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721-acre reservoir near Chittenden. The lake tops out around 37 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 748 acres of water rimmed by 8.9 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 2.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 34% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 1.6 mi end to end and 1.6 mi across at its widest. You'll find it in Rutland County. The nearest mapped water is Otter Creek, 10 mi to the northwest.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 37 ft. Creek inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (6 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 7 to 37 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 37 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 11 to 37 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (27 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 11 to 37 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 11 to 37 ft for winter. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 11 to 37 ft | midday | Break off the point (27 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (27 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (35 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Chittenden Reservoir carries 9 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 35 ft down.
Access data: Vermont Fish & Wildlife — Fishing Access Areas. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Vermont waters are set by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Chittenden Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Vermont fishing regulations →
Chittenden Reservoir is about 37 ft (11 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target rainbow trout, walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch on Chittenden Reservoir.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Chittenden Reservoir is regulated by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife. Check the official Vermont regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Otter Creek 10 mi · Fern Lake 12 mi · Silver Lake 13 mi · Echo Lake 14 mi · Beebe Pond 14 mi · Woodward Reservoir 14 mi · Burr Pond 14 mi · Lake Dunmore 14 mi · Lake Hortonia 15 mi · Silver Lake 15 mi · Lake Bomoseen 16 mi · Spring Lake 16 mi
See how Chittenden Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Vermont · best smallmouth bass lakes in Vermont · best walleye lakes in Vermont · best rainbow trout lakes in Vermont
More water nearby: Rutland County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Vermont fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.