Bowfin, Gar, Pike, Trout & More: Cracking the Code on Lake Champlain’s Fly Fishing Giants
Drew Price
Fly Fisher, Fly Tier, Guide, Author, Writer
Lake Champlain may be one of the most diverse fly-fishing waters in North America, and it remains largely underexplored by fly anglers. Professional angler Drew Price breaks down how to target the lake’s incredible mix of species—from explosive bowfin and prehistoric longnose gar to northern pike, bass, carp, freshwater drum, and even salmonids. Drew shares practical strategies on seasonal movement, sight-fishing tactics, fly selection, and reading complex habitat across this massive fishery. If you’re ready to go beyond trout and discover a truly wild, multi-species fly-fishing experience, join us and open your eyes to what Lake Champlain really offers.
Just a few of the questions asked and answered during the interview:
- Lake Champlain has a long and complex history—can you give us a brief overview of how the lake formed and how glacial forces shaped what we see today?
- What are the major geographic regions or “zones” of Lake Champlain, and how does fishing change as you move between them?
- Lake Champlain experiences strong seasonal changes—ice cover, spring runoff, summer stratification. How do these seasonal cycles impact fish distribution and angling strategy?
- What are the top species that fly fishers are interested in fishing for?
- What are the best seasons and water temperatures for fly fishing smallmouth bass on Lake Champlain?
- Which shallow habitats—bays, weed beds, marshes—produce the most consistent largemouth action?
- Where do pike stage during spring, summer, and fall, and how shallow do they really get?
- Is carp fishing on Champlain primarily a wading game, a boat game, or both?
- Where do bowfin typically hold in Lake Champlain, and what habitats should fly anglers focus on?
- When are gar most visible and accessible to fly anglers on Lake Champlain?
- Are drum a target species or more of an opportunistic catch while carp fishing?
- What fly patterns best match the forage base for landlocked salmon in the lake?
- Given all the species available to a fly fisher what are your recommendations on planning a trip to Lake Champlain?
- If an angler wants to target multiple species what would you suggest?
