North America’s Most Unique Fishing Season: Spearing and Shooting in Vermont

By: Jacob Kinney

At the time I’m writing this, it’s 10 degrees below zero. We are in the midst of winter here in Vermont. Ice fishing is in full swing, however warmer times are approaching. Soon spring peepers and red-winged blackbirds will be serenading the Champlain valley with their harmonious sounds. With that comes one of my favorite seasons to participate in, the fish shooting and spearing season. The season runs from March 25-May 25th. These dates encompass the timeframe in which many cool and warm water fish species annually spawn in mass numbers in the shallow waters of Lake Champlain.

To participate in this season, there are specific regulations that must be followed, which I will outline later in this article. It’s important to note that you cannot shoot every fish you see. Participants must adhere to these strict regulations to ensure that this unique season can continue for years to come.

So how did this season come about? In 1777, Vermont was the first state with the constitutional language that protects its citizens’ right to hunt and fish. This practice has been recognized as an annual cultural tradition since the Revolutionary War era, rooted in the customs of both resident and seasonal Indigenous cultures that frequented the Champlain Valley. This allows you to take advantage of the variety and mass amounts of concentrated fish. For the sake of this article, I will focus on pike and pickerel shooting, as well as spearing. Culturally, within the local community that participates in this season, and personally, they are the most desired and targeted fish during this season. This is due to their incredible table fare.  

First, a little basic biology and ecology is needed. Pike and pickerel are part of the family Esocidae. These cool water fish in their native ranges tend to spawn during the months of early April to mid-May when water temperatures reach around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the inconsistent winters here in Vermont over the past few years, I have observed that the spawn dates have varied significantly, but always remain within the timeframe of the designated season. Regardless of the variation, I have found it most productive for only one to two weeks during April. If you don’t pay close enough attention, you could miss the spawn entirely. 

Now knowing some information on when to potentially go, the next question is where to find them? To figure that out you have to understand how the lake operates in the spring. Lake Champlain is a very unique and diverse ecosystem. The average lake level is around 95 feet. In the spring, ice melt from the lake and snowmelt from the surrounding land and mountains could increase its level to potentially 103 feet! This extra water has nowhere to go besides the forested ecosystems and wetlands surrounding the lake. It creates amazing “nursery” habitat for developing fish fry. Ideal temperatures, sufficient food sources after their yolk sacks have been absorbed, and protection from predation amongst endless structures create these ideal conditions. The areas that do flood are relatively shallow. Due to this, the sun tends to warm the water at a faster rate than the rest of the lake allowing the terrestrial vegetation to retain even more of that heat like a sponge. The pike and other fish species out in the lake will sense the temperature change and slowly make their way to these warmer areas. During a few days to weeks, as temperatures fluctuate, they will spawn in the grasses, leaf litter, and soil of what is a terrestrial landscape during the rest of the year. In late May to early June the water begins to recede back to average lake levels and with it the hatched juvenile fish. On poor snow years, we may not get any flooding in which case the fish still spawn in the shallows but in the bays of the lake system at average levels. All that being said, there are three areas I focus on most. The flooded woods, large shallow bays with vegetation, and pinch points such as culverts with concentrated flow connected to wetland habitat. 

Now to talk about what makes this season unique; harvest methods. First, we have to distinguish between the night vs daytime methods and techniques. Traditionally at night, people gather over culverts connected to the swamps and marshes with oil or propane lanterns to spear. Lanterns either hang over the culvert or are positioned on the edge to cast the light into the shallow moving water. Aluminum foil is fixed to the back of the lantern to focus the light forward to see the bottom of the water better. This method tends to gather crowds of people which I  avoid if possible so I can get a chance at fish. In addition, moving in the shallows of the flooded woods and lake shores in a small Jon boat is very effective. I have heard stories that in the old days people affixed apple boxes on the front of these boats to hold their lanterns and project the light forward. Someone would be standing in the front looking for fish holding a spear, while a second person moved the boat along slowly from the back using a set pole. They would be used similarly to the punt boats you see in the canals of Venice, Italy. Modern bowfishing boat setups have certainly revolutionized the ability to cover ground and see the underwater world more efficiently. But it’s difficult to maneuver a boat once in the thick woods. Bowfishing is another legal way to harvest during this season, but if you’re in the woods, your arrow could get lodged in tree roots and make it difficult to remove. Underwater spearguns are also now a legal method of take which I have not yet explored.

Above all, my favorite method at night is wading in the flooded woods with a spear in hand. It’s a more primitive and traditional feeling for me. I wear an insulated boot wader because the water is still very cold. I make a plan to hit certain areas or make a grid pattern to be efficient at covering ground. At night this tends to be difficult but not impossible when you’re looking only 6 feet in front of you in a single beam of light. I tend to stay in water less than knee deep but more than 6 inches so I can see the fish without spooking it and can make a good hit. I only use a headlamp when trying to cover ground because it casts shadows. When I am walking slowly in search of fish, I use a bright, handheld spotlight that has a more concentrated beam of light. This helps me identify the fish and strike location more accurately and does not reflect shadows. Shadows, flashing lights, loud water movements, and crunching sticks will scare fish every time while wading in the woods. When I do locate a legal pike, I get as close as I can without scaring it. I line up the spear with the area behind the head, where the body begins past the gill plate. If it’s shallow enough I hover over the area in the air and press down as hard as I can into the substrate so it doesn’t get away. If it’s in slightly deeper water, I will slowly lower the spearhead through the water, hover over the area I intend to hit, and again press down hard to pin it down. Hitting the fish in that area ensures I don’t ruin fillets and pins the fish down where I can retrieve it more easily without getting a mouth full of teeth in my hand.

For my spear setup, I use an 8-inch wide spearhead. It’s affixed to a 10-foot piece of 2-inch conduit. It’s tough enough and not too heavy. My spear remains in my hand at all times and it gives me multiple options for shots at different water depths. It doesn’t matter if I’m in the flooded woods or sitting over a deep culvert. I’ve seen a lot of custom designs of spears from other fishermen in the area. It doesn’t matter what it’s made of, as long as you can retrieve your legal fish after spearing it and you don’t lose your spear itself, then that’s all that matters.

Now I need to address a question some of you may be asking yourselves. Can I use a firearm at night to harvest fish during this season? The answer is absolutely NOT. In the regulation book (which I will be referring to later on) it states you must comply with general hunting hours if utilizing a firearm during this season. For Vermont, that means thirty minutes before and after sunrise and sunset. 

During the daylight hours using a firearm or spear wading in the marshes and flooded woods is my preferred strategy. Polarized glasses are a game changer to be able to see everything clearly in the water. Using a firearm is certainly a unique way to harvest fillets for your dinner table. The objective is to not shoot the actual fish but to shoot next to its head to create a concussive effect. As of this year 2025, there are no limitations on the type or caliber of firearm you can use. A .22 caliber firearm is all you need and is what I prefer for this activity. There will be disputes about my choice but anything larger than that caliber is not needed to concuss a pike. 

As anyone who has taken hunter safety knows, you’re taught not to shoot at water or flat surfaces because the bullet can ricochet. I have a dispute with that statement only in this one circumstance. When shooting a pike, I don’t take a shot unless the fish is under 10 feet away from me with a clear backdrop in all directions. This is partially due to that being the maximum distance I can identify a legal pike clearly.  At that angle of a shot, I have witnessed my bullet travel in the shallow water into the earth beneath it every time.  All participants in this season must understand gun safety in all other aspects and follow it to the letter. You always need to be aware of your backdrop before shooting and practice safe gun handling. Further shots with larger calibers will develop more chances of ricochet instances. All I can say about this is be smart and safe, just like you would when hunting terrestrial quarry. 

*The above regulations and specific species regulations to participate in this season can be found in the (Vermont Fishing Guide & Regulations 2025) booklet you can find for free at any fish and wildlife facility in the state as well as local bait shops.

In any case, it’s certainly not like shooting fish in a barrel as it may sound. You have to go find the right spot, stalk in a quiet manner, select your fish properly, and take good shots. It can be tricky at times, but you can always count on seeing fish of some kind for practice. During this season you can also target carp, suckers (longnose and white), bowfin, mullet (redhorse), gar, and cull fish. Each species has its own regulated bag limit and size limit you need to follow. Pike for example have a bag limit of no more than 5 fish per day, and they need to be at least 20 inches long. You better not shoot or spear a pike if you can’t determine a length of at least 20 inches. This becomes easier the more you fish and gain experience, as you certainly can’t shoot and measure later. I can relate this to Vermont’s regulation standard for a legal buck harvest. In my unit, a buck must have at least two points on one side, and that second point has to be at least one inch long. It is your responsibility to be sure it’s legal before shooting. 

By catching and weighing thousands of fish over the years I can estimate their weight pretty well. I’ve developed my own ethics over the years that ensure the pike I shoot are always legal size. My standard for harvesting pike to eat is no smaller than three pounds and no larger than ten pounds. My estimates are always very close to their true weights so I am confident in myself to not shoot sub-legal fish. At three pounds the pike are well above 20 inches. This larger size helps me see the “Y” bone structure easier while filleting. While spearing and shooting I’m also selective if the pike has spawned or not. After identifying a legal pike, I look at the belly. If it’s fat and bloated, I leave it alone to give it a chance to spawn. If it has a very lean stomach with loose skin and is well above legal size I take my shot. All of these thoughts happen so fast when I’m out spearing or shooting. They become almost instinctual. 

Something I want to emphasize is this section from the above snapshot “in accordance with 10 V.S.A. App § 122, shall keep the fish in his or her possession until the fish is permanently removed from waters of the state and used or disposed of properly”. I am an avid bowfisherman and conventional tackle fisherman. Whatever fish I verify is legal and then harvest, will come home with me. Cull fish such as carp I target while bowfishing are brought home to my fish compost pile. More desirable tablefare fish such as pike I harvest only to eat. If bowfishing, spearing, and shooting are to continue, then people need to follow the regulations, follow ethics, and bring their harvested fish home. Respect the resource so future generations can experience this unique season as I have. I’m very excited for the season ahead. There is nothing as astounding as seeing dozens to hundreds of fish in 6-24 inches of water, swimming in the shallows of flooded timber and marshes. It’s truly an unbelievable natural event I hope everyone gets the chance to witness. 

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