Key Species: brown trout, white perch, pickerel Best Way to Fish: bank, canoe, boat Best Time to Fish: May through September MAG: 26, A-4
Description: Patrick Lake is really a 275-acre pond, typical of the little-known but productive small ponds found throughout Maine. The southwestern end of the lake is managed by the Maine Bureau of Public Lands and offers a beach, picnic tables, rest room, and boat ramp. Except for the occasional tourist stopping for a break, don’t expect much company. You can fish from shore near the boat ramp, but a small boat or canoe will allow you to fully explore the lake. Lodging is available in Machias.
Fishing index: Patrick Lake is noted for white perch fishing. During the day in summer, you will take lots of perch by drifting with worms. Night crawlers will work, but the smaller earthworms are better for perch. If all you have are night crawlers, use only a small section, not a whole night crawler. Try fishing in about 30 feet of water in the area just south of a group of small islands in the center of the lake. Let your worm rest on the bottom for the most part, but raise and lower the rod every so often. Sometimes, perch will watch the worm and only bite when you impart action. If you find a spot where you get numbers of bites, you have found a school of perch. Try dropping the anchor and fishing the bottom with worms. The anchor may scare the fish away briefly, but they should return in a few minutes.
In recent years, brown trout have been stocked here, but except for some local anglers, few take advantage of their presence. In May and June, you should be able to take brown trout by daytime trolling with tandem streamers such as gray ghost or with a Jerry’s smelt. Drizzly, dark days will bring more browns to your offerings. You can also take browns here by trolling with orange and gold Flash Kings and Mooselook Wobblers. Troll around the small islands in the middle and north end of the lake. In the evening, look for groups of trout rising. Use red quills, small dun variants, or Adams dry flies.
For pickerel, try small minnows fished off the islands. Hit the drop-off areas, where the water drops from 1 to 10 or 12 feet. Both white perch fishing and pickerel fishing remain good throughout the season.
Directions: From U.S. Route 1 in East Machias, take Maine 191 north to the intersection of Maine Route 86 on the right. Drive 1.75 miles on Maine Route 86 to the boat ramp at Patrick Lake.
For more information: Contact the Maine Bureau of Public Lands. You might also check with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife in Machias.
