What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Champlain?

Lake Champlain carries 8 special-regulation overlays that override Vermont's statewide 2026 rules, covering Lake trout, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, and 3 more. One of them reads: "6th-largest natural US lake; one of only two self-sustaining lake trout lakes in VT; VT/NY interstate reciprocity (valid VT OR NY freshwater fishing licence honored on main stem + Lake Champlain border waters); lake trout 15 in min + 3 / day (separate Table 2 limit); landlocked Atlantic salmon 15 in min + 2 / day (separate); brook + brown + rainbow trout 12 in min, combined 3 / day; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 5 / day combined (open 2nd Sat June – Nov 30; April 14 – June 14 C&R only statewide); walleye 18 in min + 3 / day; northern pike 20 in min + 5 / day; yellow perch NO daily limit + no min (premier Northeast perch + ice fishery); chain pickerel + lake whitefish + cisco." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Champlain?

Yes. Lake Champlain is in Vermont, so a valid Vermont fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Champlain; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Vermont rules.

Do Lake Champlain's special rules replace Vermont's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Vermont's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Champlain by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Lake Champlain?

Lake trout, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, Northern pike, Yellow perch, and 1 more have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Champlain, each linking to its full Vermont regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Vermont limits.

2026 regulation year

Lake Champlain 2026 — Vermont Fishing Regulations

Vermont statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 3, 2026

Lake Champlain carries 8 special-regulation overlays on top of Vermont's 2026 fishing rules — covering Lake trout, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, and 3 more species. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

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Watch Lake Champlain (VT) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

6th-largest natural US lake; one of only two self-sustaining lake trout lakes in VT; VT/NY interstate reciprocity (valid VT OR NY freshwater fishing licence honored on main stem + Lake Champlain border waters); lake trout 15 in min + 3 / day (separate Table 2 limit); landlocked Atlantic salmon 15 in min + 2 / day (separate); brook + brown + rainbow trout 12 in min, combined 3 / day; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 5 / day combined (open 2nd Sat June – Nov 30; April 14 – June 14 C&R only statewide); walleye 18 in min + 3 / day; northern pike 20 in min + 5 / day; yellow perch NO daily limit + no min (premier Northeast perch + ice fishery); chain pickerel + lake whitefish + cisco
Source: Vermont special-water list

Per-species rules on Lake Champlain

Lake trout regulations →
15 in min, 3 / day (separate Table 2 limit); one of only two self-sustaining lake trout lakes in VT; VT/NY interstate reciprocity
Landlocked Atlantic salmon regulations →
15 in min, 2 / day (separate Table 2 limit); USFWS Sebago-strain stocking + Lake Champlain Sea Lamprey Control Program
Smallmouth bass regulations →
12 in min, 5 / day combined; April 14 – June 14 statewide C&R only; tournament circuit venue
Walleye regulations →
18 in min, 3 / day; VT's flagship walleye water; VT/NY interstate reciprocity
Northern pike regulations →
20 in min, 5 / day; premier trophy-pike water (Missisquoi Bay + Inland Sea); VT/NY interstate reciprocity
Yellow perch regulations →
NO daily limit + no minimum length on yellow perch; premier Northeast perch + winter ice fishery; VT/NY reciprocity
Brown trout regulations →
Combined trout 3 / day, 12 in min; large lake-run brown trout; VT/NY reciprocity

Official source

Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department publishes the authoritative 2026 Vermont fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Vermont fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department's emergency-order feed — check it before any Vermont trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Vermont

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Lake Champlain?: Lake Champlain carries 8 special-regulation overlays that override Vermont's statewide 2026 rules, covering Lake trout, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, and 3 more. One of them reads: "6th-largest natural US lake; one of only two self-sustaining lake trout lakes in VT; VT/NY interstate reciprocity (valid VT OR NY freshwater fishing licence honored on main stem + Lake Champlain border waters); lake trout 15 in min + 3 / day (separate Table 2 limit); landlocked Atlantic salmon 15 in min + 2 / day (separate); brook + brown + rainbow trout 12 in min, combined 3 / day; smallmouth + largemouth 12 in min + 5 / day combined (open 2nd Sat June – Nov 30; April 14 – June 14 C&R only statewide); walleye 18 in min + 3 / day; northern pike 20 in min + 5 / day; yellow perch NO daily limit + no min (premier Northeast perch + ice fishery); chain pickerel + lake whitefish + cisco." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Lake Champlain?: Yes. Lake Champlain is in Vermont, so a valid Vermont fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Lake Champlain; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Vermont rules.
Do Lake Champlain's special rules replace Vermont's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Vermont's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Lake Champlain by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Lake Champlain?: Lake trout, Landlocked Atlantic salmon, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, Northern pike, Yellow perch, and 1 more have a water-body-specific rule on Lake Champlain, each linking to its full Vermont regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Vermont limits.

← Back to Vermont regulations overview