Fishing Upper Pistol Lake in Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  Upper Pistol Lake sits within Washington County in Maine. Height above sea level is 413 feet. It runs to roughly 119 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Around 2.1 miles of margin, front to back. Nearest town is Lincoln, 21 miles off. Then Enfield, 21 miles, and Howland, 26 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Upper Pistol Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Washington County, recorded fish include alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brown trout and smallmouth bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Upper Pistol Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 15°F in January and 67°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Expect Upper Pistol Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Middle Pistol Lake, 1.1 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Upper Pistol Lake for certain.