Fishing Vacation for the Family
A Family Destination for Anglers
Vermont’s waterways are home to some of the finest freshwater fishing in the country, with an abundance of species in coldwater streams and brooks. Vermont’s broad lakes and ponds provide tremendous opportunities for bass, walleyes, and other species. No matter where you drop your line, fishing can bring families together and help kids learn lifelong lessons about sportsmanship and conservation. The sport also fosters an appreciation of the natural environment.
A little friendly competition can make it even more fun. Landing a 15-pound lake trout requires the right combination of skill, luck, and perseverance. Achieve that perfect balance at a fishing derby and you’ll walk away a winner. For more than 25 years, LCI has been making Lake Champlain a sportsman’s destination, first with the Father’s Day Fishing Derby and more recently with the LCI Lake Champlain Fall Bass Tournament. The LCI derbies have helped highlight what makes Vermont a top destination for anglers and their families.
Vermont’s many offerings
Vermont’s trout fishing season opens in April and continues through October. Interior Vermont waters offer classic New England lake and stream fishing with 800+ lakes and ponds and more than 7,000 miles of rivers and brooks.
A long Vermont winter leaves fish with an appetite for biting anything that moves. The rush of mountain spring water tumbles through more than 5,000 miles of fishable streams in the valleys of Vermont. It’s the prime spot for brook, brown, and rainbow trout.
As the tumult of the spring melt subsides, the ice will be off the more than 400 lakes and ponds where northern pike and walleye provide a sporting challenge. Vermont’s bass fishing is plentiful but restricted to catch and release until the second Saturday in June each year.
Vermont is well-known for its “coldwater” trout and landlocked salmon fishing. Icy brooks rush down off the Green Mountains into beaver ponds and streams, providing superb angling for native brook trout, as well as larger rainbow and brown trout. Lakes Willoughby, Caspian, and Seymour, among others, are renowned for their lake trout and landlocked salmon fishing.
Lake Champlain, located on the state’s western boundary, has a surface area of 435 square miles. Landlocked salmon, lake trout, and steelhead rainbow trout offer spectacular action. For shallow-water fishing, aim for the big lake’s northern pike, which range up to 25 pounds. High-quality bass fishing for both largemouths and smallmouths is one of the lake’s biggest draws.
Vermont also has excellent “warmwater” fishing and is home to a vast array of species that tolerate warmer water than trout and salmon. They include such favorites as largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, northern pike, channel catfish, chain pickerel, American shad, yellow perch, white perch, black crappie, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and bullhead, as well as bowfin, long-nosed gar, freshwater drum, burbot, cisco, whitefish, and sauger.
Guided Expeditions and More Information
The guided fishing expedition is a popular option for anglers of all abilities. For the more experienced fisherman, using a guide leaves the logistics and planning to others.
For the less experienced angler, a guided expedition is a must if they are serious about improving their skills and bringing home trophy fish. Just by the law of averages, even a total novice will land a big fish on occasion, but by calling on the expertise of a seasoned guide, they can improve their basic skills and greatly increase their chances of consistently bringing home “the big one.” Fishing guides in Vermont offer a wide variety of packages.
Ready to plan your fishing trip? Start with the planning directory. Browse locations, types of lodging, events, and attractions you want to include in your Vermont fishing vacation. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department offers license information and applications, as well as access areas, seasons and dates, laws, access areas, and stocking schedules. Fish without a license during Vermont Days every summer.