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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
18,652-acre lake near T4 Indian Purchase Township. The lake tops out around 100 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
There are 50.5 miles of drawn shoreline to work, with 35 islands in the mix. A development index of 3.6 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 24% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 9.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.5 mi at the beam. Piscataquis County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lower Jo-Mary Lake, is 3 mi to the southwest.
Spring brook trout on Pemadumcook Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 20 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 5 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chain pickerel in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 18 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 weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait gets it done.
| 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 (10 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Come spring, look for lake trout tight to the bank in 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 30 to 100 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 80 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 94 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning. A white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 30 to 100 ft | dawn | Deep basin (94 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Break off the point (33 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: lake whitefish in 15 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 40 to 90 ft before dropping to 25 to 70 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 94 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in summer. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (33 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Deep basin (94 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (2 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (33 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Early season landlocked salmon use the shallows, holding in 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 25 to 60 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Creek inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (33 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (5 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (33 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
Come spring, look for smallmouth bass tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Start at Main-lake point. It's a point holding about 17 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig is the honest summer answer here.
| 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 | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (17 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (33 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Pemadumcook Lake also holds white perch (15 to 40 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), burbot (30 to 100 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.
Pemadumcook Lake carries 15 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 94 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maine waters are set by the Maine IFW — and special regulations can apply to Pemadumcook Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Pemadumcook Lake is about 100 ft (30 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 brook trout, chain pickerel, lake trout, lake whitefish, landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, white perch, brown bullhead, burbot, pumpkinseed, yellow perch on Pemadumcook Lake.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for brook trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For brook trout, 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 Pemadumcook 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.
Lower Jo-Mary Lake 3 mi · Church Pond 6 mi · Tumbledown Dick Pond 7 mi · Upper Jo-Mary Lake 7 mi · Second Debsconeag Lake 7 mi · Hurd Pond 8 mi · Fourth Debsconeag Lake 8 mi · Big Minister Pond 8 mi · Henderson Pond 8 mi · "Upper" Twin Pond 9 mi · "Lower" Twin Pond 9 mi · Little Minister Pond 9 mi
See how Pemadumcook Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best yellow perch lakes in Maine · best lake trout lakes in Maine · best brook trout lakes in Maine
More water nearby: Piscataquis County fishing maps (191 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.