Vermont Northeast Kingdom Lake Trout

Lake Trout

Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region is known for its trophy class lake trout. In 2023, a 25.6 pound lake trout was landed from Echo Lake in Charleston.

Although Lake Champlain gets most of the attention for lake trout fishing in Vermont, many of the inland lakes in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom are real sleepers for big fish, according to Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department (VFWD) fisheries biologist Shawn Good, who administers the state’s Record Fish Program. 

"In fact, if you’re talking exclusively about trophy sized Lake Trout, the Northeast Kingdom is where you want to be," said VFWD fisheries biologist Jud Kratzer.  All 69 Lake Trout exceeding 20 pounds that have been entered in the Record Fish Program over the years have come from Kingdom waters.  And 530-acre Echo Lake has produced four of them, with the largest being just shy of 30 pounds. That’s remarkable for a lake of that size."

The Northeast Kingdom (NEK) includes over 2,000 square miles of Vermont and is home to some of the state’s most scenic locations.

Bordered by Canada and northern New Hampshire, the Kingdom is known for its fishing, outdoor recreation, and natural resources.

For more information on fishing in Vermont can be found on the Vermont Fish and Wildlife website (vtfishandwildlife.com).