While there are certainly no complaints from skiers and snowmobilers about this past winter, I think we can all agree that the warm breezes of springtime are certainly welcome!
If you’re looking for culture and historical places to explore, you’ll find plenty, such as the Old Stone House in Brownington in the photo below. Many places and things to do, all within minutes from either the Newport City Inn & Suites or the Derby Four Season Inn & Suites.
There is plenty to do and see in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom and a visit to the Newport area is a great “hub” from which you can easily explore a wide variety of outdoor sports activities including hiking, mountain biking, tennis and much more.
The ice has melted off the lakes and rivers and fishing season is anxiously awaited by anglers of all ages. The Northeast Kingdom hosts a variety of places for fishing and Spring is the perfect time to grab a pole and some bait.
Best of all, fishing is an activity that is inexpensive and easy to learn.
It’s also a great way to spend some quality time with the family. This is also that time that the state stocks the the waters with lots of fish.
Trout are probably the most popular fish for those who try their luck in streams and ponds around the Northeast Kingdom.
Trout prefer cold water so Spring is the ideal time to check out area streams for wild brook trout.
The Jay Branch is a good place to find brook trout along Rte 242 heading up the mountain. The Passumpsic River is a great choice if you’re in the St Johnsbury area.
Be aware that anglers are only allowed to keep just two brook trout, per day.
Other very popular fish are yellow perch and bass. You will usually find plenty of these in Lake Memphremagog, near Gardner Park or from the railroad bridge.
Island Pond is a great place to fish with an abundance of trout, perch and fresh water bass. Canaan Vermont’s Lake Wallace is also well known for its fresh water fishery.
Trophy brown trout, smallmouth bass, and chain pickerel, as well as perch are in abundance.
Lots of crayfish along the shores, provide fun for kids to catch. Norton Pond is famous for Vermont trophy northern pike fishery. Largemouth bass also abound among its many wetlands.
Small towns with rivers and streams all around the Northeast Kingdom are a great choice.
The Willoughby River flowing through the village of Orleans, is also a “hot spot” for fly-fishing trout. The Barton and Black Rivers are good spots as well and the Clyde River has an outstanding run of landlocked Atlantic salmon.
Lake Willoughby holds the world’s record for the largest trout ever caught through the ice. The fish weighed in at 39 pounds, (18 kg). Lake Willoughby contains rainbow trout (wild and stocked), land locked salmon, rainbow smelt, burbot, yellow perch, longnose sucker, white sucker, lake chub, common shiner and round whitefish, a native species to Vermont.
