Environmental Studies Quick Links
FISHING
The St. Croix watershed is well known across Maine and New Brunswick for its incredible fishing opportunities from the headwaters to the estuary. While the St. Croix International Waterway Commission is not affiliated with any guides or guiding associations, we always recommend hiring a local registered Maine or New Brunswick guide who knows the woods and waters best. Many famous sporting camps exist in the St. Croix watershed that offer a variety of angling opportunities.
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Don't just take our word for it - come experience it yourself! The diversity of fisheries present in the watershed offer some of the best warmwater species fishing in the Northeast, especially for Smallmouth Bass, as well as excellent cold-water fisheries opportunities for native Landlocked Salmon and Lake Trout in some of the larger glacial lakes.
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Please note that fishing the boundary waters lakes and St. Croix River requires either a Maine or New Brunswick fishing license. Fishing between two points of land or within a cove requires that jurisdictions fishing license - for example fishing between two points of Maine land on Spednic Lake will require a Maine license! For more information on fishing regulations, please refer to the following:
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Chiputneticook Lakes Region
The Chiputneticook Lakes comprise a chain of lakes (East Grand, Mud, Spednic, and Palfrey Lakes) at the headwaters of the East Branch St. Croix River that straddle the international boundary between Canada and the United States.
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East Grand Lake is known for its excellent coldwater sportfisheries, primarily for Landlocked salmon and Lake Trout (Togue). Other fish of interest in East Grand are the Lake Whitefish, Smallmouth Bass, and Brook Trout.
Spednic Lake is well regarded as one of the best Smallmouth Bass lakes in Eastern North America, with bass caught every year that tip the scales at over 5 pounds. Other species of interest are Landlocked Salmon, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and Chain Pickerel.
St. Croix River
The St. Croix offers fantastic angling opportunities for riverine Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, White and Yellow Perch, Landlocked Salmon, Brook Trout, Chain Pickerel, and more. The Upper St. Croix has many pools, ledges, and riffles as well as deeper, slower flatwater sections offering a truly diverse, isolated, and remote angling experience for a variety of species. The lower St. Croix tailwater sections offer fantastic fishing for Smallmouth Bass, with 50+ fish days not unheard of.
Downeast Lakes Region/West Branch
The fabled Downeast Lakes region and the West Branch of the St. Croix River lie entirely within the State of Maine and include world-class sportfishing opportunities for Lake Trout (Togue), Landlocked Salmon, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, White and Yellow Perch and more. Pristine and storied waterbodies such as Grand Falls Flowage, Big Lake, West Grand Lake, and more all exist centered around the historic village of Grand Lake Stream, which offers one of the best fisheries in Eastern North America for native Landlocked Salmon.
Estuary
The St. Croix Estuary begins at the towns of St. Stephen and Calais and extends to Passamaquoddy Bay and the Fundy Isles region. Angling opportunities for species like the Winter Flounder, Striped Bass, American Shad, Pollock, Cod, and more can all be found in this area.
