Lake depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
1,771-acre lake near East Machias. The lake tops out around 31 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The drawn water covers 1,767 acres wrapped in 12.5 miles of bank, broken up by 2 islands. With a 2.1 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 72% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 4.4 mi end to end and 1.4 mi across at its widest. It sits in Washington County. If the bite dies, Gardner Lake is 5 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: chain pickerel sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 3 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 31 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 31 ft one. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season white perch use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 9 to 31 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 31 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 29 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 9 to 31 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 31 ft | dusk | Deep basin (29 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Spring landlocked salmon on Hadley Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 31 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 31 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 29 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 9 to 31 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (29 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 8 to 31 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 18 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Hadley Lake also holds yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 7 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 29 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine IFW — and special regulations can apply to Hadley Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Hadley Lake is about 31 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target chain pickerel, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white perch, landlocked salmon, pumpkinseed, yellow perch on Hadley Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for chain pickerel in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For chain pickerel, 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.
Fishing on Hadley 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.
Gardner Lake 5 mi · Rocky Lake 6 mi · Bog Lake 8 mi · Rocky Lake 9 mi · Peaked Mountian Pond 12 mi · Round Pond 19 mi · Pennamaquan Lake 19 mi · Crawford Lake 20 mi · East Bay 20 mi · Cobscook Bay 20 mi · Second Chain Lake 20 mi · Meddybemps Lake 20 mi
See how Hadley Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Maine · best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best yellow perch lakes in Maine · best landlocked salmon lakes in Maine
More water nearby: Washington County fishing maps (24 charts). Browse all Maine fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.