Fourth Machias Lake Fishing in Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  In Maine, Fourth Machias Lake belongs to Washington County. The shore lies 39 miles out. At 2.6 sq miles this is proper open water rather than a pond. Around 18 miles of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. Size puts it in the front rank of our Washington County list. Start from Enfield, 29 miles down the road. Lincoln is 29 miles away, with Greenbush at 32 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fourth Machias Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Open biodiversity records for Washington County list alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brown trout and smallmouth bass. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Fourth Machias Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 15°F in January and 67°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Fourth Machias Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Lower Unknown Lake is 3.5 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Fourth Machias Lake.