Lake Champlain is a massive water body that straddles the New York and Vermont state line and is sometimes referred to as “The West Coast of New England.” It’s well known for outstanding sportfishing, but hunting native bowfins with a skiff with a poling platform is a relatively new phenomenon. (George Daniel photo)
August 05, 2026
By Drew Price
Lake Champlain is well known in fishing circles for its excellent bass, lake trout, and landlocked salmon fishing. But there is a growing fly-fishing interest in some of its more unusual native denizens. Nestled between the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont, Lake Champlain is home to a world-class population of bowfins, with some specimens growing to truly impressive proportions. These predators demonstrate a combination of intelligence, toughness, and pugnaciousness that will excite any angler, especially folks who love sight fishing.
Lake Champlain is close to the easternmost and northernmost limits of the geographic range for both species of...
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