West Lake near Enfield: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  West Lake sits in Penobscot County, out in Maine. It stands 397 feet above sea level. At 1,399 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. There is roughly 9.9 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Few waters listed in Penobscot County are bigger. Enfield sits 20 miles from the bank. Greenbush is 22 miles and Lincoln 23 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on West Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Penobscot County include Atlantic salmon, brown trout and smallmouth bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The near bank of West Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 67°F and January near 15°F on the long-run figures. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Time your trip to West Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mapping records no facilities at all near this 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. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Should this one be busy, Middle Oxhead Pond is 2.7 miles off. Signs at West Lake carry more weight than any list.