Shaftsbury, VT Fishing: Freshwater Fishing in the Heart of The Shires

Tucked in between the lush Green Mountains and the grand Taconic Mountain Range is the beautiful rural town of Shaftsbury. Right at the center of The Shires region in Vermont, Shaftsbury is quintessentially New England in its rich natural scenery and astounding wildlife. 

As one of Vermont’s first chartered towns, Shaftsbury contributed greatly to the state’s early prosperity with its potash production as one of its sources of export income. By then it was also already an agricultural powerhouse known for its maple sugar and crops, as well as sheep farming and animal husbandry. The town was likewise known for its pig iron manufacturing and as the origin of the groundbreaking carpenters square. All in all, Shaftsbury was quite an economic force in its early years as a chartered town.

However, the town was not without its share of challenges. Early on, its early settlers were in a scuffle against New Yorkers who were claiming the land on which the town stands. The land claims were only settled in 1790 and led to Vermont becoming the 14th state of the Union. 

Today, Shaftsbury still retains much of its agricultural prosperity but is a much more peaceful town known for its seasonal foliage and small-town atmosphere. Many of its proud residents are descendants of the town’s early settlers, while some have moved into town attracted to its laid-back vibe and natural scenery. Many of them discover along the way that the town itself is a beautiful gateway to fishing some of Vermont’s best water bodies, including Lake Shaftsbury located north of town, as well as Walloomsac River, Lake Paran, and Batten Kill located in towns nearby.

Shaftsbury Fishing

Shaftsbury is quite a small town not just in terms of its population but also its land area. That being said, it does have a few ponds and small streams that offer stocked trout fishing in the spring, so casting a line around town, especially for newbie anglers, can be quite a good way to practice their fishing skills.

However, if you want something a little more exciting, then head north of the town to Lake Shaftsbury State Park. Located right inside Arlington State Forest, this park is not a big tourist destination but is quite popular among locals especially during the summer. That means you’re basically guaranteed a crowd-free fishing destination with stunning views of the rolling hills and lush forests. 

One of the best seasons to fish in the lake is during spring when there’s even less of a crowd in the state park. The lake is stocked in the spring with rainbow trout, but you can also find bluegill, perch, pumpkinseed, and largemouth bass around the same time. The park offers fishing access near the dam off the park entrance as well as along the shorelines of Healing Springs Nature Trail, but the best way to fish Lake Shaftsbury is on a kayak or a canoe. Ice fishing can be quite productive in the lake as well as the water freezes over quite nicely.

Just a few minutes outside town, you will find other amazing fishing opportunities around Southwest Vermont. One such water body worth exploring is Lake Paran, which you can easily drive to from Shaftsbury all within 15 minutes. Lake Paran is a relatively small and shallow lake that’s home to a wide variety of fish species, including brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout. It also has some largemouth bass, yellow perch, and bullhead. The best way to access Lake Paran is via its shorelines on the Robert Frost Trail. There’s also a fishing and boating access area on the south shore of the lake that’s maintained by the state.

Wallomsac River is also quite easy to access from Shaftsbury, and one of the best ways to fish the river is on the covered bridges of Bennington. The Burt Henry Covered Bridge, the Paper Mill Village Bridge, and the Silk Road Covered Bridge cross the river and are only two miles apart from one another. Of the three, the Burt Henry Covered Bridge, also known as Henry Bridge, provides the best access to fishing. The Paper Mill Bridge gives way to a trail where you can find some good fishing holes, while the Silk Road Bridge has a trail that leads down to the north waters of the river. All in all, you will be able to find rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, walleye, and common carp in these parts of the river.

For legendary fly fishing, there’s no better place to challenge yourself than at Battenkill River. From Shaftsbury, the nearest access to this water body is at Camping on the Battenkill, which is a private 35-acre campground that covers two rivers - Battenkill and Roaring Branch - within its perimeters. Battenkill used to be home to abundant brook and brown trout. However, it has been sadly overfished, so the brown trout are a little more difficult to catch as they have become quite intelligent over the years. The water of Battenkill is not for the faint of heart as well. It has clear waters, fast currents, and very little cover, making fishing quite a challenge indeed, not just a test of one’s fishing skills but also one’s patience and grit. The state offers other spots such as Wagon Wheel, Red Mill, and Waterworks Bridge, to access Battenkill if you can’t make it into the campgrounds. 

Top 10 Fish Species in Shaftsbury, VT

The top 10 fish species to target in Shaftsbury, VT include rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, bullhead, common carp, and walleye.

Seasonal Fishing

Fishing in Vermont can be productive all year round, depending on the fish you’re targeting. However, the state does have its catch-and-release seasons, especially for heavily fished species such as trout and bass. Largemouth bass can be caught all year round on a catch and release basis, though they are best caught in April and May. Around mid-May to mid-July, fishing in Battenkill can be quite productive. Fall fishing is supposedly good for trout as they love cold water, but not in Battenkill’s challenging waters. 

Fall for Shaftsbury Like Robert Frost

Shaftsbury is classic Vermont, through and through — from its old small-town atmosphere to its stunning seasonal vistas. Explore the town and learn firsthand why it greatly inspired the poet Robert Frost.

1. Book a Fishing Charter

Find a guide that will take you to the best waters in and around Shaftsbury. Booking a local charter or guide is the best and safest way to familiarize yourself with a town that you’re fishing for the very first time.

2. Visit the Robert Frost Stone House Museum

Feel the literary legacy of Robert Frost in this beautiful Dutch Colonial house turned museum. This is the very house where the great Pulitzer Prize-winning poet wrote his poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Fun fact: some of the apple trees that Frost himself planted in this yard are still around and blooming to this day.

3. Go Horseback-riding

Horseback riding has always been a big part of the town’s legacy as an agricultural powerhouse. Today, while horses are no longer a necessary means of transportation, they are still held in high regard in town. Feel like a Shaftsbury pioneer and try horseback riding at one of the farms around town such as the Shanderhof Farm.