Fishing Season: Iceout into November

Downeast Lakes - ME

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

65

Weatherby's's Tip of the Week

Focus on edges of weed beds and offshore rocks. Fish will be moving to deeper water now. 5-10+ feet depending on time of day. Watch for schools of juvenile alewife and feeding bass. We are catching many salmon and lake trout on West grand currently. Trolling lead line or down riggers, fish have been taking at 25-40 feet, flies and spoons.

Directions open in app

Map of Downeast Lakes

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

Weatherby’s Lodge

5-Day Outlook as of 9/29/25

Summer conditions although still some top water action sporadically. excellent trolling for salmon on West Grand.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/29/25

Poppers to weed beds and offshore rocks. Can also fish crayfish patterns on drops with sink tip lines.

Local Species Available Iceout into November

  • Fish Icon

    smallmouth bass

  • Fish Icon

    salmon

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    togue

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    chain pickerel

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    white perch

Weatherby's's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer N/A 4
Cone Head Muddler Minnow N/A 4
Mickey Finn N/A 4
Sneaky Pete Popper N/A
gray Ghost N/A 2
Black Ghost N/A 2
Barnes Special N/A 2
Joes Smelt N/A 2

Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer

Every angler needs an assortment of these weighted attractor Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer flies.

2.49

Item #0311

Buy Now

Weatherby's's Recommended Gear

Description: About Downeast Lakes

With more than a dozen cool, clear glacial lakes surrounding Grand Lake Stream in Eastern Maine, the region has become famous for world-class fishing for smallmouth bass. With the likes of Joe Brooks, H.G. Tappley, W.G Tappley, Harold Blaisdell, Dave Whitlock and numerous other fishing icons putting ink to paper, the Downeast Lakes Region of Maine fast became a first rate destination for "bugging" for smallmouth. West Grand, Big, Junior, Sysladobsis, Pocumcus, Wabassus, Pocomoonshine, Crawford, Musquash are but a few of the lakes to fish in the region. All have their own character and secrets; most are pristine and undeveloped, protected through local conservation in perpetuity. During the prime season you will often be the only angler fishing "your" lake. The pre-spawn fishing begins mid-May and the spawn, lasting late-May through late-June, provide the best top water fishing with hard bodied or deer hair bugs you can find. During mid-summer you can find the smallmouth in weeds chasing bait or off the shoals with sinking lines and Clouser minnows. Pick your poison. On top or sub-surface - The Downeast Lakes Region of eastern Maine has the smallmouth fishery you have been reading about for years.

Nearest Airport:

Bangor International - Commercial / Princeton - Private Planes

Hatches:

alewife, crayfish, crayfish, dragon flies, crayfish,

Best Time to Fish:

High Noon

Best Stretch:

Big, West Grand, Machias, Wabassus, Pocumcus, Syslodobsis, St. Croix

Best Access:

Varies