Fishing Report

From Fisheries Resource Biologist James Pellerin, 3-3-26

March is a great time to get out ice fishing, the days are longer and typically warmer.  In addition, some species of fish (i.e., bass, rainbow trout) seem to perk up from their winter slumber and become much more active.  As the end of the season draws near, I would suggest targeting warmwater species.  However, for die-hard trout anglers brown trout, rainbow trout, and lake trout fisheries seem to persist whereas, salmon and brook trout fishing typically has slowed considerably by this time.  Great East, Kezar, Mousam, Sebago and Thompson Lakes are good bets for lake trout (togue); Stanley and the Range Ponds are popular for rainbows; and Bickford, Hancock, Sand Pond, Square, and Stearns Pond are worth trying for browns.  Bass and other warmwater species are abundant in most lakes throughout the region.

Some popular cusk waters in the region include Sebago and Thompson Lakes. We observed an explosion in the cusk population at Hancock Pond a few years ago, most of the fish were on the smaller side at the time, but it may be worth a trip now or in the future as they grow to more favorable sizes.

Fishing tip: A worthwhile tip, if you like to fish traps try keeping one pulled and learn how to jig and if you get a flag with no fish follow-up by jigging the same hole.  In addition, worms, crawlers, salmon eggs, and power bait work better for rainbows than live fish.

Reminder: Just a reminder to be cautious out there, particularly in March as the ice thins and shoreline areas that had the thickest ice early on may now be the thinnest due to warming conditions and heat absorption along the shore.  Other problem areas include:  causeways and any areas near flowing water open up fast with spring rain and thaw cycles; areas with large boulders above and below the ice, and shallow bars/points can also be prone to thinner ice.

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Jason Seiders, 3-4-25

March is a perfect time to target smallmouth bass; you can catch good numbers of fish and get some beauties. Look for rocky habitat in roughly 20-feet of water. Areas near rocky points can be productive, and rocky flat areas can hold lots of fish. Depth can vary a little depending on the lake or pond you're fishing but if you find some rocks and a little depth, you'll probably find smallmouth. Live bait works well, but jigging can be incredibly effective. Here are some waters to try:

• Great Pond (Belgrade)
• Messalonskee Lake (Oakland)
• Long Pond (Belgrade)
• China Lake (China)
• Sebasticook Lake (Newport)
• Megunticook Lake (Camden)
• Androscoggin Lake (Wayne)
• Damariscotta Lake (Jefferson)

Cusk (Burbot) waters: We posted this in February, but since March is a great time to fish for these critters, here it is again! We routinely hear anglers ask us "Where can I catch cusk in central Maine?" Well, we do have some cusk waters nearby, and this fish is underutilized in this region. We don't usually see huge fish, but you can definitely catch enough for a meal, or maybe it's a "bucket list" fish! Here are some places to try for cusk in our area:

• Flying Pond (Vienna)
• Echo Lake (Fayette)
• Sand Pond (Litchfield)
• Woodbury Pond (Litchfield)
• Wassookeag Lake (Dexter)
• Parker Pond (Fayette)

March can be such a great month to go ice fishing because we can get some really warm days before the ice becomes unsafe. Fishing for panfish and other warmwater fish can be super-productive. Warmwater fish like bass, pickerel and perch become very active and can produce some very busy days. All of these species spawn in the spring, so they typically feed heavily to build up fat reserves for this strenuous time of year. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are feeding like crazy right now, preparing for spring spawning season. One thing we always notice is that far fewer anglers venture out in March, which means you can have a pond virtually to yourself.

Reminder: As the weather warms and the precipitation changes from snow to rain, please be careful and be aware of degrading ice conditions. The weather will start warming up, but the water is still incredibly frigid. March ice fishing can be a blast, but don't press your luck!

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Brandon Demuth, 3-5-25

Where to fish:
We have found ourselves in the thick of the hard-water season and are fortunate that this year's cold weather has provided opportunity on Downeast waters that do not always lock up consistently. Tunk Lake (Sullivan, T7 SD, T10 SD, Hancock county) is one such fishery that anglers will be targeting quality sized landlocked salmon and lake trout. West Grand Lake (T5 ND BPP, Washington County) remains a popular fishery for Region C that provides an opportunity for numerous fish species. Folks will be primarily targeting landlocked salmon, whitefish, and lake trout, but it also supports a population of burbot (cusk) for those interested in trying for these unique fish. When some of our other target species seem to be hitting their late season lull, burbot remain active predators through the ice season and can provide an excellent sportfishing experience. Long Pond (T10 SD, Hancock County) and Flanders Pond (Sullivan, Hancock County) are some other great waters to check out this winter that support a mixed assemblage of cold and warmwater species.

Fishing tips:
The depths of winter can slow fishing down this time of year. This is when it's best to make your efforts as deliberate as possible to increase your catch rates. Make sure you are choosing good habitat/structure that will hold fish or you might even want to punch holes and hunt to find fish before you commit to a spot. The fish themselves find their metabolism slowed down in the cold and their activity reflects that, so you might find they respond better to a subtler presentation and smaller lures/bait.

Reminders:
As always, take all necessary precautions when traveling and fishing on the ice, whether on foot or by machine. Be prepared for the turn to the thaw season that will bring slushy snow and bare ice conditions.

As an additional note about this coming open-water season, from April through November the Grand Lake Stream Fish Hatchery will be receiving extensive updates. Due to all the construction that will be occurring, we will have to disallow parking on the hatchery grounds. It will be imperative that recreational users and guides do not hinder or block access to either of the hatchery's entrances. We will do our best to coordinate with the contractors to continue to allow access by foot down the backside of the raceways. We understand that this may be an inconvenience, but we will do what we can within reason to work with sports, guides, and lodges to provide access to the resource. When visiting, pay attention to signage for more specific details.

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Dylan Whitaker, 3-5-25

Despite rainy weather on the way, Region D waters have plenty of solid ice that should allow safe fishing conditions through March on many of our lakes and ponds. March is arguably the best time of year to ice fish, days are finally getting longer, the sun seems to shine a bit brighter, and temperatures are often more bearable. March ice fishing can also be very productive depending on the species you plan to target. Cusk for example, also known as burbot, eelpout, lingcod, or lawyer is a freshwater cod native to Maine that spawns under the ice between mid-February to mid-March. They are nocturnal feeders so catch rates are typically highest during the night. However, during the spawning season anglers can catch cusk even during the day. The list of cusk waters in Region D is short, the western mountains and foothills of Maine are not particularly known for cusk, but we do have a few lakes open to ice fishing with cusk populations.

Cusk Waters:
Chain of Ponds in Chain of Ponds Twp has a Cusk population that is often overlooked by anglers. Cusk in the Chain of Ponds aren't extremely abundant, but a few lucky anglers always seem to pull up some very large Cusk this time of year. Clearwater Pond in Industry is another sleeper Cusk water. Most fisherman target Salmon, Brook Trout, or Lake Trout here but are often pleasantly surprised to land a Cusk on the ice. Embden Pond in Embden and Flagstaff Lake in Eustis are other waters with cusk populations to consider. To target cusk in any water I'd recommend dropping dead bait on bottom near humps or shoals in the lake and wait for them to come in and feed. If you hit it right expect to be chasing flags.

Where to fish:
If Cusk fishing doesn't tickle your fancy, there are still plenty of other opportunities and fish species to target in Region D. Spencer Lake in Hobbstown boasts an abundant wild lake trout population, and often provides a fast-fishing experience for this species. The lake trout regulation on Spencer was recently changed to a 6 fish limit, no minimum length limit, and only 1 may exceed 23" to allow for greater harvest and to manage the population towards a larger higher-quality fish. Loon Lake is another good option in the Rangeley area, Loon Lake supports a healthy population of stocked salmon and brook trout, anglers occasionally jig up smelt as well.

Reminder: It's important to check the law book when fishing new waters. As a reminder the Rangeley Lakes region falls within the North Zone. Under general law, North Zone waters are closed to ice-fishing unless designated with an "A" or "B" season code. Additionally, general law in the north zone also prohibits the use of live fish as bait unless designated with an S-11 code. These regulations are important restrictions to protect wild coldwater fish assemblages that are abundant in the northern interior of Maine.

By Stephen Seeback, Fisheries Resource Technician, 3-3-26

Where to Fish: Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in the popularity of anglers targeting cusk (Lota lota, burbot, freshwater cod, lawyer fish, poor man's lobster) in the Moosehead Lake Region. Cusk are categorized as non-sport fish and are not specifically managed in Maine. There are no length, weight, or bag limit restrictions on cusk in Maine. However, this cult following has put cusk on the bucket list of 'hot' species pursued by the angling public. This cousin of the saltwater cod is found in many of the lakes and ponds in the Moosehead Lake Region that are open to ice fishing. March is a great time to target cusk in depths less than 25 feet, preferably at night to overlap with their nocturnal feeding habits. Not to discourage any anglers from trying their luck during daylight hours since many cusk are caught incidentally during daylight hours while pursuing other coldwater sport fish this time of year. Fishing at night generally produces the best catches. The increase in catch rates in March also coincides with the cusk spawning season. Cusk spawn under the ice in late winter in shallow water over sand or gravel bottoms.  Anglers that find these spawning concentrations near sand or gravel shorelines and around rocky shoals will be most successful. The most successful method is jigging on or near the bottom with live bait (S-11) or dead bait.

Cusk Waters: The following is a list of waters open to ice fishing that have a principal fishery for cusk in the Moosehead Lake Region.

• Allagash Lake, T7 & T08 R14 WELS
• Big Wood Pond, Atten Twp., Dennistown Plt., Jackman
• Brassua Lake, Brassua Twp, Rockwood Strip
• Chamberlain Lake, T07 R13 WELS
• Chesuncook Lake, T03 R12 WELS
• Little Big Wood Pond, Dennistown Plt., Jackman
• Moosehead Lake, Greenville, etc.
• Round Pond, T6 R11 WELS
• Telos Lake, T6 R11 WELS

Fishing Tips: Maine inland fishing law states, "Cusk Lines": All lines set through the ice at night (sunset to sunrise) for cusk must be checked at least once every hour by the person who set them. However, checking them more frequently may result in more productive fishing nights, making sure lines have fresh bait and are free of cusk can make a big difference in success. Generally larger baits will help reduce the catch of smaller cusk and allow the opportunity for larger cusk to find and consume your bait. 

Reminders: A final note, this will be the last ice fishing report from the regional staff this year, we would like to thank the many anglers we interviewed over the course of this winter. It is always entertaining to meet new anglers and create new memories with veteran anglers on Maine's largest lake. Also, Moosehead Lake anglers remember from April 1 – April 31 all brook trout and salmon caught while ice fishing must be released alive without removal from the water.

Fisheries Resource Technician Zachary Glidden, 2-26-25

The 2025 ice fishing season is in full swing. With the coldest months behind us and warmer temperatures coming in March, anglers should be in for some blue-ribbon days on the ice. The Penobscot Region's fisheries staff have been conducting a season long creel survey at East Grand Lake and we have enjoyed meeting many of you on the ice. A sincere thank you to those who have provided your fishing information and returned the accompanying creel postcard.

Anglers looking to catch a limit of togue (lake trout) may want to try Cold Stream Pond (Enfield) and Schoodic Lake (Brownville). Both waters have robust populations; we recommend taking advantage of the 2 fish bag limit, 18" minimum at Cold Stream Pond and the 6 fish bag limit; minimum length 14", only 1 may exceed 23" regulation at Schoodic Lake. For anglers looking for a chance at a larger fish, East Grand Lake (Danforth) is a regional favorite. Catch rates are slower than the previously mentioned waters, but anglers won't be disappointed. In addition to togue, East Grand Lake also has healthy populations of landlocked salmon and lake whitefish.

March is a great month to get out and fish for cusk (burbot). The Penobscot Region has a fair amount of cusk waters, some are easy to get to and others well off the beaten path. Anglers looking to check a cusk off their bucket list could try any of the following: Cold Stream Pond (Enfield), East Grand Lake (Danforth), Lower Jo-Mary Lake (T1 R10 WELS), Upper Jo-Mary Lake (TA R10 WELS), Matagamon Lake (T6 R8 WELS), Pemadumcook Chain of Lakes (T4 Indian Purchase), Pleasant Lake (Kossuth), Pleasant Pond (Island Falls), Schoodic Lake (Lake View PLT), Scraggly Lake (T7 R8 WELS), or Lower Togue Pond (T2 R9 WELS).

Fishing Tip: Anglers should target gravel shoals after dark with live or dead bait to have the best luck. Cusk become very active in late February and March as this coincides with their spawning activities. For those new to this type of fishing, cusk lines must be tended at least once every hour from sunset to sunrise.

Reminder: Warmer weather in March makes for changing ice conditions. Pockets of slush, pressure ridges, and thin ice around streams can quickly change from one weekend to the next. Remember to use caution as winter weather changes this month.

From Fisheries Resource Supervisor Frank Frost, 3-5-25

Northern Maine is setup for what could be a great March/early April ice fishing.  Unlike 2024, we currently have normal snowpack and ice thickness on our larger lakes.  That means if March weather is normal, we will be ice fishing well into April as we do in most years.  Typical March weather is usually a nice break from early winter – days are longer and temperatures are warmer making ice fishing a very enjoyable outdoor activity this time of year.  Access to many of our waters open to ice fishing should remain very good with the normal snow pack and frost level in the ground; roads should hold up well for travel.  Anglers should be aware when long periods of warm weather occur, roads will break down making travel difficult and increasing damage to roads. 

Glazier and Beau Lakes – these are remote waters at the northern tip of the State and require a relatively long snowmobile ride to reach them; both lakes are stocked with lake trout and currently support good numbers of catchable togue; these waters are boundary waters with Canada, one forming the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick (Glazier) and one forming the boundary between Maine and Quebec (Beau); be sure to understand where you can legally fish on either water before you venture out.

Eagle and Square Lakes – these larger lakes of the Fish River Chain are well known for lake trout, brook trout and salmon fishing, however, they also have some of the best burbot (cusk) fishing you'll find anywhere in the State

Cross Lake, Cross Lake township – one of the smaller lakes of the Fish River Chain, Cross is a great bet for those anglers without a snowmobile; there is a good access point off Disy Road and Rt 161; a short walk from the parking area can put you into great water for trout, salmon and other non-sport fish that are becoming popular in the County

Madawaska Lake – a water with a special ice fishing season that runs from February 15 to March 31st, this water is a good bet for families looking for a short trip from home and relatively easy access; the water is stocked with brook trout and the fishing can be very good for these fish that are typically 10-14 inches

Fishing tips – days in March are longer, warmer and oftentimes full sun all day; on these days focus your more intensive fishing times early in the day; the first two to three hours are often most productive for trout and salmon; later in the day, move your fishing activity to deeper water sets where sportfish often retreat to during full sun conditions

Reminders – live bait availability at shops can sometimes be restricted late in the season; anglers should call ahead to check on supply or plan to catch their own; worms and crawlers are a good alternative and bait shops and convenience stores will often have these available no matter the time of year.  For cusk fishing in late season, the bait of choice is typically a piece of cut bait from a dead fish; fallfish (chub) or white sucker that are sometimes caught incidentally can be used, and these fish can be harvested and frozen for future cusk fishing trips.

Eagle Lake reminder – we continue to monitor the fisheries at Eagle Lake, Fish River Chain in the town of Eagle Lake; special rules on salmon have been in place for nearly 10 years now to control and reduce the salmon population; the results for the smelt and lake trout populations have been positive but we continue to encourage anglers to harvest their salmon catch as we have determined that small salmon, 8 – 14 inches, can exert a high degree of control over smelt through predation; the current rule allows anglers unlimited harvest of salmon less than 14 inches.