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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
5,212-acre lake near T40 MD BPP. The lake tops out around 42 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Nicatous Lake runs 5,216 acres with 56.6 miles of edge, with 93 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 5.6, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 84% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 8.6 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.8 mi at the beam. The water lies in Hancock County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Gassabias Lake, 4 mi east of here.
When the water first warms, chain pickerel slide up into 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 18 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait rigged through the warm months.
| 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 | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Spring puts landlocked salmon in skinny water — 1 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 13 to 42 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 40 ft. Gassabias Stream inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring landlocked salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Gassabias Stream inflow (2 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 13 to 42 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Gassabias Stream inflow (2 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| 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 (13 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
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 13 to 42 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in winter. 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 (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 13 to 42 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, splake run shallow here, mostly 5 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 13 to 42 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 42 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for summer splake. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a trolled spoon at the thermocline or a white tube jig (deep) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Small casting spoon (gold/orange), Inline spinner |
| Summer | 13 to 42 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Trolled spoon at the thermocline, White tube jig (deep) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 9 to 42 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head, Small white tube |
In spring, white perch run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 40 ft before dropping to 13 to 42 ft for winter. Summer white perch concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 40 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Gassabias Stream inflow (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 13 to 42 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 13 to 42 ft | dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Nicatous Lake also holds brook trout (10 to 30 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), yellow perch (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 20 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 40 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | Splake | 1,260 | ~10" |
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 Nicatous Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Nicatous Lake is about 42 ft (13 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, landlocked salmon, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, splake, white perch, brook trout, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, yellow perch on Nicatous 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. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Yes — per Maine IFW stocking report records, Nicatous Lake was most recently stocked May 27 with 1,260 splake. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Nicatous 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.
Gassabias Lake 4 mi · Duck Lake 5 mi · Brandy Pond 6 mi · Lower Pistol Lake 8 mi · Fourth Machias Lake 9 mi · Upper Chain Lake 9 mi · Spring Lake 9 mi · Fifth Machias Lake 9 mi · Middle Chain Lake 10 mi · Alligator Lake 10 mi · Great Pond 11 mi · Trout Pond 12 mi
See how Nicatous Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Maine · best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best yellow perch lakes in Maine · best brook trout lakes in Maine
More water nearby: Hancock County fishing maps (32 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.