Lake Shaftsbury, Vermont: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Lake Shaftsbury is listed under Bennington County, Vermont. It sits at 860 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 24 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The closest town, Arlington, is 4 miles away. Albany sits 39 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Lake Shaftsbury

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Records held for Bennington County cover brook trout, brown trout and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Lake Shaftsbury where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 67°F and January at 18°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice clears near early April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Shaftsbury.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Millers Pond at 1.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Lake Shaftsbury for certain.