Vt. Maple Products

Vt. fish chart

So your going fishing in Vermont huh? Great, we’ve got lots of lakes, ponds and streams for some of the world’s best fishing. To help you out I’ve put together a list of the most popular sport fish in Vermont and where you can find them. This is not all the fish in Vermont, but the most common ones people fish for.

Largemouth Bass Average length: 9-17″
The most popular type of bass for fishing. Found in warmer waters of Vermont like Lake Champlain, ponds and lakes. You also can find them in bigger, deeper streams.

Smallmouth Bass Average length: 9-16″
Smaller cousin of the largemouth bass above. Found in the same areas as the largemouth bass.

Walleye Average length: 12-22″
Walleyes can be very hard to catch. They are found in most lakes and ponds, including big streams. They fight hard when caught and taste great!

Northern Pike Average length: 14-24″
Fishing for northern pike in Vermont can be exciting as these huge fish fight hard and have sharp teeth. They love warm water, staying in lakes and ponds. Not found in too many streams. Popular for ice fishing.

Chain Pickerel Average length: 13-23″
A bit smaller but looking a lot like the northern pike. Found in the same waters, also has sharp teeth.

Brook Trout Average length: 6-14″
The smallest but most plentiful and popular of Vermont trout, the brook trout can be found in all streams, from tiny ones in the mountains you can jump over to bigger ones you can paddle a canoe in. They need cold water, so not found in lower big lakes or ponds except higher mountain ones.

Rainbow Trout Average length: 6-14″
Fishing for rainbow trout in Vermont is a lot like brook trout, they like cold mountain streams, but can be found in bigger streams and cold lakes. About the same size as brook trout.

Brown Trout Average length: 9-20″
The brown trout is one of the biggest trouts in Vermont. You can find them in bigger streams and ponds in the mountains.

Lake Trout Average length: 14-24″
The lake trout is THE biggest trout in Vermont. It is very hard to catch as it prefers the bottom of deep, cold lakes. Trolling with weighted downriggers back and forth across the lake is the most common way to catch them.



Landlocked Salmon Average length: 14-24″
Yes Vermont has one type of salmon too. The landlocked salmon is only found in the biggest lakes and Lake Champlain. It is very hard to catch.

Perch Average length: 5-12″
Perch is a very popular warm water fish found in all ponds, lakes and bigger streams. They are very abundant and very tasty. They are popular to catch during ice fishing in Vermont.

Rainbow Smelt Average length: 6-9″
Rainbow Smelt are found in deep lakes and ponds. They are another fish that is popular to catch during ice fishing in Vermont.

Brown Bullhead Average length: 11-17″
The brown bullhead is a member of the catfish family only smaller. They stay on the bottom of warm ponds and lakes.

As you can see you’ve got a big list of different fish to go fishing for in Vermont. To see all the rules and regulations about fishing in Vermont and getting a fishing license please go to the Vermont fish & Wildlife website. There are lots of places you can rent a boat, fishing tackle, everything you need for a great Vermont fishing vacation.

There also are lots of fishing guides and fishing camps in Vermont that you can choose from. Most of these camps and guides have been doing it for years and really know what they are doing. Of course you can always grab a good Vermont map and guide yourself, just don’t get lost on those back roads!

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