Tables

Vermont Freshwater Fishing

Waterbody-specific regulations listed in Index of Rivers/Index of Lakes override the general regulation.

TABLE 1: General Fishing Regulations for Rivers, Streams, Associated Beaver Ponds and Unnamed Impoundments

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
American Shad		0	Catch & release angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon		0		No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	None	Total of brook + brown + rainbow = no more than 12 Total of brown + rainbows = no more than 6	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Crappie	8”	25	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Lake Sturgeon		0		No open season
Lake Trout	18”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon	15”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass	None	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Muskellunge		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Northern Pike	20”	5	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Sauger		0		No open season
Walleye	18”	3	Angling	1st Sat. in May to Oct. 31
Yellow Perch	None	50	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
All other species	None	None	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31

TABLE 2: General Fishing Regulations for Lakes, Ponds, Impoundments, Reservoirs, and Particular Rivers and Streams

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
American Shad		0	Catch & release angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon		0		No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	None	Total of brook + brown + rainbows = no more than 6	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Carp, Suckers, Bowfin, Mullet (Redhorse), Gar	None	None	Angling, Bow w/ arrow attached to line, Ice fishing	All year
Crappie	8”	25	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Lake Sturgeon		0		No open season
Lake Trout	18”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon	15”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass (Catch and Release Season)	None	0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	Dec. 1st to Fri. before 2nd Sat. in June
LARGEMOUTH and SMALLMOUTH BASS (Regular Season)	10”	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Angling	2nd Sat. in June To Nov. 30
Muskellunge		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	All year
Northern Pike	20”	5	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Sauger		0		No open season
Walleye	18”	3	Angling, Ice fishing	1st Sat. in May to March 15
Yellow Perch	None	50	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
All Other Species	None	None	Angling, Ice fishing	All year

TABLE 3: General Fishing Regulations for Lake Champlain includes the setbacks at the same water level and the lower portion of its tributaries. Spawning waters are not included.

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	12”	Total of brook + brown + rainbows = no more than 3	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Carp, Suckers, Bowfin, Mullet (Redhorse), Gar, Bullhead, Shad,	None	None	Angling, Bow w/arrow attached to line, Ice fishing	All year
	None	None	Shooting, spearing	March 25 to May 25
Chain Pickerel	None	10	Shooting, spearing	March 25 to May 25
Chain Pickerel	None	10	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Crappie	8”	25	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Lake Sturgeon		0		No open season
Lake Trout	15”	3	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon	15”	2	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass (Catch and Release Season)		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	Dec. 1st to Fri. before 2nd Sat. in June
LARGEMOUTH and SMALLMOUTH BASS (Regular Season)	10”	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Angling	2nd Sat. in June to Nov. 30
Muskellunge		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	All year
Northern Pike	20”	5	Shooting, spearing	March 25 to May 25
Northern Pike	20”	5	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
Sauger		0		No open season
Walleye	18”	3	Angling, Ice fishing	1st Sat. in May to March 15
Yellow Perch	None	None	Angling, Ice fishing	All year
All Other Species	None	None	Angling, Ice fishing	All year

TABLE 4: General Fishing Regulations for the Connecticut River for that portion of the river between New Hampshire and Vermont, “Connecticut River” means all waters of the river including the bays, setbacks and tributaries, only to the first highway bridge crossing said tributaries on the Vermont and New Hampshire sides.

LICENSES: All New Hampshire- and Vermont-resident fishing licenses are valid for the taking of fish from the Connecticut River as defined above. All other nonresidents with a New Hampshire nonresident fishing license shall only take fish east of the Vermont low-water mark while on the Connecticut River.

SEASON: Open to fishing all year, except no fishing Oct. 16–Dec. 31 from the confluence of the Upper Ammonoosuc River and the Connecticut River in Northumberland, New Hampshire, to the northern boundary of the town of Canaan, Vermont.

DEVICES: No more than 6 ice fishing devices shall be used to take fish while ice fishing. When fishing in open water, no more than 2 lines may be used.

Lead sinkers and lead jigs one ounce or less, regardless of length, are prohibited.

	SPECIES RULES The rules below apply during the open season for fishing.
American Shad	Catch and release only.
Atlantic Salmon	No open season for Atlantic salmon until declared by the Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission.
Brook, Brown and Rainbow Trout	The season for taking brook, brown or rainbow trout by all legal methods shall open on Jan. 1 and close Oct. 15. Through open water the daily limit is 5 fish or 5 pounds (whichever limit is first reached), except the daily limit is 1 fish from the Samuel Moore Dam downstream to the Route 18 bridge. Through the ice the daily limit is 2 fish, except the daily limit is 1 fish from the Samuel Moore Dam downstream to the Route 18 bridge.
Black Bass	The daily bag limit for black bass from Jan. 1 to March 31 is 2 fish, of which only 1 bass may be greater than 16 inches. The daily limit for black bass from April 1 to May 14 and June 16 to June 30 is 2 fish. Between May 15 and June 15, all black bass shall be immediately released unharmed, at the site of catch, to the waters from which taken. The daily limit for black bass from July 1 through Dec. 31 is 5 fish. During the period beginning May 15 and ending June 15, black bass shall be taken only by artificial lures and flies.
Carp	May be taken by any legal method and by bow and arrow with cord attached, in that part of the river beginning at the point on the northern boundary of Grafton County in New Hampshire which is directly opposite the town of Concord, Vermont, south to the Massachusetts border.
Horned Pout	The daily limit is 25 fish.
Northern Pike	The daily limit is 1 fish; minimum total length 28 inches.
Pickerel	The daily limit is 10 fish.
Walleye (Pike Perch)	No person shall take walleye 16 to 18 inches; the daily limit is 4 fish, of which only 1 can be larger than 18 inches.
River Herring	Closed to the taking of alewives and blueback herring
Other Species of Fish	The daily limit for black crappie, white perch, yellow perch and sunfish is 25 fish for each species. The daily aggregate possession limit is 50 fish for all listed species, including horned pout.
SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS From the Murphy Dam in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, downstream to the highway bridge that crosses the river from West Stewartstown, New Hampshire, to Canaan, Vermont: From Jan. 1 to the fourth Saturday in April, catch and release only with barbless lures and flies. From a point 1,600 feet upstream from the bridge in North Stratford upstream to a point 250 feet below the Lyman Falls Dam in North Stratford, and marked by a sign, the following restrictions shall apply: Fishing shall be permitted by artificial lures and flies only. All lures and flies shall have barbless hooks or shall have all barbs pinched so they will not interfere with removal of the hook from the fish. All fish are to be immediately released unharmed.
FISHWAYS CLOSED Vernon Dam in Vernon, Vermont, and Hinsdale, New Hampshire, shall be closed to all fishing to a point 150 feet below the dam. Wilder Dam in Wilder, Vermont, and Lebanon, New Hampshire, shall be closed to all fishing to a point 150 feet below the dam.

TABLE 5: General Fishing Regulations for Certain Lakes and Ponds Listed in Index of Lakes & Ponds

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
American Shad		0	Catch & Release Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon		0		No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	None	Total of brook + brown + rainbows = no more than 6	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Crappie	8”	25	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Lake Sturgeon		0		No open season
Lake Trout	18”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Landlocked Atlantic Salmon	15”	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass (Catch and Release Season)		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	2nd Sat. in April to Fri. before 2nd Sat. in June
LARGEMOUTH and SMALLMOUTH BASS (Regular Season)	10”	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Angling	2nd Sat. in June to Oct. 31
Muskellunge		0	Catch & release angling w/ artificial lures & flies only	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Northern Pike	20”	5	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Sauger		0		No open season
Walleye	18”	3	Angling	1st Sat. in May to Oct. 31
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
Yellow Perch	None	50	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31
All Other Species	None	None	Angling	2nd Sat. in April to Oct. 31

TABLE 6: Closed to Ice Fishing

Species

Length

Rules

Daily Limit

Legal Methods

Open Seasons

All Fish Species

Closed

Closed to Ice Fishing

TABLE 7: Lake Champlain Ice Fishing Regulations

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
Lake Sturgeon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	12	Total of brook + brown + rainbow = no more than 3	Ice Fishing	All year
Lake Trout	15	3	Ice Fishing	All year
Landlocked Salmon	15	2	Ice Fishing	All year
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass	None	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Walleye	18	3	Ice Fishing	1st Sat. in May to March 15
Northern Pike	20	5	Ice Fishing	All year
Muskellunge	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Yellow Perch	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Crappie	8	25	Ice Fishing	All year
All Other Species	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Carp, Suckers, Bowfin, Mullet (Redhorse), Gar	None	None	Ice fishing	All Year
Chain Pickerel	None	10	Ice Fishing	All year
Sauger		0	NA	No open season

TABLE 8: Ice Fishing Regulations

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Lake Sturgeon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Lake Trout	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Landlocked Salmon	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
American Shad	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Walleye	18″	3	Ice Fishing	1st Sat. in May to March 15
Northern Pike	20″	5	Ice Fishing	All year
Muskellunge	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Yellow Perch	None	50	Ice Fishing	All year
Crappie	8″	25	Ice Fishing	All year
All Other Species	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Carp, Suckers, Bowfin, Mullet (Redhorse), Gar	None	None	Ice fishing	All Year
Sauger		0	NA	No open season

TABLE 9: Ice Fishing Regulations

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Lake Sturgeon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	None	Total of brook + brown + rainbow = no more than 6	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Lake Trout	18	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Landlocked Salmon	15	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
American Shad		0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass	10	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Walleye	18	3	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Northern Pike	20	5	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Muskellunge	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Yellow Perch	None	50	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Crappie	8	25	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
All Other Species	None	None	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Sauger		0	NA	No open season

TABLE 10: Ice Fishing Regulations

Species	Length Rules	Daily Limit	Legal Methods	Open Seasons
Anadromous Atlantic Salmon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Lake Sturgeon	NA	0	NA	No open season
Brook Trout and Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout	None	Total of brook + brown + rainbow = no more than 6	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Lake Trout	18″	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Landlocked Salmon	15″	Total of lake trout + landlocked salmon = no more than 2	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
American Shad		0	Catch & Release angling	Closed
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass	10″	Total of largemouth + smallmouth = no more than 5	Ice Fishing	3rd Sat. in Jan to March 15
Walleye	18″	3	Ice Fishing	1st Sat. in May to March 15
Northern Pike	20″	5	Ice Fishing	All year
Muskellunge	NA	0	Ice Fishing	Closed
Rainbow Smelt	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Yellow Perch	None	50	Ice Fishing	All year
Crappie	8″	25	Ice Fishing	All year
All Other Species	None	None	Ice Fishing	All year
Carp, Suckers, Bowfin, Mullet (Redhorse), Gar	None	None	Ice fishing	All Year
Sauger		0	NA	No open season