Fifth Machias Lake in Washington County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Fifth Machias Lake is set in Washington County, Maine. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. About 1,058 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 6.7 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Few waters listed in Washington County are bigger. Supplies mean a trip to Cherryfield, 30 miles off. Addison follows at 31 miles, then Enfield at 32 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Fifth Machias Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brown trout and smallmouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Read Fifth Machias Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 15°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Fifth Machias Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Burnt Land Lake at 3.1 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Fifth Machias Lake before loading the car.