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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
1,061-acre lake near Lakeville. The lake tops out around 40 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The drawn water covers 1,063 acres wrapped in 10.8 miles of bank, broken up by 2 islands. An index of 2.4 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 33% of this chart. End to end it runs roughly 3.5 mi, about 1.2 mi across. It sits in Penobscot County. If the bite dies, Middle Chain Lake is 6 mi to the south.
Come spring, look for landlocked salmon tight to the bank in 1 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 12 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 40 ft. Start at Creek inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A dodger + streamer down deep or a thin spoon on lead core is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Streamer flies (Grey Ghost) off boards, Thin spoon (Mooselook style) |
| Summer | 12 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (38 ft) | Dodger + streamer down deep, Thin spoon on lead core |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Casting spoon at the mouths, Streamers |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Swedish pimple + smelt |
Spring smallmouth bass on Upper Sysladobsis Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 12 to 40 ft. Put Secondary point first on the milk run — a point near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (17 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (38 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, white perch slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 40 ft, and by winter most fish are in 12 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (38 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | dusk | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Creek inflow (7 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring brown bullhead on Upper Sysladobsis Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk & night | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Old creek channel (17 ft) |
In spring, chain pickerel run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 18 ft for winter. Spring chain pickerel concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait most summer days.
| 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 (7 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 18 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
Upper Sysladobsis Lake also holds burbot (12 to 40 ft in summer), lake whitefish (12 to 40 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.
Count 8 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 38 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 Sysladobsis Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maine fishing regulations →
Upper Sysladobsis Lake is about 40 ft (12 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 landlocked salmon, smallmouth bass, white perch, brook trout, brown bullhead, chain pickerel, burbot, lake whitefish, pumpkinseed, yellow perch on Upper Sysladobsis Lake.
Creek inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for landlocked salmon 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.
Fishing on Upper Sysladobsis 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 6 mi · Number Three Pond 7 mi · Lower Sysladobsis Lake 7 mi · Upper Chain Lake 7 mi · Spring Lake 8 mi · Lower Pistol Lake 9 mi · Silver Lake 10 mi · Pleasant Lake 10 mi · Duck Lake 11 mi · Big Madagascal Pond 11 mi · Fourth Machias Lake 13 mi · West Grand Lake 13 mi
See how Upper Sysladobsis Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Maine · best yellow perch lakes in Maine · best brook trout lakes in Maine · best landlocked salmon lakes in Maine
More water nearby: Penobscot County fishing maps (34 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.