Maine Vacation Next Week! Need some local advice

[Hog Basser]

I will be in Maine all next week on a family vacation.  I figured out I can take a few rod/reel setups and a small box of tackle.  There is a pond behind our rental house that's a pretty good size, but I also want to try other local bodies of water and charter a guided boat at least one day for some striper or other inland waterways fishing.  I have already purchased a NR 7-day fishing license, so I'm good to go there. 

 

We are staying in the area between Camden and Belfast (Searsmont). 

 

Questions:

1. I believe lead weights are outlawed, correct?

2. Can someone recommend a reputable guide service for the inland waterways (striper fishing)?  I have found several online, but there's not much to go on. 

3. What are the local bodies of water that can be publicly fished from shore and have easy access?

4. Any other species I should attempt to target while there?

5. What artificial baits work best?  I'm packing a small tackle box and I have plenty to choose from, just need to get to the most productive baits in there. 

6. What are the best local bait shops to re-supply and/or get live bait for my kids if needed?

7. Any other tips for things to do in the area?

 

Thanks in advance for the replies! 

 

[WestBranch]

Don't know about guides.

Lead is not allowed. Top waters like rat BBZ and whopper plopper work well for me

 

There's megunticook lake on rt 52 in Lincolnville,

swan lake on rt 141 in swanville

and lake st George out rt 3 in liberty,

All have decent choice access 

[Hog Basser]

15 hours ago, UpTheHill said:

Don't know about guides.

Lead is not allowed. Top waters like rat BBZ and whopper plopper work well for me

 

There's megunticook lake on rt 52 in Lincolnville,

swan lake on rt 141 in swanville

and lake st George out rt 3 in liberty,

All have decent choice access 

Thanks!  I was planning on bringing at least one whopper plopper, I may pack a couple now.  I'll check out those lakes as possibilities!

[Hog Basser]

Do frogs work well in Maine?  I assume since they hit topwaters well, I may want to pack a few. 

 

Also, the owner hooks I use with the twistlock and keel-weight integrated on the hook I guess are outlawed too, since they are lead?  Does anyone make these in tungsten and are they available locally?  I would really like to swim some keitechs and rage swimmers while there and I like that setup the best. 

[Mainebass1984]

Go to Unity Pond. It will not disappoint.

[Hog Basser]

I will post pics later.  I didn't end up having much time to get out to other bodies of water, but the "pond" we were staying at was 400 acres and loaded with fish, so a good time was definitely had.  The owner claimed there were largemouth, but every bass I caught was a spot, but they were all very healthy and good fighters.  Caught a few pike and a yellow perch too, both firsts for me, so that was fun!  And I fished mostly from a kayak, which I hadn't done much of before and really liked. 

[Jigfishn10]

Really, spotted bass in Maine? I'm not questioning you @Hog Basser sarcastically, being from Arkansas I'm sure you caught your fair share of spots. I just didn't know they existed that far North.

 

If you're sure please let me know what lake you vacationed on, I would love to fish and land a spot. I've never caught one before.

[Hog Basser]

1 minute ago, Jigfishn10 said:

Really, spotted bass in Maine? I'm not questioning you @Hog Basser sarcastically, being from Arkansas I'm sure you caught your fair share of spots. I just didn't know they existed that far North.

 

If you're sure please let me know what lake you vacationed on, I would love to fish and land a spot. I've never caught one before.

I'm not positive, but they sure looked like spots.  The jawline didn't extend beyond the eye and they just didn't have as large of a mouth as I'm used to on a LMB.  I'll get some pics posted soon for you to judge.  I fished on Lawry Pond in Searsmont, but I think it is private access only and completely locked in by private property (but I may be wrong). 

[Jigfishn10]

1 minute ago, Hog Basser said:

I'm not positive, but they sure looked like spots.  The jawline didn't extend beyond the eye and they just didn't have as large of a mouth as I'm used to on a LMB.  I'll get some pics posted soon for you to judge.  I fished on Lawry Pond in Searsmont, but I think it is private access only and completely locked in by private property (but I may be wrong). 

Ok cool. I would love to see the pics. I'm guessing small mouth bass, but let's wait for the pics?

 

Either way, it sounds like you had a good vacation and experienced some "firsts".

[Hog Basser]

well, I tried, but my max size total allowed is really low for some reason right now.  I'll try again later to get the pics up. 

[Hog Basser]

resized this one to work.  For some reason I can only get 0.37MB per upload. 

Here's another.

[Jigfishn10]

They certainly look like largemouth?

[Hog Basser]

40 minutes ago, Jigfishn10 said:

They certainly look like largemouth?

Yeah, largemouth or spots, I didn't know spots don't normally range that far north.  Maybe it's just because they are shorter in length than I'm used to being northern LMB.  Mouths seemed a lot smaller than I'm used to which is why I was leaning toward spots.  Definitely not smallmouth. 

[Jigfishn10]

I'm surprised you didn't get larger bass, Maine usually produces some nice ones.

[Mainebass1984]

There are exactly zero spotted bass in Maine.

[Janderson45]

On 6/19/2017 at 7:11 PM, Mainebass1984 said:

There are exactly zero spotted bass in Maine.

Or anywhere in New England to my knowledge... would love to catch one though.. I see the ones Cody Meyer wacks out in cali and they look like a blast