Fishing Second Lake in Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  The Washington County entry here is Second Lake, in Maine. The setting is rolling bush on every side. It measures about 112 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Start from Machias, 26 miles down the road. It is 202 miles to Sherbrooke, the nearest city. Nearby, in order: Horse Lake 0.6 miles, Third Lake near enough 0.6 miles, First Lake 1.4 miles, Fourth Lake near enough 2.1 miles and Third Chain Lake 2.5 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Second Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Washington County: 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. Second Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 67°F; the cold one sits at 16°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan around that when you fish Second Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. 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. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Horse Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat Second Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.