Fishing Lake Parker in Orleans County, Vermont

• Overview

  Out in Orleans County, Vermont, sits Lake Parker. The surface lies 1,299 feet up. Roughly 253 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Bank access stretches around 2.8 miles in total. It is among the larger waters listed here for Orleans County. Nearest place of any size is Newport, 15 miles away. Beyond it, Hardwick at 16 miles and Lyndonville at 17 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Parker

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Orleans County names white sucker, pumpkinseed and brook trout. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Lake Parker decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 66°F, while January sits near 13°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Lake Parker by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a ramp at Lake Parker, half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Sweeney Pond, 2.7 miles out. Rules at Lake Parker are worth checking on the day.