Upper Chain Lake in Washington County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Maine, Upper Chain Lake belongs to Washington County. It sits at 341 feet above sea level. Roughly 721 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Around 5.5 miles of bank, which is a long day on foot. It ranks high for size among our Washington County listings. Some 23 miles away sits Lincoln, the nearest settlement. Beyond it, Enfield at 24 miles and Howland at 28 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Upper Chain Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Washington County, recorded fish include alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and brown trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Upper Chain Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 67°F in July and bottoms out near 15°F in January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Upper Chain Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Middle Chain Lake, 0.9 miles away. Rules at Upper Chain Lake are worth checking on the day.