Echo Lake

Key Species: brook trout, landlocked salmon, white perch

Best Way to Fish: canoe, boat

Best Time to Fish: May through September

MAG: 16, B-2

Description: This is a scenic 237-acre coldwater lake, specially managed for brook trout and landlocked salmon. The western side is lined by rugged cliffs. Boats with motors larger than 10 horsepower are prohibited. Special fishing regulations include a slot limit on brook trout, fishing restricted to one line only, and a no-kill, artificials-only season from October 1 through October 31.

Fishing index: Brook trout can be taken near the shoreline in spring. If you are fishing from a boat or canoe, you should cast to within one foot of shore, since brook trout often chase smelt into extremely shallow water. Try small Jerry’s smelt, Edson tiger light bucktails, and Mickey Finn bucktails. Some anglers use night crawlers, casting toward shore, letting the crawler settle to the bottom, and slowly working it back.

Later in the summer, a deep trough extending from the center of the lake down to the southern end is a popular spot for brook trout weighing up to 2 pounds. A few garden worms or a small shiner fished near the bottom are good choices, as is a woolly bugger fished deep with a quick-sinking fly line.

The south end of the lake holds the deepest water and is a good spot for salmon during the summer months. A fast-sinking fly line and a Jerry’s smelt behind a dodger will take salmon in summer. In spring, troll along the entire shoreline using live smelts, streamer flies, Flash Kings, or Mooselook Wobblers. Evening fishing with dry flies is productive during the summer months. Bring caddis flies, dun variants, Adams, and some hairwing royal coachmen.

Flatwater fly-fishing requires pateince. Here, an angler gently works into position to cast to a rising trout.

Look for white perch in the upper and eastern sections of the lake. Summer is the best time to locate schools of perch. Use worms, night crawlers, small minnows fished on the bottom, or plastic- bodied lead-head jigs.

Directions: Driving south from Somesville on Maine Route 102, look for the intersection of pretty Marsh Road on the right. Drive 2 milles past Pretty Marsh Road and look for a sign for like’s Point on the right. Follow the sign to a parking lot and boat ramp.

For more information: Call the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife in Bangor.

Echo Lake Photo Gallery



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