Best Ice Fishing Lakes in Vermont

Short answer: Vermont Fish and Wildlife calls Lake Champlain the state's premier fishing destination. It holds pike, lake trout, yellow perch, walleye and crappie. For perch, add Lakes Carmi, Morey, Bomoseen and Memphremagog. For walleye, add Lake Carmi. For lake trout, the Northeast Kingdom has the top waters: Caspian, Maidstone and Seymour lakes and Lake Willoughby. For smelt, try Lakes Bomoseen and Seymour, plus Dunmore on a 2019 state list. For pickerel, the state names Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog and Lake Fairlee. For crappie and other panfish, look at Lakes Bomoseen, St. Catherine, Dunmore, Morey and Fairlee, plus Champlain.

Every pick below comes from Vermont Fish and Wildlife pages. Picks that rest only on a 2019 state press release are labeled as such. We give no catch rates and no ice reports.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

Quick list by species:

• Yellow perch: Lake Champlain, Lake Carmi, Lake Morey, Lake Bomoseen, Lake Memphremagog.
• Northern pike: Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, Kelley Bay and other Champlain bays, plus Lake Memphremagog. Lake Bomoseen and Lake Hortonia are from a 2019 state press release.
• Walleye: Lake Carmi, Lake Champlain, Island Pond, Salem Lake.
• Lake trout: Lake Champlain, Lake Willoughby, Lake Seymour, Caspian Lake, Maidstone Lake.
• Rainbow smelt: Lake Bomoseen, Lake Seymour, Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog. Lake Dunmore is from a 2019 state press release.
• Chain pickerel: Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog, Lake Fairlee.
• Crappie and panfish: Lake Bomoseen, Lake St. Catherine, Lake Dunmore, Lake Morey, Lake Fairlee, Lake Champlain bays. Lake Hortonia produced the state record crappie.

Ice safety first

Vermont Fish and Wildlife gives this as a general guideline: 3½ to 4 inches of clear ice to walk on, and 8 inches for a snowmobile or ATV. Double the thickness if the ice is white or opaque and not clear all the way through. (Source: Vermont Fish and Wildlife, Ice Fishing Basics.)

That is a floor for clear ice, not a promise. Ice never freezes evenly. The department says to test thickness often with a spud bar or auger as you walk out.

More from the department:

• Ice over flowing water, springs, pressure cracks, old holes, and river and stream mouths can be weaker. Stay away.
• Carry ice picks. Carry a compass for snow and whiteout.
• Tell someone where you will fish, where you park and when you will be back.
• Bring a cell phone in a freezer bag to keep it dry.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

1. Lake Champlain, Vermont side

The department's page says Champlain offers quality fishing for many species on a lake 120 miles long: landlocked salmon, lake trout, northern pike, yellow perch, white perch, walleye and crappie. There is no closed season for trout and salmon on Champlain.

By species:

• Pike: the department lists Kelley Bay, Missisquoi Bay, Dillenbeck Bay, Carry Bay, Keeler Bay and St. Albans Bay. It also lists the shallow flats south of the Sandbar Causeway between Milton and South Hero, and the area south of the Champlain Bridge from Addison to Benson.
• Lake trout: with good ice on the deep water, look off the west shore of Grand Isle and in Outer Malletts Bay, Shelburne Bay, Converse Bay and Button Bay south to the Champlain Bridge.
• Landlocked salmon: later in winter, as more ice forms, in the Inland Sea north of the Sandbar Causeway.
• Walleye: they can show up anywhere. The department says the most steady winter action is at the south end around Benson and Orwell, and at the north end in Swanton and Alburg.
• Perch and panfish: sheltered bays and shallows. Yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and black and white crappie are all on the list.

Champlain also holds the state record yellow perch (2 pounds, 6.4 ounces, caught in 2015) and the state record walleye (14 pounds, 8.8 ounces, caught in 2010).

2. Lake Memphremagog

The department lists Memphremagog for yellow perch, northern pike, rainbow smelt and chain pickerel. A 2019 state press release adds the South Bay for pike and landlocked salmon. That is four target species on one lake, five if you count the 2019 salmon note.

3. Lake Bomoseen

The department's state park page puts Bomoseen at 2,400 acres with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Species listed include northern pike, yellow perch, rainbow smelt, black crappie, bluegill and brown trout. The page says the shallow north and south ends hold perch, pike and panfish. The deeper main lake around Neshobe Island and the "slate slide" holds smelt and trout.

The department also names Bomoseen for perch, smelt and panfish, and a 2019 press release names it for pike. It is a good all-round pick if you want to switch species through the day.

4. Lake St. Catherine

The department lists Lake St. Catherine among the popular panfish waters in Vermont. That is the sourced reason to go. The department says panfish include bluegill, pumpkinseed and crappie. We have no state numbers for this lake, so we give none.

5. Lake Seymour

Seymour is on the department's lists for lake trout and rainbow smelt. It is one of the Northeast Kingdom lake trout waters. Smelt anglers typically use tiny jigs tipped with maggots, and the department says fishing is often better at night.

6. Lake Willoughby

Lake Willoughby is named as a top Northeast Kingdom lake trout water. The state record lake trout came from here: 35 pounds, 3.2 ounces, caught in 2003. That is a state record, not a catch rate.

7. Lake Carmi

The department names Carmi for yellow perch and for walleye. The walleye page lists it among six Vermont walleye waters. A 2019 press release says walleyes spend most of their lives in bottom waters, so set gear deep.

8. Lake Dunmore

Lake Dunmore is on the department's panfish list, and a 2019 press release lists it as a popular smelt water and a landlocked salmon water. The lake is stocked with lake trout, which the department says give a minor fishery. The same release says brown trout are stocked in its popular smelt waters, including Dunmore, and may bite harvested smelt used as bait.

9. Lake Hortonia and Lake Morey

A 2019 press release names Lake Hortonia for northern pike. The state record crappie (3 pounds, 8.5 ounces) came from Hortonia in 2005. Lake Morey is a department pick for yellow perch and for panfish.

10. Lake Fairlee

The department lists Lake Fairlee for chain pickerel, with Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog. In winter, it says pickerel respond to ice fishing jigs and to live minnows under tip-ups. Fairlee is also on its panfish list.

Season and rules

State rules allow ice fishing for trout, salmon and bass from January 1 through March 15 on most state waters, with exceptions. Some waters are closed to all fishing from November 1 into April. The department keeps a list of lakes with restrictions. Read it for your lake before you go. Check current Vermont fishing regulations for limits and size rules.

Before you go

1. Check ice yourself at every spot, then check again as you move.
2. Tell someone your plan.
3. Pack picks, a spud bar or auger, and a charged phone in a bag.
4. Use a plowed road or a public access area when one is available. Ask locally before you drive on the ice.
5. Look up your lake in the department's restrictions list and the current regulations.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

FAQ

What is the best ice fishing lake in Vermont?

It depends on the fish. Vermont Fish and Wildlife calls Lake Champlain the state's premier fishing destination. For lake trout, it points to Lake Willoughby and Caspian, Maidstone and Seymour lakes. For walleye and perch, Lake Carmi.

How thick does ice need to be in Vermont?

Vermont Fish and Wildlife gives a general guideline of 3½ to 4 inches of clear ice to walk on and 8 inches for a snowmobile or ATV. Double it for white or opaque ice. Test with a spud bar or auger as you go. No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

Where can I ice fish for walleye in Vermont?

The department lists Chittenden Reservoir, Lake Carmi, the Connecticut River, Island Pond, Salem Lake and Lake Champlain. On Champlain it names Benson and Orwell in the south and Swanton and Alburg in the north.

Where do I catch smelt through the ice?

The department's smelt page lists Lake Bomoseen, Lake Seymour, Lake Champlain and Lake Memphremagog among others. A 2019 press release adds Lake Dunmore. The smelt page says ice fishing is the only way to consistently catch smelt in Vermont, and that nets are illegal.

Can I ice fish for trout, salmon and bass all winter?

On most state waters, from January 1 through March 15. Lake Champlain has no closed season for trout and salmon. Some waters have different rules, so check the department's restrictions list.