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Missisquoi River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Northern Vermont’s river: the Missisquoi runs walleye, pike and steelhead to Missisquoi Bay.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Flow
344 cfs
Air / High
75 / 75 F
Wind
WNW 10 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 04294000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Missisquoi River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 344 cfs, on the rise. Today brings cloud cover, wind WNW around 10 mph, rising pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 75. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel)Excellent

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 69 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Missisquoi River at Swanton.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 04294000.

177247317344 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp75 F
High / Low75 / 63 F
WindWNW 10-14 mph
Pressure1010.4 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain100% cloud, 24%
Sunrise / Sunset06:18 / 19:24
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 75/63 F, wind 10 mph, rain 24%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Missisquoi River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Missisquoi River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Missisquoi River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 81 F, wind to 15 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 76 F, wind to 15 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 79 F, wind to 7 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Vermont requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Vermont license. Walleye seasons and limits per current Vermont Fish and Wildlife regulations; refuge rules apply in the delta.

Access

Road crossings, Swanton area launches and Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge access to the delta.

About this water

A 90-mile river through northern Vermont and Quebec to Missisquoi Bay on Lake Champlain, Franklin County.

Fishing Missisquoi River: the full guide

A river through two countries

The Missisquoi River flows about 90 miles through northern Vermont, dipping into Quebec and returning before emptying into Missisquoi Bay on Lake Champlain. It runs through farm country and forest, holding walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, channel catfish and, in the lower reaches, steelhead and landlocked salmon running from Champlain.

Walleye and the spring run

The spring walleye run from Lake Champlain into the lower river is the signature fishery: fish stage below the Swanton dam and in the lower reaches, taking jigs and crankbaits when the season opens. Northern pike are abundant in the slower water and the bay, reaching good size in the fertile system.

Bass and the wildlife refuge

Smallmouth bass hold the rockier reaches upstream, taking tubes and small crankbaits. The Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge protects the delta where the river enters the bay, a maze of channels and marsh holding pike, bass and panfish, and one of Vermont’s best wildlife areas for birds as well as fish.

Franklin County logistics

Access is via road crossings, the Swanton area and the refuge, with boat launches serving the lower river and bay. Swanton, Enosburg Falls and Richford are the towns along its course. Spring flows run high; summer drops the upper river low. The refuge has its own access rules and seasonal closures.

Common questions

When is the walleye run?

Spring, from Lake Champlain into the lower river, with fish staging below the Swanton dam.

What is the refuge like?

The Missisquoi delta: a marsh maze holding pike, bass and panfish, and one of Vermont’s best birding areas.

Does it cross into Canada?

Yes: the river dips into Quebec and returns, though the fishing described here is on the Vermont reaches.

Is fishing good at Missisquoi River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Lake Champlain24 miWinooski River30 miWaterbury Reservoir42 miAusable River43 miLake Memphremagog45 miClyde River47 mi
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