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Madison to Waterville: landlocked salmon and brown trout below the dams. The river tops out around 12 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Drawn out, this is 1,609 acres of water rimmed by 68.9 miles of bank. A development index of 12.3 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 21.3 mi, about 9.3 mi across. You'll find it in Somerset County. The nearest mapped water is Great Pond, 11 mi to the southwest.
In spring, landlocked salmon run shallow here, mostly 1 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 12 ft, and they winter in 3 to 12 ft. Current seam (mile 3.7) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for summer landlocked salmon. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Lockwood Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Lockwood Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 1 to 12 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 12 ft, winter 2 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 3.7): a current seam around 7 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Lockwood Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Lockwood Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Lockwood Dam tailrace (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 12 ft, and they winter in 2 to 12 ft. Current seam (mile 3.7) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 12 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 12 ft through summer, 4 to 12 ft in winter. The spot to know is Riffle & run (mile 7.4), a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 7.4) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 7.4) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 3.7) (7 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Count 30 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Lockwood Dam tailrace, sits near 10 ft.
Access data: Maine GeoLibrary — Boat Launches (Maine IF&W / DACF). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 15 | Brook Trout | 200 | ~10" |
| May 6 | Brown Trout | 1,000 | ~13" |
| May 6 | Brown Trout | 325 | ~13" |
| May 6 | Brown Trout | 375 | ~13" |
| Apr 28 | Brook Trout | 1,500 | ~9" |
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 Kennebec River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Kennebec River is about 12 ft (4 m) deep 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.
Anglers target landlocked salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass on Kennebec River.
Current seam (mile 3.7) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For landlocked salmon, 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.
Yes — per Maine IFW stocking report records, Kennebec River was most recently stocked Jun 15 with 200 brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Kennebec River 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.
Great Pond 11 mi · Wesserunsett Lake 12 mi · Messalonskee Lake 13 mi · Clearwater Lake 18 mi · China Lake 19 mi · Webber Pond 19 mi · Unity Pond 20 mi · Embden Pond 21 mi · Echo Lake 22 mi · Big Indian Pond 25 mi · Wilson Pond 26 mi · Day Mountain Pond 26 mi
See how Kennebec River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best rainbow trout lakes in Maine · best brown trout lakes in Maine · best landlocked salmon lakes in Maine
More water nearby: Somerset County fishing maps (76 charts). Browse all Maine fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.