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Penobscot River is considered one of the best smallmouth bass fisheries in the eastern United States.  The area from Old Town to Medway offers approximately 60 miles of fast action for smallmouths in the 10 to 15 inch size, with bass up to 20 inches a possibility.  The exciting aspect of the fishery is the fact that is always seems to produce good fishing right through the summer.  In spite of the Penobscot River's close proximity to a state highway, the opportunity to see bald eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, deer, otter and other wildlife add another dimension to the trip.  Float trips down the Penobscot are a way to relax, see the river and all its wildlife, and catch a bunch of scrappy smallmouth bass.  There are public boat ramps and carry sites situated every few miles along its length.

Mattanawcook Pond is one of a chain of four lakes and ponds that drain into the Penobscot River in Lincoln.  The lake could properly be called a "lake in a city" for it extends right into the city limits of Lincoln.  The pond is well suited for warm water game fish and smallmouth bass.  White perch and chain pickerel are also present.  According to reports, an occasional trout is taken, but the warm, shallow waters are not suited to support populations of coldwater game fish.  Total area of the lake is 832 acres with a maximum depth of 20 feet.  There is a public boat launch in Prince Thomas Park off Lake Street in downtown Lincoln.

Cold Stream Pond is a deep water, spring fed lake located in Enfield.  Lake trout are native to Cold Stream Pond and at one time eggs were taken from these fish to be raised in the hatchery, but this practice has been discontinued.  Lake trout are not currently stocked and natural reproduction on the spawning bed in Webb Cove sustains the lake trout fishery.  Landlocked salmon were first introduced into Cold Stream in 1876.  Because of very limited Salmon spawning area in the outlet, salmon are stocked on an annual basis to maintain the fishery.  Salmon growth is very good, although somewhat variable, depending on smelt abundance.  Brook trout are being stocked on an experimental basis to determine if they can provide another fishery for the anglers.  Access to the lake is by a town maintained public boat launch facility on the Old Hatchery Road off Rt. 188 in Enfield.  Fish include salmon, brook trout and lake trout, white and yellow perch and pickerel.  Total area is 2924 acres with a maximum depth of 104 feet.  Water temperature on the surface is 67F and at 55 feet 49F.

Upper Cold  Stream Pond consists of two separate basins which are connected by a culvert passing under a highway between the basins.  Also known as Big and Little Narrows.  Both ponds are very heavily developed and water quality has begun to deteriorate as a consequence of this development.  Water quality is unsuitable for coldwater species in Little Narrows due to oxygen deficiency and warm water temperatures.  The Big Narrows can still support salmon and brook trout.  Lake whitefish were first found in the lake in 1976 and have established a resident population.  Currently, the lake is stocked annually with landlocked salmon and brook trout.   Other fish include lake trout, white and yellow perch, pickerel and chub.  Big Narrows consists of an area of 499 acres, maximum depth-66 feet.  Water temperatures on surface 68F, at 55 feet 47F.  Little Narrows consists of 186 acres, maximum depth-32 feet.  Water temperatures on surface 67F, at 30 feet 52F.  Public boat access is limited to launching from the Transalpine Road between the two lakes.

Stump Pond (Snag Pond) is a shallow, manmade lake located in Lincoln.  This lake has large and small mouth bass, white and yellow perch and pickerel.  Public boat launch is on Frost Street in Lincoln.  Pond is 160 acres with a maximum depth of 13 feet.

Long Pond is a shallow lake with pickerel, perch and bass.  Public boat launch is located on Sweet Road in North Lincoln.

Round Pond is a typical, small, kettle hole pond in a scenic setting of spruce and white birch.  To get there, take the Weir Pond Road from rt. 6, the Lincoln-Topsfield road.  There is a boat landing.  Brook trout grow well in Round Pond.  Apparently the only other species established is pickerel and they appear to be doing poorly in this cold pond.  Periodic stocking will be necessary to support the trout fishery.  Area consists of 10 acres with a maximum depth of 20 feet.  Water temperature on the surface is 73F and at 28 feet 51F.  Consists of brook trout and pickerel.

Crooked Pond is one of the series of four medium-sized ponds whose outlet waters flow through Lincoln into the Penobscot River.  One way of reaching the pond is by boat via Folsom Pond.  Crooked Pond is best suited for warm water game fish.  Smallmouth bass, white perch, pickerel and hornpout are all established species.  One tiny deep hole has cold water but is low in dissolved oxygen.  An occasional trout may be taken during cool seasons.  Total area is 220 acres with a maximum depth of 30 feet.  Water temperatures on surface 70F and at 30 feet 58F.

Center Pond consists of 192 acres with a maximum depth of 12 feet.  Species of fish include white and yellow perch and pickerel.

Upper Pond should be managed for its thriving population of white perch.  The warm, shallow waters are well suited for this species, and growth and reproduction appear to be good.  A small trout fishery can undoubtedly be expected.  Sucker Brook, one of the major tributaries, has excellent spawning and nursery area for brook trout and a sizeable trout population.  Trout are certain to move into the pond from the stream each year.  Only a small population can be expected to occupy the lake on a year-round basis, however, because of the shortage of cool, well-oxygenated water, the abundance of warmwater species.  Area consists of 506 acres with a maximum depth of 31 feet.  Fish include brook trout, white and yellow perch, and suckers.

Folsom Pond is one of the so-called Mattanawcook Lakes that drain into the Penobscot River in Lincoln.  You can get there from the Transalpine Road and turn left onto the Clay Road.  Folsom Pond like the others in this chain of waters is best suited for warm water game species.  Smallmouth bass and white perch are two of the most abundant warm water game fish.  There is a tiny area of cool water, but stocked coldwater game fish would not establish themselves in this shallow pond in the presence of the several competitors that already live here.  Brook trout are very rare.  Pond is 282 acres with a maximum depth of 18 feet.

Egg Pond is  shallow water lake with pickerel, bass and perch.

Caribou Pond is a shallow water lake with pickerel, bass and perch.

Cambolasse, Snag, Center, Caribou, Long and Egg  Ponds are dependent on one another and will be considered as a unit.  They have the capacity to provide a small but valuable smallmouth bass fishery, no portion of any of them is capable of sustaining trout or salmon on a year round basis.  Cambolassee consists of 211 acres with a maximum depth of 36 feet. 

Madagascal Pond has an attractive shoreline of alternating sand beaches and boulders.  Low hills and mixed hardwoods and conifers surround the pond.  Several rocky shoals in the northern part of the pond present a hazard to boating but these areas can be identified during the summer by the patches of pond lilies growing in their shadows.  Burr reeds are abundant in the shallow northwestern section of the pond.  Water quality is good for warm water game fish but lacks sufficient dissolved oxygen to support trout or salmon in the cool, deeper areas.  Brook trout in the tributaries are present, though in small size.  A few trout are reported taken from the pond during the ice fishing season and in early spring.  The small brooks provide limited habitat for trout and stocking is not recommended.  Summer temperatures warm the outlet too much for brook trout event though suitable spawning and nursery areas exist immediately below the pond.  Further downstream and old beaver flowage has created a long, shallow dead water.  This pond should be managed for the abundant populations of pickerel and white perch.  High numbers of these species compete heavily for available forage, resulting in reduced growth rates.  Heavier harvests of these fish should be encouraged to make more food available to the remaining fish and thus increase growth.  Access to Madagascal Pond is via a gravel road, approximately six miles from the town of Lee.  Boat launching is possible across a beach on the northern end of the pond.   Madagascal Pond consists of an area of 750 acres.  Maximum depth is 35 feet and water temperatures on the surface reach 75F and at 32 feet 54F. 

Junior Lake is a scenic, rather remote lake in the headwaters of the West Branch of the St. Croix River.  To get there you must travel through thoroughfares by boat, either from West Grand Lake below or Bottle or Duck Lakes above.  During low water periods be careful of rocks in these thoroughfares.  Junior Lake is capable of providing what is commonly known among fishery scientists as a "two-story" fishery.  This means nothing more in this case than that the lake is capable of providing a fishery both for the large established assemblage of warm water game species and one or more coldwater game species, in this case, salmon.  Salmon stocking is required to maintain the fishery.  Stocking of warm water game fish is unnecessary.  Junior Lake is made up of 3866 acres with a maximum depth of 70 feet.  Surface water temperature is 69F and at 62 feet 55F.  Contains salmon, lake trout, smallmouth bass, white and yellow perch and pickerel.

Lombard Lake is surrounded by low hills covered with a mixed hard and softwood forest.  A rocky shoreline surrounds most of the lake and large boulders and rocky shoals extend into the lake in the southeast section.  Although salmon are reported to be present in the lake, white perch dominate the fishery.  Water quality is marginal for trout and salmon with a dissolved oxygen deficiency in the deeper, cooler water.  The lake is accessible by four wheel drive vehicles on an old road from Rt. 9 in Springfield across Granite Ridge to the lake.  Total acreage is 225 with a maximum depth of 38 feet. 

South Branch Lake provides excellent smallmouth bass habitat.  Rarely, a migrating brook trout moves into the lake from the outlet stream, but the lake contains no water suitable to carry trout through the summer.  No stocking of any kind is necessary.  Total acreage is 2035 acres with a maximum depth of 28 feet.  There is a public boat launch in Sebeois off the Cove Road.

Bottle Lake is known to have been a good salmon and trout fishing area in former years.  With the introduction and increase in numbers of competing warm water fishes, however, fishing for trout and salmon has declined.  No doubt the marginal conditions for these species contributed greatly to their replacement by warm water fishes.  Fish in this lake consist of salmon, brook trout, smallmouth bass, white and yellow perch and pickerel.  Total acreage is 281 with a maximum depth of 42 feet.

Sysladobsis Lake lies in an area of low, mostly forested hills.  The area around the lake is currently being rapidly developed into house and camp lots.  The shoreline is mostly rocky with some sand and gravel beaches.  There is very little low, swampy or marshy shoreline.  There are several rocky points, shoals and low islands throughout the lake.   The remains of an old logging dam are still visible from the outlet.  Water quality and depth are adequate to support coldwater fish species at this time.  It is likely that the increase in shoreline development will have an adverse effect on water quality in the coming years.  The lake is presently stocked annually with landlocked salmon.  Under proper management the lake can sustain a small salmon fishery as a good smelt population.  Competition from a large warm water fish population prevents the establishment of a brook trout fishery.  White perch is the dominant warm water fish and provides a very good fishery.  There is a landing on the south shore on the west end of the lake that under dry conditions is useable with a 2-wheel drive vehicle.  The lake is made up 1142 acres with a maximum depth of 36 feet for the east basin and 42 feet for the west basin.

Nicatous Lake is spring fed, deep, 12 mile lake with brook trout, salmon, bass and pickerel.  Nicatous Lake is the only regional lake being stocked with brown trout.  Fish up to three pounds have been caught in this lake.  Check out www.nicatouslodge.com.

Anglers are encouraged to contact the regional biologists at (207)732-4131 for additional information on lakes in this region.

For a map of a lake, contact the Lincoln Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce at (207)794-8065.

Good Luck Fishing!