The Best Fishing Lakes in Maine: A Guide to the Pine Tree State’s Top Angling Waters

With more than 6,000 lakes and ponds, Maine is one of the great freshwater fishing destinations in America. It is the last major stronghold of native wild brook trout in the country and the ancestral home of the landlocked salmon, and its cold, clear waters draw anglers from around the world. Here is a guide to some of the best fishing lakes in Maine — plus what you need to know before you cast a line.

Moosehead Lake

The largest lake in Maine, Moosehead is a must for any angler. Set deep in the North Woods around Greenville, its vast, island-dotted waters hold brook trout, lake trout (togue), and landlocked salmon. The lake is big enough for serious boat fishing yet has plenty of accessible shoreline and public launches. Spring and fall, when the water is cold, are prime for trout and salmon, while ice fishing takes over in winter.

Sebago Lake

In southern Maine, just a short drive from Portland, Sebago Lake is both a fishing legend and a natural wonder. It is the deepest lake in the state — 316 feet at its deepest — and the likely birthplace of the landlocked salmon, whose scientific name, Salmo salar sebago, honors the lake. Sebago also serves as the drinking-water supply for greater Portland, a role it has played since 1869. Anglers come for landlocked salmon, lake trout, and smallmouth bass, with spring the classic season for salmon.

The Rangeley Lakes

The Rangeley Lakes region of western Maine is hallowed ground for fly-fishers. This chain — including Rangeley Lake, Mooselookmeguntic, Cupsuptic, and the Richardson Lakes — built its fame more than a century ago on trophy brook trout and landlocked salmon, and it remains one of the most beautiful and storied trout fisheries in the East. Spring and fall are the peak seasons, amid mountain scenery that is worth the trip on its own.

The Belgrade Lakes

Closer to home, the Belgrade Lakes are a chain of seven lakes in the Kennebec Valley, just west of our own town of Winslow. Great Pond, Long Pond, Messalonskee (Snow Pond), and their neighbors are known for excellent bass fishing, along with trout, pike, and perch. This is also the “real” Golden Pond: playwright Ernest Thompson spent his boyhood summers on Great Pond, and those memories inspired On Golden Pond — though the 1981 film was actually shot on Squam Lake in New Hampshire.

The Penobscot River

Not a lake, but too good to leave out, the Penobscot River is one of the finest smallmouth bass fisheries in the Northeast. It is also the heart of the last remaining range of the wild Atlantic salmon in the United States — but note that these fish are federally endangered and fully protected, so fishing for Atlantic salmon is not allowed. In recent years the river has become a landmark restoration story, with major dam removals reopening hundreds of miles of habitat and salmon numbers slowly climbing.

Before You Cast: Maine Fishing Basics

A few essentials will keep your trip legal and low-impact. Anyone 16 or older needs a Maine fishing license, issued by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW); a single inland license covers freshwater fishing statewide, including salmon and togue. Rules — seasons, bag limits, gear, and catch-and-release requirements — vary from water to water, so always check the current MDIFW lawbook for the specific lake you plan to fish. Practicing catch-and-release and following Leave No Trace help keep Maine’s fisheries thriving for the next generation.

Explore More of Maine’s Lake Country

Maine’s waters reward exploring. For more, see our broader guide to fishing in Maine, or discover the lakeside town of Rangeley at the heart of its famous lakes. Anglers passing through central Maine will find the Belgrade Lakes right beside the historic Kennebec Valley; our own town of Winslow, where the Fort Halifax blockhouse has stood since 1754, makes a fine base between the coast and the lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions