Best fishing lakes in Maine: 12 lakes and what bites

The lakes at a glance

1. Moosehead Lake

Moosehead Lake covers some 75,500 acres. Lake trout, trout and smallmouth bass are the draw. The deepest water is around 246 ft.

Moosehead Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Sebago Lake

Sebago Lake spreads over 30,500 acres of water. Expect lake trout, smallmouth bass, trout and northern pike. It goes down to about 316 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start.

Sebago Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain)

At about 19,400 acres, Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain) is a big lake. It lies about 3.3 miles east of Millinocket. North Twin Dam holds it on the West Branch Penobscot River. Expect trout, lake trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Elbow Lake is a wide, lake-like stretch of the West Branch Penobscot River within the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes.

Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain) today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. China Lake

China Lake covers 3,940 acres of water. The lake is next to China. Lake trout, trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are the draw. It goes down to about 85 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. China Lake is one of Maine's most productive largemouth bass fisheries and supplies drinking water to Waterville and Winslow.

China Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Graham Lake

Graham Lake is a reservoir of 9,380 acres of water. The lake is near Ellsworth. The fish here are smallmouth bass, yellow perch and trout. It goes down to about 47 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Graham Lake is a hydroelectric reservoir on the Union River about four miles upstream from Ellsworth.

Graham Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. East Grand Lake

East Grand Lake covers some 15,900 acres. It lies near Hodgdon. The fish here are lake trout, trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. It goes down to about 128 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and an upper arm to work. East Grand Lake straddles the Maine-New Brunswick border and is part of the Chiputneticook Lakes chain.

East Grand Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Flagstaff Lake

At 20,300 acres of water, Flagstaff Lake is a big lake. It lies about 12 miles south of Kingfield. It is the Dead River behind Long Falls Dam. The fish here are trout. At about 48 ft at its deepest, it warms quickly in spring. Flagstaff Lake was created in 1950 when Long Falls Dam flooded the town of Flagstaff and other settlements along the Dead River.

Flagstaff Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Spednic Lake

At some 17,200 acres, Spednic Lake is a big lake. It lies about 22 miles northwest of Hodgdon. Smallmouth bass and yellow perch are the draw. The deepest water is around 54 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Spednic Lake straddles the US-Canada border and is part of the St. Croix River's Chiputneticook Lakes chain.

Spednic Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Chamberlain Lake

Chamberlain Lake spreads over 10,900 acres of water. You will find it about 34 miles east of Patten. Lake trout and trout are the draw. It goes down to about 154 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove: good places to start. Chamberlain Lake lies in Maine's North Maine Woods and was re-routed by 19th-century logging dams to send water toward the Penobscot River instead of the Allagash.

Chamberlain Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Eagle Lake (Allagash)

Eagle Lake (Allagash) covers 9,550 acres. It lies about 45 miles southeast of Patten. The fish here are lake trout and trout. It goes down to about 124 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove worth a first look. Eagle Lake is the first, largest, and deepest lake along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in Maine's North Maine Woods.

Eagle Lake (Allagash) today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Chesuncook Lake

Chesuncook Lake covers 25,200 acres of water. It lies about 27 miles southeast of Millinocket. Ripogenus Dam holds it on the West Branch Penobscot River. Expect lake trout. The deepest water is around 150 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and an upper arm: good places to start. Chesuncook Lake is Maine's third-largest lake, formed by damming the West Branch Penobscot River.

Chesuncook Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Schoodic Lake

Schoodic Lake covers 7,020 acres of water. It lies about 4.8 miles southwest of Brownville. It holds lake trout, trout and smallmouth bass. It goes down to about 188 ft. On the 3-D map the bed has three steep ledges and an upper arm: good places to start. Schoodic Lake is an unusually deep Maine lake for its size, reaching 188 feet.

Schoodic Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Pick by species

Lakes listed for a fish are the ones on this page where it is on record or typical for the lake.

• Bass: Moosehead Lake, Sebago Lake, Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain) and China Lake
• Trout: Moosehead Lake, Sebago Lake, Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain) and China Lake
• Pike and muskie: Sebago Lake

The fishing year

• Spring: largemouth bass are usually fair. Warming up. They move toward shallow flats on sunny afternoons.
• Summer: largemouth bass are usually at their best. Active early and late. Head to shade, docks and grass in midday.
• Fall: largemouth bass are usually fair. Cooling down. Try slow baits on points and deeper channel edges.
• Winter: largemouth bass are usually slow. Cold and sluggish. Fish slow and deep near steep banks.

Before you go

Buy a Maine fishing licence before the trip and read the state's rules for each lake: seasons, size and bag limits change from water to water. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.