In 2014, Lake Champlain received another world-class fishing designation. World Fishing Network ranked Lake Champlain one of the seven best smallmouth bass lakes in North America.
The ranking, which was first reported on WFN’s website, describes Lake Champlain as “perhaps the best lake in all of North America for both quality largemouth and smallmouth bass.”
Smallmouth bass, which can be found throughout the entirety of the 120-mile lake, have flourished in Champlain’s fertile waters where they have access to optimal habitat and an immense forage base. Champlain’s rocky bottom composition and strong populations of yellow perch and crayfish create ideal conditions for smallmouth bass to prosper.
The full WFN report went on to state, “The combined fishery makes Champlain a popular destination for the biggest tournament circuits in the U.S., like B.A.S.S. and FLW. Though anglers can try and go for broke and chase monster largemouths, for the most consistent results, finding smallmouth bass schools along the northern part of the lake is the way to go, especially on the Vermont side. Like with Lake Erie, fall is the best time for smallmouth on Champlain, as bass follow the baitfish into the shallows as the water cools.”
The other six top smallmouth fisheries noted in the article include: Lake Erie (New York, Ontario, Pennsylvania and Ohio); Lake Simcoe (Ontario); Lake St. Clair (Michigan and Ontario); Dale Hollow Lake (Tennessee and Kentucky); Grand Traverse Bay (Michigan), and Sturgeon Bay(Wisconsin).
Lakes receiving honorable mention in the WFN rankings include: Bay de Noc (Michigan); Pickwick Lake (Alabama and Tennessee); Candlewood Lake (Connecticut); Rainy Lake (Ontario); Lake of the Woods (Minnesota and Ontario); Kentucky Lake (Kentucky and Tennessee); and St. Lawrence River (New York, Quebec, and Ontario).
For more information about smallmouth bass fishing in Vermont, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com.
source: Vermont Fish and Wildlife