Great Moose Lake Fishing near Saint Albans, Maine

• Overview

  The Somerset County end of Maine holds Great Moose Lake. Around the bank it is mixed forest. Around 6.0 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Some 24 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. It ranks high for size among our Somerset County listings. Supplies mean a trip to Saint Albans, 5.3 miles off. Palmyra is 9.4 miles and Cornville 9.7 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Great Moose Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Somerset County, recorded fish include Atlantic salmon, brown trout, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Great Moose Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 15°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. From about mid April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Great Moose Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It is an impounded water, so levels are managed and can shift through the year. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Stafford Pond, 2.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Great Moose Lake locally before you travel.