Tag Archives: Fishing

Vermont’s Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 11

Vermont’s Free Fishing Day, June 11

Free Fishing Day, June 11

Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival & Bass Opening Day both on Free Fishing Day, June 11

Vermont’s annual, statewide Summer Free Fishing Day is Saturday, June 11 this year, and it will be highlighted by a free family fishing festival in Grand Isle, as well as the opening day of the state’s regular bass fishing season.

“Vermont’s Free Fishing Day gives both resident and nonresident anglers the opportunity to go fishing in Vermont for the day without a license,” said Louis Porter, commissioner of Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “Vermont has a strong fishing tradition, and world-class fishing in many of its lakes and rivers. Free Fishing Day gives anglers of all types the chance to try out fishing in Vermont for the day for free, an experience we think they’ll truly enjoy.”

Along with offering Free Fishing Day, the department provides a range of other opportunities and resources for those new to the sport, as well as for nonresidents looking to go fishing in Vermont for the first time. Instructional guides and information on the basics of fishing, family-friendly fishing opportunities, fish stocking schedules and fishing in Chittenden County can all be found under the fish section at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Vermont Fish & Wildlife has also teamed up with Vermont State Parks to offer the ‘Reel Fun Vermont’ program at 12 state parks across the state. The program provides loaner tackle kits and fishing clinics, free of charge, to anyone interested in fishing at a Vermont State Park. Complete information on ‘Reel Fun Vermont’ can also be found at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

“Fishing is a relaxing way to enjoy Vermont’s great outdoors, and is an activity that can be shared with friends and family or easily taught to newcomers while enjoying quality time together,” said Porter. “Whether you’re an avid angler or someone looking to try the sport out for the first time, Vermont is the place to be. From its renowned bass, pike, panfish and trout fishing, to great fishing for a range of non-traditional species, Vermont has it all.”

Free Fishing Day in Vermont will be celebrated by the 16th annual Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival, which will be held at the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station located at 14 Bell Hill Road in Grand Isle. The festival will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Designed for young anglers and families, this exciting event offers basic fishing instruction and the chance for kids to catch big trout in the hatchery pond. No prior fishing experience is needed and Vermont Fish & Wildlife will be supplying fishing rods, reels and bait for use by participants.

Anyone with questions about the festival can contact the Ed Weed Fish Culture Station at 802-372-3171.

Vermont’s regular bass season also opens on June 11, marking the start of some of the hottest bass fishing action in the northeast. The season opens each year on the second Saturday in June and extends through the last day of November. However, outside of those dates, anglers can fish for bass on open water on a catch-and-release basis with artificial lures and flies only on waters that are not seasonally closed.

To learn more about fishing in Vermont, the Grand Isle Family Fishing Festival, or to purchase a fishing license, visit www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish

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Vermont Bass Season Opens June 11th

Vermont Bass Season Opens June 11th

Vermont Bass Season Opens June 11th

Smallmouth bass

Vermont’s regular bass fishing season is set to kick off on Saturday, June 11, marking the start of some of the hottest and most-renowned bass fishing in the northeast.

“From big-water angling on lakes like Champlain, Bomoseen and Memphremagog, and the Connecticut River, to hundreds of smaller, untapped ponds and reservoirs, Vermont is loaded with great bass fishing for anglers of all ages,” said Shawn Good, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife.

Vermont’s regular bass season opens each year on the second Saturday in June and extends through the last day of November. However, outside of those dates, anglers can fish for bass on open water on a catch-and-release basis with artificial lures and flies only on waters that are not seasonally closed.

“The bass fishing in Vermont is truly incredible, and one unique aspect compared to many other states is the sheer amount of quality, unpressured fish,” said Good. “Vermont is tough to beat for numbers of solid, two to four-pound bass that see very little fishing pressure, but anglers have the chance to connect with a true trophy in the six to eight-pound class as well.”

Vermont’s bass fishing has received national notoriety in a variety of fishing publications in recent years, and bass-rich Lake Champlain has become a favorite of touring bass professionals.

In 2014, World Fishing Network named Lake Champlain one of the seven best smallmouth bass lakes in North America. The renowned fishing media outlet went on to characterize Lake Champlain as “perhaps the best lake in all of North America for both quality largemouth and smallmouth bass.”

Prominent professional tournament angler Kevin VanDam agrees.

“What makes Lake Champlain unique is that you can catch fish – both smallmouth bass and largemouth bass alike – just about any way you want to,” said VanDam. “It’s an amazing fishery with diverse habitat throughout and large, healthy populations of many species of fish. Whether you’re an avid tournament angler or recreational fisherman, you’ll want to experience Lake Champlain fishing. It’s simply that good.”

What’s more impressive is that Vermont hosts dozens of other lakes, ponds and rivers that rival Lake Champlain.

“There’s no question that Champlain hosts a very special bass fishery, probably one of the best in the world,” said Good. “However, there’s countless other waterbodies throughout the state that can be just as good, if not better, simply because those bass populations don’t get much fishing pressure.”

Bass fishing in Vermont is a fun outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike, regardless of skill level, and can also be a great source of food for the table.

“Bass fishing is a great way to get out and enjoy Vermont’s great outdoors and nothing beats a tasty meal of fresh, locally-caught fish,” Good said.

Good noted that smaller, younger bass, which are also much more abundant, are generally better eating compared to bigger, older fish.

Anglers heading out on the water to fish for bass this season should be sure to reference all fishing regulations, including harvest and size limits, applicable to the waters they are fishing. Vermont’s fishing regulations can be found in the 2016 Vermont Fish & Wildlife law digest available at district offices and authorized license dealers, or online athttp://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/fish.

To learn more about fishing in Vermont or to purchase a fishing license, visitwww.vtfishandwildlife.com.

Other Lake Champlain Fishing Articles:

Peru boy lands potential record fish in Lake Champlain

A potential record fish was caught on Lake Champlain. A reported 20.345-pounds, 40-inch lake trout was caught on Lake Champlain. The big fish was landed near Plattsburgh by 12-year-old Alexander Mason from Peru, New York, who was fishing with his dad, Dennis Mason.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.wcax.com

It needs to be certified by the state to be recognized as a state record, but Lake Champlain International says as soon as it’s weighed by a biologist it will be.

See on Scoop.it – Lake Champlain Life

VT Walleye Fishing Starts May 7

VT Walleye Fishing Starts May 7

The best walleye fishing in New England will begin soon in several Vermont rivers and lakes, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The department is reminding anglers that walleye fishing season starts in much of the state on the first Saturday in May and that regulations vary, depending on the water you are fishing.

VT Walleye Fishing Starts May 7

 

There is no open season on sauger, a close cousin to the walleye. Once more abundant in southern Lake Champlain, sauger may still appear there rarely. If caught while fishing for other fish, sauger must be immediately released. (See: VT Fish & Wildlife To Hold Hearings Lake Champlain Sauger Fishing Regulation Change)

In all waters of Vermont except Lake Carmi, Chittenden Reservoir and the Connecticut River, walleye have an 18″ minimum length requirement and three-fish daily limit. The open season is from Saturday, May 7 to March 15, 2017.

 

Lake Champlain Walleye Fishing

Excellent walleye fishing opportunities occur each spring in Lake Champlain and its tributaries: the Missisquoi River, Lamoille River, Winooski River, and Otter Creek. Vermont’s state record walleye weighed 14.55 lbs. and was caught in Lake Champlain by Richard Levesque of Swanton in 2010.

Other Vermont Walleye Fishing Hotspots

Lake Carmi has a slot limit for walleye because of the lake’s high productivity and high rate of walleye harvest. The minimum length is 15 inches, all walleye between 17 and 19 inches must be released. The daily limit is five walleye, but only one may be over 19 inches long. The season is open May 7 through March 15.

Chittenden Reservoir has special walleye regulations in order to produce large walleye that can help control its over-abundant yellow perch population and provide anglers with an opportunity to harvest a trophy walleye. The minimum length is 22 inches, the daily limit is two, and the season is open June 1 through March 15.

Connecticut River walleye fishing rules are set by New Hampshire. No walleye between 16 to 18 inches may be kept and the daily limit is four fish, of which only one may be longer than 18 inches.

The Northeast Kingdom also offers walleye fishing opportunities in Salem Lake, Island Pond, Clyde Pond, and the Clyde River.

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Free Introduction to Bass Fishing Clinic

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department is hosting a free Introduction to Bass Fishing clinic on Saturday, April 23, at the Kehoe Education Center in Castleton.

 

Smallmouth bass

Smallmouth bass

Open to people of all ages and levels of experience, including those who are completely new to fishing, the clinic will be led by department staff and instructors from the Let’s Go Fishing Program.

“For folks hoping to learn the basics of bass fishing, particularly how to target and catch bass using artificial lures, this clinic is a great starting place,” said Corey Hart, clinic coordinator with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “We’ll cover a range of topics including how bass relate to different types of habitat, what lures and tactics to use in different scenarios, knot tying, and casting techniques.”

A Vermont game warden will also lead a fish identification component and a regulations review.

The clinic will start at 2:00 P.M. and run until 6:30 P.M., with the first portion at the Kehoe Education Center. The class will then travel to a nearby pond to try out the fishing skills learned earlier in the day.

Fishing equipment will be available for use, or participants can bring their own. Space is limited and preregistration is required. Participants will also need to provide their own transportation to the off-site fishing location.

To register for the clinic, email Corey Hart at Corey.Hart@Vermont.gov or call 802-505-5562.

 

 

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