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4,300-acre lake near Jefferson. The lake tops out around 116 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Damariscotta Lake runs 4,551 acres with 45.9 miles of edge, broken up by 7 islands. The 4.9 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 39% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 10.3 mi end to end and 3.2 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Lincoln County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Pemaquid Pond, 6 mi south of here.
Come spring, look for brown trout tight to the bank in 3 to 25 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 12 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (12 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Sharp break (18 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Creek inflow (12 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Rock reef, a rock pile in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (18 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (14 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (18 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Count 13 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 107 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Lake Trout | 600 | ~7" |
Source: Maine IFW stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine IFW — and special regulations can apply to Damariscotta Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Damariscotta Lake is about 116 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target brown trout, smallmouth bass on Damariscotta Lake.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Maine IFW stocking report records, Damariscotta Lake was most recently stocked May 1 with 600 lake trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Damariscotta Lake is regulated by the Maine IFW. Check the official Maine regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Pemaquid Pond 6 mi · Clary Lake 7 mi · South Pond 11 mi · Seven Tree Pond 12 mi · Washington Pond 13 mi · Crawford Pond 13 mi · Sennebec Pond 14 mi · Alford Lake 16 mi · Saint George River 16 mi · Upper Pleasant Pond 18 mi · Tenants Harbor 19 mi · Clark Cove 19 mi
See how Damariscotta Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best brown trout lakes in Maine
Browse all Maine fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.