Fishing McKeen Lake in Aroostook County, Maine

• Overview

  McKeen Lake sits within Aroostook County in Maine. It lies 1,076 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 141 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 1.9 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Haut-Madawaska is the closest place, 32 miles off. After that come Fort Kent at 34 miles and Saint-Pamphile at 34 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on McKeen Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Aroostook County: Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brook trout, lake whitefish and Arctic charr. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. McKeen Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 63°F in July and bottoms out near 6°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on McKeen Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Mink Pond, 2.4 miles away. Where McKeen Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.