Fishing Report

From Fisheries Field Biologist Kent Raymond, 1/20/2026

Where to fish: As the ice fishing season progresses, fishing on many of our brook trout and salmon waters begins to slow down. Anglers wishing to continue to target salmonids should consider going after brown trout, rainbow trout and lake trout, as these fisheries should persist throughout the season. Some worthwhile waters anglers may want to investigate include: Norway Lake, Upper and Middle Range Ponds for rainbows; Mousam Lake, Sebago Lake and Thompson Lake for lake trout; Hancock Pond, Worthley Pond and Square Pond are good bets for browns.

Late February and mid-March is prime time for anglers to target cusk. These freshwater cousins of saltwater cod are some of the finest table-fare among Maine's freshwater fish and offer a very unique angling experience. Anglers targeting cusk should plan on fishing at night, over gravel bottoms and rocky shoals, in depths of less than 30 feet. Typically, large chunks of dead bait placed right on bottom is the bait of choice. Sebago Lake and Thompson Lake both provide some of the best cusk opportunities in this region.

Fishing tip: If fishing is slow, don't be afraid to move around – fish will often hold around structure or a particular piece of habitat. If you aren't seeing any action on your traps or you aren't seeing fish on electronics, it might be a good idea to try some different areas. Mixing up bait and presentation is always worth a try when things are slow as well.

Reminders: As is mentioned constantly in these reports, be very cautious of ice conditions. Don't necessarily trust the ice based on the presence of tracks or old holes; if you aren't sure how thick the ice is, take a moment to check. Shoals, points, and areas where islands are close to shore can all be hazard areas – use caution. This applies to all lakes and ponds for sure, but extra care should be taken on Sebago. As of the time of writing, much of the lake is still open water. The area you might be looking to fish may have only recently froze, check before you go.

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Jason Seiders, 1-27-26

Lake Trout (Togue) Waters: Central and midcoast Maine doesn't have a ton of lake trout waters, but we have some great opportunities that don't require driving several hours. Swan Lake is always a good bet for lake trout, and we would appreciate the help of our local anglers. Lake trout numbers are still high in Swan, so please continue harvesting some fish to help improve fish growth. In addition to Swan Lake, here's a list of lake trout waters in the region. Many of these lakes support wild populations of lake trout, and each has the potential for very large fish.

• Damariscotta Lake
• Echo Lake (Fayette)
• Maranacook Lake
• Lower Narrows Pond
• Sheepscot Pond
• Wassookeag lake

Rainbow Trout Waters: Rainbow trout aren't widely available through the region, but we have some high-quality fisheries that are worth a shot. My biggest piece of advice when it comes to our rainbow trout waters is this: don't fish for them like you would fish for salmon. Our particular rainbow trout aren't really fish eaters; they prefer smaller prey items like insects. Fish for them the same way you would fish for brook trout: fish relatively shallow water, use smaller terminal tackle, and use baits like worms or salmon eggs. Jigging in the shallow areas works very well, too. Here is a list of rainbow trout waters to try:

• Long Pond (Belgrade)
• Knickerbocker Pond
• Megunticook Lake
• Lake George (Canaan)

Brown Trout Waters: We're always looking for good information on our brown trout waters. We've seen a dramatic improvement in our brown trout fisheries in recent years, especially when it comes to catch rates and size quality. If you're fishing for brown trout in our region and you have a good catch, by all means let us know. Fish photos are always appreciated, too. This information gives us confirmation that our programs are successful, and we won't pass along your photos if you don't want us to. Information from our anglers helps us make informed management decisions and lets us know our priority waters.

Brook Trout Waters: We stock thousands of brook trout each fall throughout the region to provide ice fishing opportunity close to home.  View the 2025 stocking report (PDF) to find a water near you.
Looks like we're getting an "actual winter" this year. Be safe and good luck!

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Jake Scoville, 1-21-26

January was a good month here Downeast. Most of the region had safe ice from start to finish. Anglers report fast fishing in trout ponds, big lake trout, and plenty of perch for perch feeds. Just to name a few highlights. February looks like it will be another great month for ice anglers as winter has fully set in.

Where to fish: February 1st marks the opening of West Grand Lake. It is the region's largest lake and offers some of the most diverse angling opportunities in Eastern Maine. Recent surveys suggest that lake trout fishing should be excellent, with most fish ranging between 18 and 22 inches. Salmon in West Grand are consistently 15 to 19 inches, and if our fall surveys are any indication, expect these salmon to be fat. If you're familiar with the lake, anglers will know that Junior Bay is the hot spot for catching lake whitefish. But don't be fooled — whitefish are present throughout all of West Grand and can even be caught well below Munson Island toward Grand Lake Stream. Lake whitefish in West Grand average 17 inches and about two pounds.  Another lesser-known fishery in West Grand is the quality white perch fishing, especially in the Junior Bay area of the lake. Some of the perch caught there are upwards of 15 inches or more.

A few other lakes anglers should consider in February are the large lakes in Hancock County. Beech Hill Pond, Branch Lake, Green Lake, and Phillips Lake all have populations of salmon and lake trout. An often-overlooked lake, Donnell Pond, should also have salmon and lake trout, and recent surveys suggest that both species are in excellent condition.

Fishing tips: If you're interested in trying your luck with whitefish, which I highly recommend, here are some tips to help you learn faster. First, jigging is your best option. I suggest finding 30 to 50 feet of water with a flat, featureless bottom (no rocks). Whitefish feed mostly on the bottom, picking up small insects, bivalves, and even tiny fish almost out of the mud, so focus your efforts near the bottom. Small jigs tipped with bait work really well, but when the bite is hot, whitefish will chase and even strike larger spoons and soft plastic jigs. Keep your jigging motion subtle, and don't hesitate to dead-stick for a second or two. My favorite tip for jigging whitefish is to first drop a heavy jig to the bottom and bang the bottom for a minute. This creates sound and a plume of silt that attracts whitefish. Once you've made some noise, switch to a small jig. If you have a flasher or other type of sonar, you'll see this trick work quickly. If you prefer setting traps for whitefish, use very small shiners or smelt right on the bottom.

Reminder: As I write this, the state is about to be hit by an extreme cold front that will bring temperatures to single digits and well below zero for a 3- to 4-day stretch. What does this mean for Downeast ice fishing? Keep an eye on the conditions at Tunk Lake. Tunk is the last body of water in the region to freeze each year (if at all). This stretch of weather may button up the main portion of the lake and provide safe ice for February. Tunk is famous for its lake trout fishing, but it also has a healthy salmon fishery.

From Fisheries Resource Bioloigst Ashley Houle 1/20/26

This ice fishing season is off to a great start, with solid and safe ice conditions across much of the region. These conditions make it an excellent year for anglers to get out and explore both familiar and new waters.

Places to Try:
Anglers targeting brook trout, landlocked salmon, or lake trout may want to give Wilson Pond in Wilton a try. This waterbody is easily accessible via the public boat launch near downtown Wilton or from Pond Road on the western side of the pond.

Webb Lake in Weld is a picturesque destination offering mountain views and opportunities to catch brook trout, brown trout, and landlocked salmon. Anglers can access Webb Lake through the state park or near the Weld town garage off Dummer's Beach. This year, retired hatchery brook trout broodstock were stocked in Webb Lake, catching one of these large brookies can make for an unforgettable fishing trip!

Fisheries biologists are currently conducting a brook trout strain evaluation on both Wilson Pond and Webb Lake. Anglers fishing these waters should keep an eye out for tagged brook trout. This study is evaluating three genetic strains of hatchery-raised brook trout to determine which strain performs best in each waterbody in terms of catch rates, growth, and holdover. To conduct this study, biologists are using Floy tags, which are small yellow plastic identification tags implanted externally on brook trout. If you catch a tagged fish, please report the tag information using the website listed on the tag. Angler participation is critical to the success of this study and directly supports the management of these fisheries.

For anglers looking to ice fish more remote waters, Lower Shaw Pond, located north of Flagstaff Lake in Township T3 R4 BKP WKR, is a great option for those looking to target brook trout and have a snowmobile. Anglers can snowmobile to Lower Shaw Pond off Grand Falls Road, many of the access roads in this area are groomed snowmobile trails which makes the ride in part of the adventure.

Pepperpot Pond, located in Adamstown Township, is another remote option for anglers targeting brook trout. Access is just a short distance in on Mill Brook Road, where anglers can park and hike in or snowmobile in on the well-marked angler trail to the pond.

Fishing Tips:
If you use a battery-powered ice auger and plan to travel a distance to reach your fishing destination, consider storing your batteries in an insulated bag or lunch box with one or two hand warmers. Keeping batteries out of freezing temperatures can help preserve battery life and improve performance, which can be a game changer especially this year with thick ice conditions.

When targeting brook trout through the ice, fishing shallow depths of 3–10 feet is a great place to start. It's also good practice to replace your leader lines on your traps a couple times throughout the ice fishing season to reduce the risk of breaking off on your next trophy fish. When fishing with live bait, using one or more swivels in your leader setup can be helpful. Lively baitfish, (especially smelt) often swim in circles beneath the ice, which can kink and twist up your line and make your presentation less effective. Swivels help keep your line straight and your bait looking even more tempting to a passing by brookie.

Reminders:
In this region of the state (North Zone), many ice fishing waters prohibit the use of live bait unless specifically listed as a special regulation (S-11 law code) under the waterbody name. Always check the law book before heading out on the ice and help prevent any new baitfish introductions.

New to ice fishing? Keep an eye out for upcoming ice fishing workshops hosted by MDIFW. These workshops provide hands-on learning opportunities and are a great way for anglers to gain experience and learn from experts. If you can't make a workshop, this beginners guide can be helpful, and the MDIFW website also has great information on Maine's fish species.

Fisheries Resource Biologist Stephen Seeback, 1-27-26

If you are planning an ice fishing trip to the Moosehead Lake region this February and would like to fish in another waterbody in the region beside Maine's largest lake, the following waters need increased use and harvest by the angling public to help address growth issues and the stockpiling of smaller fish being documented:

Lobster Lake, East Middlesex Canal Grant, Northeast Carry TWP, TX R14 WELS (North Zone)
Lobster Lake is the only regulation change in the Moosehead Lake region for the 2026 ice fishing season. Lobster Lake is now open to ice fishing from January 1 – April 30, moving away from the February only opening. Anglers are still restricted to two lines per person (S-8). The regulation on landlocked salmon is still a daily bag limit: 1 fish, minimum length limit 20 inches. What is new. The daily bag limit now on lake trout (togue) is: 2 fish, minimum length limit 18 inches (general law), only 1 of which may exceed 33 inches. All togue between 23 and 33 inches must be released alive at once. The change from the previous trophy regulation of a daily bag limit on togue: 1 fish, minimum length limit of 23 inches was due to netting and voluntary data indicating we were starting to see the stockpiling of fish 18- 23 inches, and we wanted to get ahead of it before it became a real problem. We implemented the protective slot of 23 – 33 inches because we still have a quality togue population that needs to be protected and this slot should help us achieve that objective while still allowing anglers to harvest that fish of a lifetime. We will be keeping a close eye on this one, so stay tuned!

Big Houston Pond, T6 & 7 R9 NWP (North Zone)
Big Houston Pond is the last water in the Moosehead Lake region that has the "February only" opening.  The current regulation on lake trout, daily bag limit: 1 fish, 18 inch minimum. This general law length regulation was adopted in 2020, due to our netting, census, and voluntary data indicating we were stockpiling lake trout just below 23 inches with very few smaller lake trout being caught by anglers and in our nets, indicating low recruitment. The previous trophy regulation of one lake trout over 23 inches was creating a catch-and -release fishery for lake trout that did not align with lake management objectives. The current regulation will hopefully increase the harvest of togue 18 – 23 inches. Since recruitment is still low, the February only opening and the two-line restriction is still appropriate with recent catch rate data. There may also be a few lucky anglers that catch the occasional brook trout or salmon!

Allagash Lake, T7 & 8 R14 WELS (North Zone)
Allagash Lake is open to ice fishing from January 1 – April 30. General fishing laws apply, except: Daily bag limit on brook trout, 2 fish, minimum length limit: 12 inches, only 1 may exceed 14 inches (S-16). Minimum length on whitefish: 16 inches, 3 fish limit (general law). Daily bag limit on togue: 2 fish, minimum length limit: 18 inches (general law). The use or possession of live fish as bait (general law) and the use of motorized equipment (Allagash Water Way Rule) are prohibited. The extension of the ice fishing season and the change in the number of lines allowed to general law, that prior to 2020 was only open during the month of February with only two lines allowed, should increase angler catch rates and provide anglers with more opportunity for repeat trips over the course of the winter to increase use. This effort to increase use and catch rates will hopefully result in an increase in the harvest of lake trout.

Chesuncook Lake (Including Moose Pond, Caribou Lake, and Ripogenus Lake), T3 R 12& 13 WELS, T4 R12 & 13 WELS, T5 R12 WELS, Chesuncook Twp.) (North Zone)
The current regulation, adopted in 2018, on landlocked salmon says it all: No size or bag limit on salmon less than 16 inches and a daily bag limit on salmon greater than 16 inches:1 fish. Our messaging of increased harvest is resonating with some of the angling public, with an uptick in salmon harvest the past few seasons, but we are still below our annual harvest objectives. Our annual harvest, summer and winter, objective is between 2,000 – 3,000 salmon, current harvest numbers are around 1,500. A little more use and harvest is needed to get closer to achieving our goal. The true test for our anglers will be to meet this annual harvest objective for numerous years so we may see the full potential that this resource can provide. We are getting closer to returning Maine's third largest lake to its heyday of 4-5-pound salmon. This current regulation is popular with anglers that like to harvest fish for the smoker. This unique situation of unlimited salmon harvest of fish less than 16 inches equates a successful day of chasing down flags to a full smoker, and I have heard anglers refer to it as the "Smoke House Regulation".

Our take home message is simple; certain waters need anglers to "Keep More Fish". Additional harvest and use are the key to our success of restoring these storied fisheries back to the "Good Old Days". 

Reminders: The Natural Resource Education Center at Moosehead (NREC) will be holding its 19th Moosehead Lake Togue Derby on February 6-8, 2026. This is a great opportunity for anglers to come visit Moosehead Lake, support NREC's mission of providing resource-based programming to visitors and residents of the region while supporting the local economy that strengthens the Moosehead Lake Region by keeping money circulating locally. At the same time, supporting the harvest of more lake trout (togue) to help keep the population in check. Who knows, maybe you could walk away with a nice door prize or that winning check for the largest togue of the weekend. More details for this event can be found here.

Also, our challenge to anglers is not only to seek out that winning togue but to also harvest a limit of togue less than 18 inches while trying to do so during the derby weekend. We have seen a lot of effort in the last few years focused on Moosehead Lake brook trout.  Don't forget how we got to where we are today with the brook trout fishery. The population was being suppressed by the overabundant lake trout population prior to its explosion. It would be unfortunate to see that fishery diminution as well as the salmon fishery if we start to see an increase in lake trout numbers.

Fisheries Resource Biologist Zachary Glidden, 1-22-26

Winter is in full swing and area ice anglers are making the most of this classic Maine pastime. Recent creel surveys at Schoodic Lake, Lake View PLT have shown that anglers are actively harvesting the overabundant togue under the new 2026 regulations. The best opportunities for access are at Knight's Landing in Brownville (parking lot is up the hill) and the MDIFW boat launch in Lake View PLT. We will continue to focus on this important regional fishery and hope to see it improve in the coming years.

Anglers looking for a day chasing landlocked salmon and white perch would be wise to travel to the Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes. Consisting of Ambajejus, Pemadumcook, North Twin, South Twin, and Elbow Lakes, it features a robust landlocked salmon fishery and some of the best white perch fishing around. Anglers can access Pemadumcook Lake at the South Twin launch in T4 Indian Purchase TWP and the Ambajejus launch in T1 R9 WELS.

Pleasant Lake, T6 R1 NBPP & Kossuth TWP has been producing good numbers of togue and landlocked salmon. There is also an attractive lake whitefish fishery for the discerning angler. Like many of the Penobscot Region's waters, the best winter access is via snowmobile. There is a gravel parking lot off the Amazon Road, just off Route 6, unload and sled the 6 miles to Pleasant Lake Road. The weekend would be the best time to avoid the active logging and trucking taking place along the Amazon Road.

Looking to take the family out or introduce friends to ice fishing? Several area lakes and ponds feature easy access and family friendly fishing. Silver Lake, Lee can be accessed at the boat landing/beach area off Coles Landing Road and features both largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as stocked brook trout. Mattanawcook Pond, Folsom Pond, and Upper Pond in Lincoln all provide good opportunities to chase flags for a variety of species. Pushaw Lake, Old Town is a favorite for many local anglers looking to chase a wide variety of warmwater fish. Several access points surround this large waterbody; Lakeside landing on the west shore, Goulds Landing in the south, and the Old Town Landing along the east shore.

Fishing Tip: Smelt are the preferred prey for landlocked salmon and anglers new to chasing this gamefish would be wise to use them as bait. They are not as hardy as shiners and other baitfish, so newcomers would be wise to take care with their bait bucket.

Reminder: Fishing regulations are carefully crafted and serve a variety of purposes. They are often intended to conserve or protect a fish species, but sometimes they focus on enhancing a fishery. For example:

SCHOODIC LAKE, Brownville, Lake View Plt, T4 R9 NWP (North Zone). General fishing laws apply, except: B (Open to ice fishing and open water fishing from January 1 - April 30). S-2 (Closed to the taking of smelts, except by hook and line), S-3 (Direct tributaries closed to the taking of smelts), S-11 (The use or possession of live baitfish/live smelts is permitted), S-19 (Daily limit on brook trout [includes splake and Arctic charr]: 2 fish), S-22 (Daily bag limit on landlocked salmon: 1 fish). Minimum length limit on landlocked salmon: 21 inches. No minimum size or bag limit on togue less than 23 inches. Daily bag limit on togue greater than 23 inches: 1 fish. From October 1 - December 31: ALO (Artificial lures only), S-7 (All trout, landlocked salmon, and togue caught must be released alive at once); Except that togue may be harvested as described above.

The daily bag and minimum length limits for trout and landlocked salmon reduce the harvest of these stocked fish and extend their catch over the course of the fishing season. In the case of landlocked salmon, these regulations coupled with a low stocking rate create a trophy fishery where anglers have the chance at a fish of a lifetime. The current togue regulation is in place to encourage harvest of the over abundant togue population and at the same time conserve the larger mature fish. This will serve two purposes, enhance the fishery for landlocked salmon and togue by reducing competition for prey and habitat thus improving growth for both species as well as improving the health and wellbeing of the remaining togue. Essentially, this regulation will be good for anglers and fish. Consult the 2026 Maine Inland Fishing Laws booklet, our app: ME Outdoors, or our website for a full listing of regulations.

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Frank Frost, 1-27-26

Ice and snow conditions in northern Maine are ideal for ice fishing at the end of January.  There is currently enough snow for travel by snowmobile and plenty of ice with our cold January.  Our frozen waterways have little snow on them making travel very good; there have been no reports of significant slush conditions on lakes and ponds.  Angler pressure was average to below average in January; better weather in February will change that trend however and we expect fishing activity to increase.  Live baitfish availability is reported to be very good with bait shops having good supplies for this time of year. 

This month's report focuses on waters where lake trout (togue) can be caught.  This species is underutilized in many of our waters in the region so waters that support them typically support robust populations.  Harvest rules tend to be liberal so anglers can take home lots of fish for tasty meals from the smoker or the fry pan. 

1. Second Musquacook Lake – North Maine Woods; Realty Road
2. Third Musquacook Lake – North Maine Woods; Realty Road
3. Clear Lake – North Maine Woods; Realty Road; long snowmobile ride
4. Big Eagle Lake – AWW/North Maine Woods; Pinkham Road etc
5. Churchill Lake – AWW/North Maine Woods; Pinkham Road etc
6. Spider Lake – North Maine Woods; Pinkham Road etc
7. Nickerson Lake – New Limerick; southern Aroostook; easy access

Fishing Tips: All of these lakes have brook trout as well that can be caught fishing shallow water along rocky shorelines.  When fishing for togue, anglers should vary depths where baits are fished as well as overall water depths.  Togue can be voracious feeders at times and will go into shallow water or close to ice in search of food.  On the flip side, togue can be very sedentary for long periods of time likely during periods of low food abundance.  Preferred baits are highly variable.  Togue can be caught on the smallest live bait one can find at bait shops while some anglers prefer large baits like sucker that are 8 – 12 inches.  Live vs dead bait is also a hot topic – togue are well known for being willing to pick up dead fish laying right on bottom.  Targeting lake trout in winter can be a lot of fun with a big group and lots of lines available to figure them out. 

Reminder:  One other popular lake trout lake is Eagle Lake on the Fish River Chain which is immediately adjacent Route 11 in the Town of Eagle Lake.  Eagle is well known for its togue fishing but also supports landlocked salmon.  We continue to encourage anglers to harvest their salmon – doing so reduces pressure on the lake's smelt population and provides a more balanced system for both sport fishes.