Crawford Lake Fishing near St. Stephen, Maine

• Overview

  Crawford Lake sits within Washington County in Maine. It sits at 128 feet above sea level. The water covers around 2.9 sq miles, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. On our Washington County list it sits near the top for size. The nearest place of any size is St. Stephen, 16 miles away. Further out sit Calais (17 miles) and East Machias (24 miles). It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Crawford Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Open biodiversity records for Washington County list alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Crawford Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 16°F to 67°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to Crawford Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Failing this one, try Lower Mud Lake, 2.9 miles away. Treat access at Crawford Lake as something to verify.