Vermont Winter Smallmouth Bite Is Red Hot

By Chris Adams

No ice? No problem! That is the feeling of many anglers right now taking advantage of the great catch-and-release bass fishing across the state of Vermont.

In fact, some likely prefer the extended open water opportunities that have been afforded by an unseasonably warm start to winter.

One specific opportunity that many of the state’s diehard open water anglers are cashing in on as you read this is the deep water smallmouth bass bite.

Reports from around Vermont have been consistent: Numbers of big fish, you just have to be patient.

Accomplished tournament angler and Lake Champlain specialist Skip Sjobeck reported catching over 50 smallies on Champlain on December 26 alone, proving that it pays to not put the rods away early.

“With the water being in the low 40’s the bass are a lethargic so I will use a drop shot with the bait 6 inches up from the weight,” said Sjobeck. “The bass make sort of a crater in the bottom and just lay there, and keeping the bait close to the bottom with little movement is key.”

“I target winter bass on deep flats with scattered rock,” Sjobeck added. “These are areas where bass stay all winter until the water starts to warm up. The depth can range from 25 to 50 feet.”

Another successful Vermont angler, Ben Cayer, also struck bronze on Champlain the day after Christmas.

He said a combination of bait size, location and bottom composition are his keys to connecting with big Vermont smallmouths in December.

“I like to downsize my bait, using small 2-3 inch baitfish imitating baits such as swimbaits, minnow plastics, grubs, or blade baits – anything that imitates this type of forage,” said Cayer. “I also try to keep my bait on or near the bottom, which should be hard, and I typically look for fish in the 20 to 50 foot range. However, the fish I’ve caught recently haven’t fully committed to their deep winter haunts and have been holding in the 15 to 25 range on hard-bottom flats close to a break line.”

Along with Champlain, winter smallmouth action has been on fire on a variety of Vermont waterbodies, including lakes Memphremagog, Bomoseen and St. Catherine, among other clear, rock-laden glacial lakes found throughout the state that hold numbers of big bronzebacks.

Whether you prefer smaller lakes and ponds, or massive Lake Champlain, Vermont is THE place to be for winter smallies, and there is no better time than now!