Best crappie lakes in Vermont
19 Vermont waters hold crappie, 7 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Schooling panfish that suspends around timber, brush and creek channels.
- Lake Champlain — 392 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Champlain — Inland Sea and Malletts Bay — 143 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Champlain — South Lake — 29 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Moore Reservoir — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
- Lake Champlain — Missisquoi Bay — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Dunmore — 106 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Bomoseen — 65 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Hortonia — 58 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Waterbury Reservoir — 100 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Arrowhead Mountain Lake — 30 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Shelburne Pond — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Berlin Pond — 59 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Glen Lake — 68 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Lake Rescue — 95 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Curtis Pond — 31 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Colchester Pond — 42 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Fern Lake — 43 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Indian Brook Reservoir — 22 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Burr Pond — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Vermont waters with public access data
When to fish crappie in Vermont
- Spring 2–8 ft — The famous spring bite: brush, timber and docks in protected shallow pockets.
- Summer 10–25 ft — Find suspended schools over channel-edge brush piles and deep timber.
- Fall 8–20 ft — Schools follow shad into creeks; fish channel bends with cover.
- Winter 15–35 ft — Tight schools in deep holes and channel bends; slow presentations.
Also in Vermont: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best burbot lakes · best brown bullhead lakes
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