Lake Champlain
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Atlantic salmon, brown trout, and steelhead water; 5 stockings on the 2026 record, all in March. A 277,118-acre lake, and the most-stocked water on the Franklin County record for 2026. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live, water temperature included.
Franklin County · Vermont · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Atlantic salmon
Brown trout
Steelhead
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24 | Atlantic salmon | 7,400 | completed | |
| Mar 24 | Brown trout | 4,018 | completed | |
| Mar 25 | Steelhead | 5,000 | completed | |
| Mar 26 | Atlantic salmon | 6,000 | completed | |
| Mar 26 | Atlantic salmon | 4,285 | completed |
When to fish Lake Champlain
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:30-11:30 am and 9:52-11:52 pm | 3:45-4:45 am and 4:01-5:01 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:16 am-12:16 pm and 10:40 pm-12:40 am | 4:57-5:57 am and 4:22-5:22 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Last stocked Mar 26
- Water 54 °F, prime coldwater range
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Vermont fishing forecast
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural. The gauge reads 54 degrees, prime coldwater temperature; fish confidently through the day.
For the salmon and steelhead (atlantic salmon stocked 3 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Medium spinning rod | 8 to 9 ft with 8 to 12 lb line; big water, big runs |
| Spoons and spinners | 1/4 to 1/2 oz metal; cast across and swing through the run |
| Beads and egg imitations | drifted under a float where bait rules allow |
For the trout (brown trout stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Small crankbaits | trout-pattern cranks trolled or slow-retrieved off points |
| Slip bobber and jig | 1/32 oz marabou jig or waxworm suspended at cruising depth |
| Ultralight spinning rod | 6 to 7 ft ultralight, 4 lb line; long casts from the bank |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Lamoille River | 3.3 mi | May 21 |
| Winooski River | 4.5 mi | May 4 |
| Browns River | 15 mi | May 19 |
| Huntington River | 23 mi | May 5 |
| Lewis Creek | 24 mi | May 8 |
Follow Franklin County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule