Fishing Report For Lake Willoughby, VT

By Rick Seaman

March 8, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Lake Willoughby Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
Boat Launch Ramps
Fishing License
Map
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Fishing Report Lake Willoughby, VT

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Lake Willoughby, VT

Rainbow Trout

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Excellent

Stocked, catchable rainbows are being caught through the ice on a variety of baits. Minnows, nightcrawlers and salmon eggs are a popular choice. Once the ice melts they stay shallow until Summer warms the water, and drives them to deeper water. The diet of these rainbows consists of insects, small fishes and crustaceans. Use flies or small lures, imitating their natural food on light line or via fly fishing. Small spinners, miniature crankbaits and swimbaits are catching rainbows, as are nightcrawlers, salmon eggs and prepared baits.

Lake Trout

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

Lake trout are being caught through the ice again this Winter, mostly on jigs and spoons. Fishing as been quite good once the ice melts and these trout stay in shallow water. Jerkbaits, crankbaits and jigs are catching them around shallow cover. As Summer arrives, and water warms, this drives the lakers into deep water where deep trolling with downriggers, or weighted lines, is catching fish on crankbaits and spoons. Jigs tipped with live bait, and vertical jigging spoons is also catching them once you locate a school. Lake trout feed on small fish, so lures imitating baitfish, sunfish or small trout are good choices. In Fall the the pattern reverses as the lake trout move shallow and stay there through ice out.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Good To Very
Outlook: Very Good To Excellent

A healthy, stable population of yellow perch reside in Lake Willoughby. They provide a steady food source for larger, predator fish, and offer a fun fishing experience for anglers. Locals report catching plenty of yellow perch ice fishing with jigs tipped with nightcrawlers, maggots and minnows. In warmer months plenty of perch are being taken around weeds, brush, pilings and other cover, especially if the cover is close to deep water. Tube baits and jigs tipped with minnows work well.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for rainbow trout, lake trout, yellow perch and landlocked salmon at Lake Willoughby in Vermont.

Lake Willoughby is a 1,700-acre lake with 10 miles of shoreline. Favorite fish reported by locals include landlocked salmon, lake and rainbow trout and perch. A prized catch here is the lake trout, also known as "togue." These cold-water predators can grow to impressive sizes. Bank fishing and boat access for portage of portables, kayaks and canoes is available at the southern tip of the lake, at Lake Willoughby South Beach.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Click here for boat ramps available at this lake.

Fishing License

Click here for a Vermont Fishing License.

Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".