PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Options will be plentiful for anglers fishing the 2025 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series at Lake Champlain presented by Native Watercraft, and New Hampshire native Jake Angulas believes big bags of both smallmouth and largemouth will be caught.
“It can be won fishing for either species,” Angulas said. “I think smallmouth will dominate, but I wouldn’t be surprised if someone catches 100 inches of largemouth. It can be won with largemouth, but it is a little harder to do.”
Tournament days are set for July 26 and 27 with tournament headquarters established in Plattsburgh. Competitors will be allowed to launch from any approved public launch on Lake Champlain. The Top 5 finishers will qualify for the 2026 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship presented by Native Watercraft and anglers will earn points toward the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year race.
The crown jewel of the Adirondack Coast, Lake Champlain has been a popular destination of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail. Both the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Series presented by Lowrance and the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series visited in 2024, and both tournaments produced impressive numbers and quality of both species of bass that inhabit these waters. Only U.S. waters will be in play during this tournament.
High waters prevailed last year after several tropical remnants passed through the region during the summer. Angulas expects the water levels to be mostly normal come tournament time this year, unless more tropical activity makes its way north.
As one of the biggest playing fields kayak anglers will visit this year, Champlain provides plenty of opportunities for anglers to fish comfortably.
“The cool thing about Champlain is, you can really fish your strengths and do whatever you feel comfortable doing. You can go down to Ticonderoga and pull out the big rod or you can go to the north end and do the whole LiveScope game. You can even chuck a big spook around. You can pick your poison and run with it.”
On the north end of the lake, smallmouth and largemouth are plentiful, but caught in different ways. Postspawn smallmouth will tend to set up on rock structure and will also chase alewives and perch in open water. Cabbage and perch grass will also hold brown fish this time of the year. Football jigs, drop shots, jighead minnows and swimbaits always catch smallmouth on Lake Champlain.
“Most of the fish are going to postspawn and [are] starting to push offshore,” Angulas said.
Largemouth, meanwhile, gravitate to the grassy shallows and marinas on the north end of the lake. Docks and some rock elements will also hold quality green fish. Several of the rivers have produced winning bags in recent history. Jigs, frogs and flipping baits will be productive for these bass.
“They have played pretty heavily in the last several kayak derbies and there is potential to win in there,” Angulas said.
The Adirondack Coast is hosting the tournament.
