What fish bite in spring in the Northeast?

Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch and Trout. Picking up. Look on rocky points and gravel.

Which lake is best for spring fishing in the Northeast?

Quonochontaug Pond in Rhode Island warms early; Beltzville Lake is a good second choice.

Spring fishing in the Northeast: what bites and where

In spring the first warm afternoons pull fish shallow. Small and shallow lakes warm a week or two ahead of the big deep ones. Here is how the fish of the Northeast behave in spring, and 10 lakes that suit the season.

What the fish do in spring

Smallmouth bass: Picking up. Look on rocky points and gravel.
Yellow perch: Schooled near weed edges and soft bottom.
Trout: Good range. Near the surface and along shorelines.
Largemouth bass: Warming up. They move toward shallow flats on sunny afternoons.
Lake trout: Moving deeper. Fish 40 ft and down.

1. Quonochontaug Pond, Rhode Island

At about 710 acres, Quonochontaug Pond is small enough to learn in a few trips. It lies about 28 miles northeast of Warwick. It holds striped bass. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs to work. Quonochontaug Pond, the most saline of Rhode Island's south-shore salt ponds, serves as a nursery habitat for young striped bass and other coastal fish.

Quonochontaug Pond today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Beltzville Lake, Pennsylvania

Beltzville Lake covers 950 acres. You will find it about 2.7 miles southwest of Weissport East. Beltzville Dam holds it on the Pohopoco Creek. Striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and trout are the draw. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Beltzville Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir in Carbon County popular for striped bass and trout fishing.

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

3. East Branch Clarion River Lake, Pennsylvania

East Branch Clarion River Lake is a reservoir of 1,160 acres. The lake is about 6.3 miles southwest of Johnsonburg. East Branch Clarion River Lake Dam holds it on the East Branch Clarion River. The fish here are walleye, smallmouth bass, muskie and trout. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. East Branch Clarion River Lake lies within the Allegheny National Forest and is one of the few Pennsylvania lakes stocked with lake trout.

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

4. Spruce Run Reservoir, New Jersey

Spruce Run Reservoir covers 1,290 acres. It lies next to Clinton. The fish here are trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Spruce Run Reservoir is New Jersey's third-largest reservoir and serves as a backup drought-protection water supply.

Spruce Run Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Lake Carmi, Vermont

Lake Carmi covers 1,380 acres. You will find it near Enosburg Falls. It holds northern pike and walleye. The deepest water is around 33 ft. Lake Carmi drains north into Quebec's Pike River and is a popular pike and walleye fishery.

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

6. Cranberry Lake, New York

Cranberry Lake spreads over 6,980 acres. The lake is about 71 miles south of Utica. The fish here are smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike and trout. The deepest water is around 38 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Cranberry Lake is the third-largest lake located entirely within the Adirondack Park.

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

7. Black Lake, New York

Black Lake spreads over some 7,860 acres. It lies about 6.1 miles northeast of Ogdensburg. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye and northern pike are the draw. It goes down to about 40 ft. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Black Lake is the largest lake located entirely within St. Lawrence County, New York, and drains into the Oswegatchie River.

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

8. Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain), Maine

Elbow Lake (Pemadumcook Chain) spreads over about 19,400 acres. It lies near Millinocket. North Twin Dam holds it on the West Branch Penobscot River. It holds trout, lake trout, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. 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

9. Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire

Lake Winnipesaukee covers 44,600 acres. Smallmouth bass, lake trout, yellow perch and largemouth bass are the draw.

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

10. Nubanusit Lake, New Hampshire

Nubanusit Lake spreads over some 720 acres. The lake is near Harrisville. The fish here are trout, lake trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch. The deepest water is around 97 ft. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Nubanusit Lake has an unusually undeveloped shoreline, much of it protected by conservation land trusts.

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

Reading the water

In spring the surface temperature tells you most of what you need: each LakeScope lake page shows today's reading, the wind and the best bite windows, so you can pick the lake and the hour before you leave home.