Keene Lake Fishing near Saint Andrews, Maine

• Overview

  Washington County in Maine is where Keene Lake sits. Salt water lies 1.2 miles off. Roughly 92 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.6 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Saint Andrews lies 6.4 miles from the water. Calais is 7.1 miles away, with St. Stephen at 7.6 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Keene Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Washington County records list alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, Atlantic cod and brown trout among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Keene Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 66°F and January near 17°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Keene Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Shattuck Lake is 0.4 miles distant. What applies at Keene Lake may have changed since it was mapped.