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Best brown trout lakes in Maine

47 Maine waters hold brown trout, 34 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. Wary, nocturnal-leaning predator. Shorelines and inflows in cold months; the thermocline in summer.

1. Damariscotta Lake — 116 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Brown TroutWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
2. Messalonskee Lake — 113 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Great Pond — 92 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Upper Pleasant Pond — 26 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Kennebago Lake — 116 ft max · survey depth data · Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
6. Long Lake — 164 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
7. Cross Lake — 46 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Little Sebago Lake — 52 ft max · survey depth data · Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Pumpkinseed, Brown BullheadWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Pemaquid Pond — 61 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Chain PickerelWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Tunk Lake — 222 ft max · survey depth data · Brown Trout, Brook Trout, PumpkinseedWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Spectacle Pond — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Brown Trout, Brook Trout, White Perch, PumpkinseedWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Mousam Lake — 88 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Lake TroutWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Webb Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Spring River Lake — 31 ft max · survey depth data · Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Landlocked Salmon, PumpkinseedWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Molasses Pond — 47 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Clary Lake — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Upper Lead Mtn Pond — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Brown Trout, Landlocked Salmon, White PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Great Pond — 34 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Big Indian Pond — 32 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Brown TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Washington Pond — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Square Pond — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Megunticook Lake — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown TroutWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
23. Kennebec River — 12 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Landlocked SalmonWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Quantabacook Lake — 51 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Brown TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Lower Patten Pond — 87 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 22 more Maine waters holding brown trout.

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When to fish brown trout in Maine

• Spring 3–25 ft — Cold-water browns hug shorelines, river mouths and mud lines — often in a few feet of water early and late.
• Summer 25–60 ft — Browns sit at the thermocline by day and slide shallow after dark — the night troll takes the giants.
• Fall 5–30 ft — Spawn-run browns stage off tributaries and gravel shorelines, aggressive and territorial.
• Winter 5–35 ft — Browns feed all winter — nearshore when bait is in, deeper breaks otherwise.

Also in Maine: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best white perch lakes · best arctic char lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best bluefish lakes · best atlantic herring lakes · best atlantic mackerel lakes · best atlantic cod lakes

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