10 Best Ice Fishing Lakes in Vermont

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While your first thought, when you picture Vermont, might be tiny, hidden trout streams with wild brown and brook trout.

But this is a state of more than 9,500 square miles with more than 800 lakes and frigid winters. So you do the math: Vermont can be an ice-fishing paradise, too.

Heck, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department even hosts a free ice fishing day each winter, which you can find on their website.

With so many lakes (some of them closed to ice fishing), we thought it would be helpful to point you to 10 of the best to make the most of your Vermont winter fishing.

Vermont’s Top Ice Fishing Lakes

Lake Champlain

Every state has a famous lake or two. For instance, neighboring New Hampshire has Winnipesaukee, and New York, on the other side, has Lake Ontario.

Vermont’s claim to fame is Lake Champlain and with good reason.

Champlain, which New York shares, is one of the best lakes in the Northeast for freshwater fishing and continues throughout the winter months.

There’s no closed season for trout and salmon fishing on Champlain, so as soon as anglers have good ice, they can start fishing.

The lake’s northeast side is referred to as the inland sea and can be particularly productive for trout and salmon fishermen.

Also, some absolute giant pike comes out of Champlain every year, and anglers catch many of them through the ice.

Kelley Bay, Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, and the area between Addison and Benson south of the Champlain bridge are all popular pike-producing areas.

How good is Lake Champlain for fishing?

At one point, Lake Champlain held the Vermont state record for lake whitefish, rainbow smelt, sauger, landlocked Atlantic salmon, pike-pickerel hybrid, white perch, longnose gar, freshwater drum, lake herring, burbot, and rock bass.

Lake trout typically hold in the deeper parts of the lake. The biggest have been just shy of the 20-pound mark.

On the southern end of Champlain around Benson, there can be a steady walleye bite throughout the winter.

Simply put, Lake Champlain’s got everything you could want.

More: Complete Guide to Lake Champlain Fishing

Lake Carmi

Looking for a lake that would take less than a lifetime to explore? Check out Lake Carmi, just east of Champlain near the United States/Canada border, near the town of Franklin.

At only two square miles in size and with a maximum depth of 33 feet, Carmi can be a much less intimidating place to tackle for ice anglers.

It’s big enough, however, to have good walleye, smallmouth, northern pike, and panfish populations.

Following Route 236 to Lake Carmi State Park and turning onto Marsh Farm Road will get you to the boat launch and the easiest point of wintertime access. 

Lake Dunmore

If you want a lake with great mountain views to take in as you fish, consider 980-acre Lake Dunmore. Vermont’s Branbury State Park sits along the lake’s eastern shore, and the state launch off Leisure Lane offers ice anglers access.

Dunmore, located between Middlebury and Brandon, holds healthy numbers of perch, bass, trout, and some northern pike and lake trout to boot. 

Harriman Reservoir

Harriman Reservoir, near Wilmington in Southern Vermont, produces good-sized brown trout through the ice every year. Speaking of big trout, Harriman also has lake trout.

Harriman Reservoir is the largest body of water located entirely within the state, at over 2,000 acres. It reaches depths of more than 180 feet.

Although they’re challenging to catch through the ice, it’s worth noting for trout aficionados that state officials also stock some brook trout in the lake.

Additional popular species include largemouth bass, pickerel, and pike.

A boat launch and parking lot off Fairview Avenue in Wilmington is one point of access for ice anglers. 

Seymour Lake

Seymour Lake doesn’t get the pressure of some of Vermont’s more popular spots, but healthy populations of brook trout, lake trout, and brown trout make it a good option for anglers looking to get away from the crowd during the winter season.

A boat ramp off state route 111 will give anglers easy ice-fishing access.

The northwest branch of the Y-shaped lake has some of the deepest holes, some pushing to 100 feet. These steep drops can hold good-sized lake trout.

Lake Bomoseen

At 2,400 acres, Lake Bomoseen near Fair Haven in Western Vermont is another great option for ice anglers from January through March.

The north and south ends of the lake are shallower and are often your best shot when looking for pike, largemouth bass, and perch.

Trout and smelt will congregate near deeper portions of the main lake, around Neshobe Island, and along the western shore.

A public boat launch off Johnson-Spooner Road near Castleton is a good access point for ice anglers and has a small parking area. 

Lake Memphremagog

Say that three times fast. It might not be easy to pronounce the name of this lake on Vermont’s border with Canada, but it sure holds plenty of fishing opportunities.

Lake Memphremagog offers a shot at perch, rock bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, pike, and rainbow trout.

The mouth of the Clyde River is a popular fishing spot all season, and you can find access off Gardner Park Road in Newport.

Make sure to have your passport on you if you happen to take a wrong turn.

Waterbury Reservoir

The main draw on Waterbury Reservoir is the brown trout population.

There are good numbers of smelt in this Northern Vermont location, and trout fatten up on these baitfish. Some anglers will use maggots to catch the smelt and then use smelt as bait to catch the brown trout.

Besides the browns, the shoreline has steep, rocky drop-offs that can hold good numbers of smallmouth bass.

Little River State Park and Waterbury Center State Park in Waterbury have boat launches with wintertime ice access.

Lake St. Catherine

Another lake in Northern Vermont that should have safe ice as early as anywhere in the state is Lake St. Catherine.

The state stocks lake trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout in this 850-acre lake annually.

Lake St. Catherine also holds resident populations of smallmouth and largemouth bass, crappie, northern pike, and bullhead catfish.

The far north and south ends of the lake feature the most structure in the way of rock piles that tend to hold fish.

The lake’s western shore features steeper drop-offs that can hold trout feeding on smelt.

Lake St. Catherine State Park off Route 30 in Poultney offers a ramp and access. 

Great Averill Lake

Great Averill Lake, also known as Great Averill Pond, is an 835-acre body of water that supports populations of brook trout, lake trout, rainbow trout, and landlocked Atlantic salmon.

The rainbow smelt that also inhabit Great Averill ensure that lakers have sufficient forage to reach impressive sizes.

Cottage Road on the lake’s eastern shore offers a ramp and ice fishing access. 

Summary

Remember to check local and state reports and deploy safety measures when ice fishing, especially early and late in the season.

Ice picks, inflatable ice bibs, a whistle, and a flashlight are all good things to have when on the water during the winter.

Also note that some bodies of water are closed to ice fishing specifically or have seasonal closures during that time frame. Check out this list before choosing your destination.

Catch More Fish

If you’re new to hard-water fishing or want to brush up on your knowledge, check out our simple ice-fishing how-to article with techniques, tips, and safety suggestions.