Fishing at Staples Cove, Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  Staples Cove is a Washington County water, Maine side. The surroundings are lake country bush. It covers about 10.3 sq miles, which means weather matters as much as tactics. With about 34 miles of shoreline, local advice saves a lot of walking. It is among the larger waters listed here for Washington County. St. Stephen lies 7.1 miles from the water. Then Calais, 8 miles, and Saint Andrews, 17 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Staples Cove

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The mouth fishes hardest when the run is at its strongest. Oyster and old piling give the only hard structure in sight. Records held for Washington County cover alewife, Atlantic salmon and rainbow smelt. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Staples Cove fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 17°F in January up to 67°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Staples Cove by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Being dammed, it draws down in some seasons and fills in others. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Ryan Lake, 0.9 miles out. Ask locally about Staples Cove if anything is unclear.