Northern maine in July... any advise

[rippin_lips]

I just booked a 3 night trip to Long Lake camps in Princeton, ME.  I have been there once before and the fishing was awesome.  I was a lot younger but remember using mainly tubes and senkos most of the trip.  In early-mid july, what are the best areas to target fish and baits to use for smallies in northern maine?  Thanks in advance for any pointers that will make this trip epic.

[WTRDOG]

The best thing you could do,is when you get to the lodge ask the owner/operator or even the guides to point you in the right direction.I'm sure their is a map of the lake your going to fish at the camp.Have them point out the areas you should fish.These guys have seen and heard it all from there customers.They will do this because they want you to enjoy yourself and come back again.I have fished that area in the past and the fishing is good.One thing I will tell you bring lots of bug repellent and watch your low end unit on them rockpiles..Enjoy yourself.

[MaineBassMan]

You will be fishing in my neck of the woods. July bass around here can be tempermental and others times you just can't do anything wrong. I would suggest fishing wacky worms if the bite is a little off. You should have some suspending jerk baits, top water lures both hard and soft like horny toads, tubes, drop shotting rigs, lip less cranks, senkos, jigs and 3/8 oz spinner baits.

In the morning or depending on weather I would fish the flats any where from 3-10 ft for cruising feeding bass. I would try top water, jerk baits and spinner baits here or a tube with a fairly fast retrieve with lots of action.

If they ain't there I would look for submerged rock piles in deeper water, keep an eye out for bait fish on your fish finder. If you can find a good white perch hole you can usually find big smallies there feeding on the younger perch. I would fish the tubes, drop shot, jigs and lip less cranks here. Remember don't just cast and reel the lip less cranks or spinner baits give them some action and very your retrieve speeds.

I find that the better fishing this time of year is in the evening when the temp starts to cool. The bass will start feeding agian and they love top water and spinner baits churned along the surface. You will see them jumping 3-5 feet out of the water after dragon flies.

Have fun and good luck!! Post your results.

Like mentioned above don't be a hot rod if you don't know the lake you will regret it when you tear off your lower unit. A couple of guys from South Carolina were putting a really nice boat (Triton with a 225 mercury) in my home lake and being the nice guy that I am I tried to warn them about our shallow rocky lakes. I think they had a problem with northern guys cause they didn't seem too friendly. Long story short I'm out fishing later in the day and they go flying by and I'm thinking oh crap because they are heading for a submerged rock pile. Guess how this ends? yep busted their lower unit, and I ended up towing them back to the landing.

No matter where you take your fishing trip either north, south or out west listen to the locals it can save you a lot of headache.

[PatRI]

I would make sure you head over to Big Lake (it is connected to Long) this lake has everything you could want and more.  Don't forget to take along pop r's.

[MaineBassMan]

I would make sure you head over to Big Lake (it is connected to Long) this lake has everything you could want and more. Don't forget to take along pop r's.

Big lake is an awesome fishery, flats, weeds and rock piles. I have a tournament there in August.

[Bass-1]

I used to guide out of Long Lake camps. You can't go wrong if you get a good map of Big lake as it is "full" of rock piles and shallow water out in the middle. First place I would head to is the inlet where West Grand Lake dumps into big Lake. Current and cabbage in that area hold smallies and it is clear water. Watermelon senko's and lizards, spinner baits burned just under the surface and top water should work real nice then. Good luck and have fun...

[Woodsman]

What they said!