Lake St. Catherine Wildlife & Fish

Lake St. Catherine, an 852-acre lake in Wells and Poultney, Vermont, is deep enough, at up to 68 feet, to hold both warm-water and cold-water fish. Bass, northern pike, perch and big crappie share the lake with stocked lake, brown and rainbow trout. Above the water, a pair of bald eagles has nested at Cones Point for years, and a loon pair now has a nesting platform in the Channel, installed in April 2024.

By Vermont Lake Collection · Last reviewed: October 2026

The Short Answer

What fish are in Lake St. Catherine?

Smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie, brown bullhead, rainbow smelt and white sucker, plus lake, brown and rainbow trout that Vermont stocks regularly.

Are there eagles on Lake St. Catherine?

Yes. A pair of bald eagles has nested at Cones Point for many years and raised numerous eaglets.

Are there loons on Lake St. Catherine?

Yes, and more each year. After a pair showed nesting behavior in 2023, the Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Lake Saint Catherine Association volunteers installed a loon nesting platform in the Channel on April 7, 2024.

Fishing Lake St. Catherine

Because the lake is deep, it supports both warm-water and cold-water fishing. Warm-water species include smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike (the Lake Saint Catherine Association notes pike up to 13 pounds), yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie (known for their size here), brown bullhead, rainbow smelt and white sucker. Vermont Fish & Wildlife stocks lake, brown and rainbow trout, partly to help keep the introduced alewife population in check. The lake has no walleye or chain pickerel.

When to go: panfish fishing peaks from mid-April through mid-May; bass and pike are best from mid-May through September. For trout, Vermont Fish & Wildlife suggests jigging spoons or blade baits along the bluff walls of the western shore. Lake St. Catherine State Park has a boat launch and boat rentals, and there's a state fishing access area on the southern part of the lake.

The Cones Point Eagles

A pair of bald eagles has nested at Cones Point for years. Lake residents see them perched in tall shoreline trees, hunting fish from the lake, carrying big branches to build up the nest, and later with their fledglings. It's part of a statewide comeback: bald eagles were wiped out in Vermont by DDT, and by 2020 the state had 41 nesting pairs.

Loons and the Channel Nesting Platform

Loon numbers on the lake have been rising. In 2023, a Channel resident recorded a pair apparently trying to nest, but the natural site wasn't suitable. Vermont Center for Ecostudies biologist Eric Hanson confirmed they were a territorial pair likely to return, and on April 7, 2024, he and Lake Saint Catherine Association volunteers installed a floating nesting platform in the Channel.

How you can help: the Association installed a collection tube at the boat launch in August 2023 for old fishing line and lead tackle. Lead sinkers and fishing line are among the biggest threats to Vermont loons, and Vermont has banned lead sinkers of half an ounce or less since 2007. Give loons plenty of room when paddling or boating, especially near nests.

Other Wildlife

Lake residents report herons, ospreys, many kinds of ducks, songbirds, muskrats, foxes and turtles. On nature walks in Lake St. Catherine State Park, you might see white-tailed deer or even a moose, and the park's interpreter runs night hikes and amphibian programs in season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big and deep is Lake St. Catherine?
About 852 acres, with a maximum depth of 68 feet.

When is the best fishing on Lake St. Catherine?
Mid-April through mid-May for panfish, and mid-May through September for bass and pike.

Are there walleye in Lake St. Catherine?
No. According to the Lake Saint Catherine Association, the lake has no walleye or chain pickerel.

Why does Vermont stock trout in Lake St. Catherine?
To provide cold-water fishing and to help control alewives, an introduced fish that eats the zooplankton that would otherwise graze on algae.