lamoille holds brown and rainbow trout in its upper and middle reaches and smallmouth bass below; time mayfly and caddis emergences in late spring, swing streamers during high water, and work summer riffle edges near Jeffersonville and Johnson .
Lake Memphremagog
This sprawling northern lake offers premier trolling for landlocked salmon and lake trout, with strong bites in spring and fall, plus shoreline action for smallmouth bass and yellow perch; work the Vermont portion around Newport and Derby Bay with spoons and stickbaits or cast rocky shoals for bass.
Lake Morey
Known for accessible family fishing and scenic shores, Lake Morey holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, panfish, and stocked trout; target weed edges and drop-offs from boat or shoreline parks in Fairlee , with dependable early morning topwater bites in summer.
Somerset Reservoir
Remote-feeling yet accessible, Somerset offers clear water for lake trout, rainbow trout, and smallmouth; work steep banks with jigs, troll deeper channels in mid-summer, and fish wind-blown points for bass, with quiet coves reachable from the main launch near Stratton .
Waterbury Reservoir
A scenic impoundment with a mixed bag of smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, lake trout, and panfish; work rocky points and mid-lake humps with jigs, troll for trout along the channel edges, and find family-friendly perch and sunfish near Waterbury Center access areas.
White River
A classic freestone with prolific rainbow and brown trout, the White offers pocketwater, riffles, and long glides; match spring caddis and sulfurs, nymph seams through summer, and throw streamers on cool fall days, with convenient access off Route 14 and in towns like Royalton and Bethel .
Lake Willoughby
A deep, clear glacial lake famed for lake trout, salmon, and big yellow perch; troll steep drop-offs and the north basin with downriggers in summer, work near-surface stickbaits for salmon during cool-water periods, and find smallmouth along rocky shelves near Westmore .
Winooski River
Flowing to Burlington , the Winooski mixes urban access with productive water for brown and rainbow trout upstream and smallmouth bass and pike lower down; fish spring trout with nymphs and soft hackles, then shift to crankbaits and jigs around bridges, riprap, and eddies in summer.