VT Fishing Vacations

Vermont Early Season Fishing for Trout & Salmon

VTfishing2 Welcome to Vermont Living’s easy-to-use guide to some of the best fishing holes in Vermont. Discover Vermont fishing for trout, bass, salmon, pickerel, pike, sunfish, eels, and more.

Plan in advance to find fish and Ask us about VT Fishing or share your photos, comments and updates. To feature your Guide Service or Vermont sporting goods business, contact us.

Vermont Spring Fishing

Vermont fisherman fishing for trout and salmon during Spring. Cleaning out your tackle box and shopping for fishing equipment is an annual tradition here in northern New England. The time of year when the weather fluctuations and temperature changes are signaling the arrival of spring. Spring means fishing!

Early Spring, before the waters warm, is the best time of the year to fish for Lake Trout and Landlocked Salmon. The silvery salmon are quite active and are feeding at or near the surface in early spring.

Warmer Weather Fishing

When the water temperature rises, the colder water-seeking fish like Salmon and Lake Trout go deep. Lake Trout, in particular, enjoy cold water and are often found in the deepest section of the lake. Getting your bait down to them is a challenge. Trolling flys or lures usually requires either a downrigger or lead-core line. Bait fishermen anchor and drop their bait several hundred feet down towards the lake bottom. Patience can pay off with large fish. Both Lakers (Lake Trout) and Salmon are robust fighters and can be 24 – 36 inches in length and weigh more than 10 pounds. Taken on light tackle, they put up quite a struggle. The deep-water seeking Lake Trout will often head down with your bait, while the Salmon is more likely to break the water and attempt to spit out your lure, streamer, or live bait.

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A Vermont Rainbow Trout

A Vermont Landlocked Salmon

VT Fish – Where to Find Them

Landlocked Salmon are only available in a few deep, cold-water New England lakes. Some of the better landlocked salmon lakes include Seymour Lake, Caspian Lake, Averill Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake Memphremagog, Lake Champlain, and Lake Willoughby in Vermont, and First Connecticut Lake, Second Connecticut Lake, Third Connecticut Lake, and Lake Francis in Pittsburg, New Hampshire.

Catching Salmon and Rainbow Trout

The bait of choice depends largely upon the fishing style of who you ask. The favorite food of salmon is smelt, so using streamers like “The Grey Ghost” or “Moose River” is a good choice.

Spin fishermen should try a Rapala minnow or Rebel minnow. Both these lures imitate the action of a real live minnow or smelt. Metal Spoons also deliver results. Baitcasters prefer the real thing – live smelt, trolled, or fished from a stationary boat have landed many a lunker.

Enjoying the Scenery

The water quality of most lakes in northern Vermont and New Hampshire is improving and with that improvement comes an increase in not only fish but associated species like loons, baitfish, and other wildlife. Nesting loons are now being seen for the first time in years at several Vermont and New Hampshire waterways.

Vermont Fishing

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Title	Price	Buy
PLUSINNO 253pcs Fishing Accessories Kit, Fishing Tackle Box with Tackle Included, Fishing Hooks, Fishing Weights Sinkers, Spinner Blade, Fishing Gear for Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Fishing	$24.99	On Sale
Fishing Lures Kit, 60pcs Tackle Box with Tackle Inlcuded Rooster Bait Tail Lures Spinner Baits Trout Lures Spoon Lures Hard Baits Crankbaits Fishing Lures for Bass Trout Crappie Walleye Fishing	$32.99	On Sale
Berkley Lightning (2 Piece) Light 5'6" Spinning Reel and Rod Combo	$67.99	On Sale
Quantum Optix Spinning Reel and Fishing Rod Combo, 5-Foot 2-Piece Graphite Composite Fishing Pole, Split-Grip EVA Rod Handle, Size 05 Reel, Changeable Right- or Left-Hand Retrieve, Silver	$35.89	On Sale
Redington Bass Fly Fishing Field Kit, 9' Medium-Fast Action Rod and Run Reel, Bass Fly Line, Carrying Case	$389.99	On Sale
PENN 7’ Pursuit IV 2-Piece Fishing Rod and Reel (Size 4000) Inshore Spinning Combos, 7’, 2 Graphite Composite Fishing Rod with 5 Reel, Durable and Lightweight, Black/Silver	$84.99	On Sale
Orvis Clearwater Mesh Fly Fishing Vest - Lightweight Vest with Tool Docks, Tippet Holder Loops, and Fly Drying Patches, Storm Gray - Large	$129.00	On Sale
The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide, Revised	$23.46	On Sale
Sage Fly Fishing - Trout 4/5/6 (4-6 WT) Reel - Bronze	$400.00	On Sale
Orvis Clearwater Large Arbor Fly Reel - Smooth-Casting Fly Fishing Reel with Left or Right Hand Retrieve Conversion, Gray - II (4-6 wt)	$98.00	On Sale
Fly Fishing Flies Assortment Kit 100pcs Dry Wet Nyphms Popper Streamer for Trout Bass Steelhead Fish (100PCS Fishing Flies Kit)	$31.99	On Sale
Orvis Comfy Grip Fishing Tool Kit - Essential Fly Fishing Forceps, Nipper, and Zinger with Comfy Grip Coating		On Sale
FROGG TOGGS Canyon II Breathable Stockingfoot Chest Wader, Gray, X-Large	$79.05	On Sale
Redington Trout Fly Fishing Field Kit, 9' Medium-Fast Action Rod and Run Reel, Trout Fly Line, Carrying Case	$389.99	On Sale
Redington Fly Fishing Combo Kit 590-4 Path Ii Outfit with Crosswater Reel 5 Wt 9-Foot 4pc		On Sale
Orvis Clearwater Fly Rod Outfit - 5,6,8 Weight Fly Fishing Rod and Reel Combo Starter Kit with Large Arbor Reel and Case		On Sale