2026 regulation year
Vermont Northern pike 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
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Northern pike are Vermont's apex warm-water/cool-water predator, and Lake Champlain (490 sq mi VT/NY/QC boundary) is the state's premier trophy-pike water — the Missisquoi Bay + Inland Sea + St. Albans Bay + South Lake weed-bed complexes hold dense pike populations and produce 15-20 lb fish, with the shallow vegetated bays warming earliest in spring for the best early-season fishing and again for the marquee winter ice fishery. Beyond Champlain, pike are widespread across Vermont's larger warm-water systems: Lake Memphremagog (VT/QC boundary), Otter Creek (Vermont's longest river at 112 miles — the state's most extensive warm-water river fishery), Lake Bomoseen (Vermont's largest natural lake wholly in-state, Rutland County), Lake Carmi, and the four Connecticut River boundary impoundments (Wilder + Bellows Falls + Vernon). Under Vermont's 2022 fishing-regulations simplification (effective with the 2023 lawbook), pike carry a single statewide rule — open year-round, 20-inch minimum length, 5 fish per angler per day — that applies uniformly on all waters including Lake Champlain (no separate Champlain pike rule, unlike the lake's distinct walleye, bass, and trout limits). Lake Champlain operates under the VT/NY interstate reciprocity statute — a valid VT OR NY freshwater fishing licence is honored on the main stem + Lake Champlain border waters. Vermont state-record northern pike 30 lb 8 oz (Glen Lake, Castleton, 1977, Bernard Golob) — a record that has stood for nearly half a century; the biggest modern fish come through the ice on Champlain's northern bays.
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Season
Open year-round Open year-round statewide; 20-inch minimum length + 5 fish per day on all waters, including Lake Champlain (2022 regulations simplification — single statewide pike rule).
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 5 / day statewide (incl. Lake Champlain + Lake Memphremagog)
- Possession
- 10 in possession
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- 20 in min statewide
- Trophy rule
- VT state-record northern pike 30 lb 8 oz (Glen Lake, 1977, Bernard Golob) — standing nearly 50 years; Lake Champlain's Missisquoi Bay + Inland Sea weed-bed complex is the state's premier trophy-pike water, producing 15-20 lb fish, the largest taken through the ice
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line; ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted year-round (no closed pike season)
- Live fish bait PROHIBITED on certain designated waters per VT F&W special-regulations list
- VT Fishing Licence required ages 15+ ($32 res / $58 NR annual)
- Confirm current-year VT F&W Fishing Guide for designated-water bait restrictions
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Vermont waters:
Lake Champlain
20 in min, 5 / day; premier trophy-pike water (Missisquoi Bay + Inland Sea); VT/NY interstate reciprocity
Lake Memphremagog
20 in min, 5 / day; VT-portion only (no international reciprocity with Quebec)
Otter Creek
20 in min, 5 / day; Vermont's most extensive warm-water river fishery
Lake Bomoseen
20 in min, 5 / day; Vermont's largest natural lake wholly in-state
Connecticut River main stem
20 in min, 5 / day; NH/VT reciprocal boundary water
Official source
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department publishes the authoritative 2026 Vermontfishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The northern pike rules on this page are sourced from Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's official northern pike regulation page.
Visit official Vermont fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Northern pike closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Vermont trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is northern pike season in Vermont?
- Vermont keeps northern pike open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the Vermont bag limit for northern pike?
- The Vermont daily bag limit for northern pike is 5 / day statewide (incl. Lake Champlain + Lake Memphremagog). The possession limit is 10 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size northern pike can you keep in Vermont?
- The Vermont size rule for northern pike is 20 in min statewide. Trophy rule: VT state-record northern pike 30 lb 8 oz (Glen Lake, 1977, Bernard Golob) — standing nearly 50 years; Lake Champlain's Missisquoi Bay + Inland Sea weed-bed complex is the state's premier trophy-pike water, producing 15-20 lb fish, the largest taken through the ice.
- Do you need a license to fish for northern pike in Vermont?
- Yes. Vermont requires a valid fishing license to fish for northern pike, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Vermont license — compare resident and non-resident Vermont fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for northern pike in Vermont?
- Yes. In Vermont, northern pike fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; ice-fishing tip-ups + jiggers permitted year-round (no closed pike season); Live fish bait PROHIBITED on certain designated waters per VT F&W special-regulations list; VT Fishing Licence required ages 15+ ($32 res / $58 NR annual); Confirm current-year VT F&W Fishing Guide for designated-water bait restrictions.
- Do specific Vermont waters have different northern pike rules?
- Yes. 5 named Vermont waters carry rules that override the statewide northern pike regulation, including Lake Champlain, Lake Memphremagog, Otter Creek, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.