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Best brook trout lakes in Maine

8 Maine waters hold brook trout, 8 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.

1. Messalonskee Lake — 113 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Rangeley Lake — 148 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon
3. Cross Lake — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout
4. Millinocket Lake — 52 ft max · survey depth data · Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon
5. Auburn Lake — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout, Brook Trout
6. Swan Lake — 101 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon
7. Embden Pond — 154 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Lake Trout, Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon
8. Panther Pond — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon

When to fish brook trout in Maine

• Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
• Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
• Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.

Also in Maine: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best white perch lakes

Brook Trout elsewhere: Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Wyoming · Massachusetts · Washington · Utah · Colorado · New York · Nevada