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Fishing Dolan Lake: what the data says
23-acre lake near City of Saint John. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 17.1 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Dolan Lake
Spring smallmouth bass on Dolan Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 17.1 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 17.1 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17.1 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 17.1 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 17.1 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Chain Pickerel fishing at Dolan Lake
In spring, chain pickerel run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 3 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17.1 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 17.1 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Dolan Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 5 to 17.1 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 17.1 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 15 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 17.1 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 17.1 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 17.1 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Brook Trout fishing at Dolan Lake
Start shallow in spring: brook trout sit in 2 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 17.1 ft, and winter fish settle into 3 to 17.1 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 15 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 17.1 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 17.1 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 15 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 8 ft
Common questions
How deep is Dolan Lake?
Dolan Lake is about 17.1 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Dolan Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout, chain pickerel on Dolan Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Dolan Lake?
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Dolan Lake?
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.