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Fishing Payson Lake: what the data says
76-acre lake near Town of Woodstock. Government of New Brunswick lake depth survey. The lake tops out around 4.9 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 Payson Lake
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 1 to 4.9 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4.9 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4.9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 4.9 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Chain Pickerel fishing at Payson Lake
Spring chain pickerel on Payson Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 4.9 ft. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4.9 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4.9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn & dusk | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Yellow Perch fishing at Payson Lake
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 1 to 4.9 ft. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4.9 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4.9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Brook Trout fishing at Payson Lake
In spring, brook trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 4.9 ft. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4.9 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4.9 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 4 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn & dusk | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 1 to 4.9 ft | midday & dawn | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 1 to 4.9 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Notable structure
- Main-lake point: point, around 4.9 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 4.9 ft
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 4 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Payson Lake?
Payson Lake is about 4.9 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 Payson Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, yellow perch, brook trout, chain pickerel on Payson Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Payson Lake?
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 4.9 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 Payson 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.