Fishing in
Vermont
2,058 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
Lake Champlain carries Vermont's biggest fishery, holding largemouth and smallmouth bass, lake trout, and landlocked salmon all in the same body of water. The Battenkill River, along the border with New York, is one of the more storied wild trout streams in the Northeast, known for wary brown trout that don't come easy.
Vermont holds 2,058 fishable waters on the books. Vermont Fish & Wildlife has logged 408 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Lake Champlain at 277,117 acres.
Loading the map…
When does Vermont stock?
Stocking peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout62 waters
- Brook Trout55 waters
- Brown Trout29 waters
- Lake Trout11 waters
- Landlocked Salmon4 waters
- Walleye3 waters
- Steelhead2 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Lake SalemWalleyeJul 1, 2026
- Lake SalemWalleyeJul 1, 2026
- Searsburg ReservoirBrook TroutJun 22, 2026
- Harriman ReservoirBrown TroutJun 20, 2026
- Sherman ReservoirBrown TroutJun 20, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Lake Champlain50× stocked
- Otter Creek13× stocked
- Winooski River12× stocked
- Lamoille River10× stocked
- Island Pond6× stocked
- Black River6× stocked
- Sunset Lake6× stocked
- Passumpsic River6× stocked
- Harriman Reservoir6× stocked
- Lake Rescue5× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Champlain277,117 ac
- Lake Memphremagog23,658 ac
- Lake Bomoseen2,415 ac
- Harriman Reservoir1,950 ac
- Seymour Lake1,777 ac
- Lake Willoughby1,734 ac
- Somerset Reservoir1,525 ac
- Lake Carmi1,415 ac
Major rivers
- Winooski Riverorder 7 · ~1,881 cfs
- Otter Creekorder 7 · ~1,615 cfs
- Missisquoi Riverorder 7 · ~1,596 cfs
- White Riverorder 7 · ~1,332 cfs
- Lamoille Riverorder 7 · ~1,291 cfs
- Dead Creekorder 7 · ~7 cfs
- West Branch Missisquoi Riverorder 7
- East Branch Missisquoi Riverorder 7
Waters by county
All counties →Rutland (221) · Windsor (212) · Windham (185) · Caledonia (178) · Essex (171) · Washington (168) · Orleans (168) · Addison (156) · Bennington (148) · Orange (130) · Lamoille (108) · Franklin (93) · Chittenden (81) · Grand Isle (39)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Vermont's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Vermont fishing — FAQ
Where does Vermont stock fish?+
Vermont Fish & Wildlife logged 408 stockings across Vermont in the last year, led by rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and lake trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Vermont stock fish?+
Stocking in Vermont peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Vermont?+
Yes — Vermont requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Vermont?+
Vermont has 2,058 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.