Fishing at Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake, Aroostook County, Maine

• Overview

  Set in Aroostook County, Maine, this is Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake. The ground around here is mixed forest. At about 29 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The nearest town is Haut-Madawaska, 23 miles away. The nearest city of size is Lévis, 109 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Aroostook County names Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brook trout, lake whitefish and Arctic charr. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 63°F and January reads 6°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The water borders Deboullie Public Reserved Land, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Gardner Pond, 1.3 miles away. Confirm access to Fifth Pelletier Brook Lake locally before you travel.