Fishing at Gardner Lake, Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  Gardner Lake lies within the bounds of Washington County, Maine. It stands 66 feet above sea level. At 5.8 sq miles you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. Size puts it in the front rank of our Washington County list. East Machias at 3 miles is the nearest place to stop. Dartmouth is the closest city, 186 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Gardner Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Gardner Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 66°F and January reads 18°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Gardner Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Second Lake sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Ask locally about Gardner Lake if anything is unclear.