Colchester, VT Fishing: Experience Angling Like No Other

Chittenden County, Vermont, holds the fourth most populous municipality, Colchester. The town borders Burlington to its south. It is also directly to Burlington’s north on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain and west of the Green Mountains. 

The area was home to pre-Columbian Indians some 2,000 years ago, during the Early Woodland period. The town was named after the Earl of Colchester when it was established on June 7, 1763. In 1922, Winooski Falls split from Colchester, leading Colchester to lose a significant portion of its population to the newly formed city of Winooski.

Today, Colchester is known to be one of the safest places to reside in and is the home to Saint Michael's College campus. Likewise, its pristine waterways and scenic view of nature make it on top of the list of the must-visit places for anglers and nature lovers alike. 

Colchester Fishing

Visiting and local anglers in the state of Vermont are fueled by two things- the quantity of trout and their passion for fishing. The town of Colchester is noted for its large populations of wild trout, which suggests a healthy ecosystem. It is because trout thrive in a cold, clean environment and a network of connected bodies of water. 

Colchester touches the New York State border in the middle of the lake and close to Mallets Bay. This gives anglers multiple angling opportunities with productive fishing spots and diverse species. First of which is the Colchester Causeway.

Colchester Causeway features two different fills where outer Malletts Bay connects to the main lake area of Lake Champlain by way of small water channels. The southernmost fill, which is along the break wall, is passable by foot via an old iron bridge. Fishing opportunities in this part of the fill are more productive during spring up until early summer. On the other hand, the northernmost fill of the causeway is only passable via boat or by swimming. Fishing opportunities in this area are great year-round. 

Both the southern and northern fills of the Mallets Bay function as natural funnel points where fish pass through while moving between Mallets Bay and Lake Champlain. Likewise, both fills have some level of flow through them. This means that they are essentially natural conveyor belts of forage for all kinds and sizes of fish found in the area. In addition, both fill feature hard bottoms of rock and sand with large chunk rock on the adjacent banks and old wooden bridge pilings close to shore. The consistent presence of current, access to both shallow and deep water, makes the perfect habitat for fish to thrive at both Colchester fills.

Some of the most common species caught in this area are smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass, and northern pike. From time to time, anglers also report that they have encountered some species of carp, drum, bowfin, bullhead, walleye, lake trout, salmon, and various panfish along the causeways. 

Another fishing location one could visit is Lake Bomoseen. It is a diverse water body and also the largest inland lake in the state. The 2,400-acre fish hatchery has around 18 miles of shoreline and is located in the west-central part of the state. This fertile lake offers a great angling opportunity and excellent fishing for a variety of warm and cold-water fish species. The north and south ends of the lake feature shallow water fish habitat. 

The rich aquatic vegetation in the lake makes an excellent cover for baitfish and predators, which gives anglers plenty of targets in the shallow water. In addition, the rock piles, boat docks, and underwater points also make this lake a thriving environment for species like panfish, perch, pike, and bass to thrive. 

The deep and cool waters found in the main lake area around Neshobe Island are an angling sport for anglers looking for deeper waters to fish in. The island is along with the locally known slate slide and is a thriving environment for cold-water fish species like smelt and trout.

Some of the most caught species in the lake are the largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, black crappie, brown trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, northern pike, and yellow perch.

Another fishing location in the area is the Winooski River. The river is another easily accessible and productive fishing spot when you visit the town of Colchester. One could easily access it through a short walk, bike ride, or a short drive. 

The mouth of the river, which dumps into Lake Champlain, is a multi-species hotspot for anglers. It has the capacity to produce a wide variety of cold and warm fish species, which makes angling possible year-round. Likewise, the river provides forage for different species. As a result, anglers of different types and skill levels can experience top-notch fishing opportunities in the area.

The part of the river around the Colchester Point Fishing Area features slow to moderate flow rates depending on the time of year, recent precipitation, and water levels. Likewise, the lake also has some laydown tree limbs, brush piles, channel swings, overhanging trees, sandbars, eddies, undercut banks which makes it a thriving habitat for migrating and resident fish species. Its muddy and sandy bottom allows fish species such as brown trout, bullhead, carp, chain pickerel, lake trout, largemouth bass, landlocked salmon, northern pike, panfish, rainbow trout, freshwater drum, smallmouth bass,  walleye, white perch, and yellow perch to thrive in the area. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Colchester, VT 

The top 10 fish species in Colchester are chain pickerel, lake trout, smallmouth bass, northern pike, brown trout, rainbow trout, freshwater drum, walleye, white perch, and yellow perch.

Colchester Fishing Seasonality

Colchester, VT offers year-round fishing from summer to winter. However, if you are a visiting angler, wouldn’t it be nice to go to a specific time of the year to maximize your catch? 

If you are targeting some trout and landlocked salmon on Lake Champlain waters, visiting any time of the year would be best as there is no closed fishing season for these species residing on the lake. However, on other Colchester waters, fishing for trout and salmon would be best from the first week of April up until the last week of November. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass in this region is best during the second week of June up to the last week of November and for walleye, visiting the town on the First week of May up to the second week of March would be the best months to target them.

Meanwhile, anglers can visit any time of the year when they want to target some pickerel, northern pike, yellow perch, and rainbow smelt as there is no closed season for these species. Lastly, if you are targeting to visit in winter, fishing on the cooler side of the state would give you access to northern pike and other species. 

Create the Best Experience in Colchester

1.Book a Fishing Charter

Colchester, VT is one of the top fishing destinations in Northern America, and here you’ll find some of the best local guides who can bring you to the city’s best spots. So, if you are a first-time visitor to the place, make sure to book your local guide to help you get the best angling experience possible.

2. Visit Malletts Bay Bicycle and Ski

Mallets Bay Bicycle and Ski provides weekly rentals of hybrid bicycles and comfort mountain bikes which people can ride to enjoy the scenic nature views along the path. In winter, they offer nordic skis and snowshoes which people can rent to explore the place. 

3. See Vermont National Guard Library and Museum, Inc.

The Vermont National Guard Library and Museum, Inc is a continual living work in progress. The building and exhibits are constantly being renovated and updated. This holds a number of aircraft, tanks, and artillery exhibits.