Late October's Smallies, Walleye, and Forage on Lake Champlain

Artificial Lure here on this fine October 29th morning, bringing you the true local rundown from Lake Champlain’s shores and bays. We kicked off at sunrise—officially 7:25 a.m. today, with sunset coming on at 5:46 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, we're looking at a chilly start, low 40s warming just shy of 56°F by afternoon. Winds are light from the west at 7 to 12 knots, giving the lake a little chop perfect for drifting, but not so rough you’ll need to stay tucked behind the breakwalls.

Lake Champlain isn’t tidal, so no true tide charts to muck around with, just keep an eye on the wind for drift and wave action. Surface conditions this morning were partly cloudy, crisp, with pockets of fog on the Vermont side burning off around mid-morning.

In terms of bite, it’s classic late October fall fishing—smallmouth bass and walleye are chewing hard, as reported by locals and podcast regulars on the Lake Champlain Daily Fishing Report. Recent catches have been impressive, with a lot of anglers boating smallies in the 2-4 lb range, and several chunky 5-pounders coming off rocky points and isolated humps. Walleye have started showing in the shallows after dusk, with some nice keepers landed especially near river mouths.

Largemouth are mostly tucked into the dying weedbeds, especially in the south lake bays, but some surprising fish up to 4 lbs are still hitting if you find warmer pockets behind the islands. Northern pike are hot on the feed too—watch for those classic weed lines on the New York side.

Best baits lately? Locals swear by **topwater walking baits** at first light for smallmouth, with poppers and walking stickbaits pulling double duty if you get any surface action. When the sun rises, switch to **Ned rigs**, drop-shotting soft plastics, and **green pumpkin tubes** over rocky transitions. For walleye: small jigs tipped with crawlers or Gulp minnows are putting fish in the boat, especially on current breaks after sunset. Largemouth have been falling for dark-colored flipping jigs and slow-rolled spinnerbaits.

If you like artificials, the Toyota Series bass tournament just wrapped up on Champlain, and their “top 10 baits” rundown was all about Ned rigs, drop-shotting Z-Man and Yamamoto plastics, and Rapala jerkbaits fished slow as the water gets colder. Don't overlook blade baits for deep edges—they're money for hungry smallmouth right now.

Two hot spots you should absolutely check today:

- **The Gut near Grand Isle**: A reliable smallmouth haunt in autumn, with walleye cruising edges at dusk.
- **Missisquoi Bay**: Largemouth stacked in the dying cabbage beds, plus some bonus slab crappie pulling off the edges.

Sonar is helpful, but most folks are just working the classic structure—remember, tournaments may ban forward-facing sonar but the bite hasn’t slowed down for those fishing by feel and local knowledge. Shad have moved out, so the game is craws, perch, and whatever forage is dropping from dying weedbeds.

Thanks for tuning in to Lake Champlain’s freshest fishing scoop. Subscribe to keep up with the bite all season long. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lure here on this fine October twenty ninth morning,
bringing you the true local rundown from Lake Champlain shores
and bays. We kicked off at sunrise officially seven twenty
five am today, with sunset coming on at five forty
six pm. According to the National Weather Service, we're looking
at a chilly start low forties, warming just shy of
fifty six degrees fahrenheit by afternoon. Winds are light from

(00:23):
the west at seven to twelve knots, giving the lake
a little chop perfect for drifting, but not so rough
you'll need to stay tucked behind the break walls. Lake
Champlain isn't tidal, so no true tide charts to muck
around with. Just keep an eye on the wind for
drift and wave action. Surface conditions this morning were partly cloudy, crisp,

(00:44):
with pockets of fog on the Vermont side burning off
around mid morning. In terms of bite, it's classic late
October fall fishing. Small mouth bass and wally are chewing hard,
as reported by locals and podcasts regulars on the Lake
Champlain Daily Fishing Report. Recent catches have been impressive, with

(01:06):
a lot of anglers boating smallies in the two to
four pounds range and several chunky five pounders coming off
rocky points and isolated humps. While I have started showing
in the shallows after dusk with some nice keepers landed,
especially near river mouths. Largemouth are mostly tucked into the

(01:27):
dying weed beds, especially in the South Lake bays, but
some surprising fish up to four pounds are still hitting
if you find warmer pockets behind the islands. Northern pike
are hot on the feed too. Watch for those classic
weed lines on the New York side best baits lately.
Locals swear by topwater walking baits at first light for

(01:49):
smallmouth with poppers and walking stick baits pulling double duty
if you get any surface action when the sun rises,
switch to negrigs drop shotting sun off plastics and green
pumpkin tubes over rocky transitions for walleye. Small jigs tipped
with crawlers or golp minnows are putting fish in the boat,

(02:10):
especially on current breaks after sunset. Large mouth had been
falling for dark colored flipping jigs and slow rolled spinner
baits if you like artificials. The Toyota Series Bass Tournament
just wrapped up on Champlain and their top ten baits.
Rundown was all about ned riggs, drop shotting, z Man
and Yamamoto plastics and ripola jerk baits fished slow as

(02:34):
the water gets colder. Don't overlook blade baits for deep edges.
They're money for hungry smallmouth Right now. Two hot spots
you should absolutely check today x missus Kawi Bay large
mouth stacked in the dying cabbage beds plus some bonus
slack crack bed pet delin bay. Sonar is helpful, but

(02:56):
most folks are just working the classic structure. Remember, tournaments
may ban forward facing sonar, but the bite hasn't slowed
down for those fishing my feel and local knowledge. Shad
have moved out, so the game is crows perch and
whatever forage is dropping from dying weed bets. Thanks for
tuning in to Lake Chanmplain's freshest fishing soup. Subscribe to

(03:18):
keep up with the bite all season long. This has
been a quiet please production. For more check out Quiet
please dot ai