Fishing at Spring Lake, Somerset County, Maine

• Overview

  Look for Spring Lake in Somerset County, Maine. This is pine and birch country. At 715 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. The shoreline runs about 6.8 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. Few waters listed in Somerset County are bigger. Some 20 miles away sits Kingfield, the nearest settlement. Phillips is 29 miles and Strong 30 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. County-wide records name Atlantic salmon, brown trout, smallmouth bass, rainbow smelt and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. At Spring Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 11°F and July at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. At Spring Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Lower Shaw Pond, 3.1 miles away. Check the position at Spring Lake before loading the car.