Vermont
Fishing
A resident fishing license in Vermont costs $28 a year and a non-resident license $52, as of May 2026. This guide lists 5 top species (Smallmouth bass, Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Lake trout, Landlocked salmon) and 4 notable waters, led by Lake Champlain and Connecticut River. Vermont has no saltwater coast and a notable wild trout fishery; it earns a B grade here, shared with 5 other states.
Top Species
Resident License
Non-Resident License
Saltwater Access
Trout Streams
World-Class Distinction
Wildlife Agency
Vermont has modest but genuine fishing assets. Lake Champlain on the New York border is one of the best smallmouth bass lakes in the eastern United States — the clear, rocky shorelines and deep drop-offs produce bass year-round, and the lake holds muskellunge, walleye, and lake trout in addition to smallmouth. The Battenkill River in the southwest is one of the most famous fly fishing rivers in American history — a challenging wild brown trout fishery.
The Northeast Kingdom in the upper right corner of the state holds remote ponds with wild brook trout. The Connecticut River on the eastern border holds American shad in spring and walleye year-round.
Resident licenses cost $28. Vermont fishing is best understood as excellent in specific places rather than uniformly good. Lake Champlain smallmouth is genuinely world-class — spring fishing in the rock and rubble shorelines can produce bass exceeding 5 pounds with frequency. The Battenkill requires patience and skill — it is not a beginner river.
The Battenkill is one of the most storied wild brown trout streams in the country. Lake Champlain on the New York border is one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries east of the Mississippi. Vermont's remote Northeast Kingdom lakes hold exceptional lake trout.
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Also on Vermont: the full Vermont profile covers taxes, cost of living, crime and schools, and the county map lets you compare every county in the state. For related rules, read the Vermont country music guide and the Vermont gambling laws guide.
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Sources: State wildlife agencies, US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bassmaster, Field & Stream, In-Fisherman, Fly Fisherman magazine. License costs reflect annual resident/non-resident fishing license only; additional stamps (trout, salmon) may apply. Updated May 2026.