Caribou Lake Fishing in Piscataquis County, Maine

• Overview

  Set in Piscataquis County, Maine, this is Caribou Lake. It sits at 932 feet above sea level. Around 7.0 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. On our Piscataquis County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest town is Greenville, 31 miles off. Millinocket lies 33 miles off, East Millinocket another 40 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Caribou Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brook trout and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Read Caribou Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 10°F to 65°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Once it clears, about late April, the fishing comes on quickly. On average, late April opens the water and early December closes it again. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Expect Caribou Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Otter Pond is 2 miles distant. Signs at Caribou Lake carry more weight than any list.