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Rating depth structure for yellow perch.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
721-acre lake near Oqiton Township. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Upper Chain Lake runs 719 acres with 7.2 miles of edge — 3 islands included. Index 1.9 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 66% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 2.3 mi long by 0.9 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in Hancock County. For a second option, Middle Chain Lake lies 1 mi north.
Spring chain pickerel on Upper Chain Lake hold shallow, usually 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. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 1 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Start shallow in spring: brown bullhead sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Old creek channel, a creek channel in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) |
Come spring, look for pumpkinseed tight to the bank in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 10 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 18 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 1 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (17 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 9 to 30 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 30 ft that grades prime for fall. 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 | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (30 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (30 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 10 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 30 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Upper Chain Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Upper Chain Lake is about 30 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, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, yellow perch on Upper Chain Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for pumpkinseed 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.
Fishing on Upper Chain 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.
Middle Chain Lake 1 mi · Duck Lake 4 mi · Lower Sysladobsis Lake 4 mi · Fourth Machias Lake 6 mi · Spring Lake 6 mi · Lower Pistol Lake 7 mi · Upper Sysladobsis Lake 7 mi · Gassabias Lake 7 mi · Nicatous Lake 9 mi · Wabassus Lake 10 mi · West Grand Lake 11 mi · Number Three Pond 12 mi
See how Upper Chain Lake stacks up: best yellow perch lakes in Maine · best chain pickerel lakes in Maine · best pumpkinseed lakes in Maine · best brown bullhead 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.