Freshwater fishing spots in northern tier of northern New England

Maine

Chesuncook Lake -- After Moosehead and Sebago, Maine's third-largest lake is Chesuncook, a 26,000-acre flatwater formed by Ripogenus Dam. The lake reaches depths of 150 feet and, aside from a few camps at the south end, remains remote and surrounded by forest. Salmon and trout abound in Chesuncook, and the place to start is Sandy Point along the west shore. Also, anglers trolling around the river mouths do well on the fish feeding on bait. The remoteness of Chesuncook (40 miles from Greenville) makes it a destination trip. Campsites can be reserved at the North Maine Woods office of the forest service.

Baxter State Park -- If you come over from Millinocket, it may be a good idea to package the trip with Baxter State Park, which contains at least two good brook trout ponds and is touched by the west branch of the Penobscot River. In this 202,539-acre wilderness park created by Percival Baxter, a former governor of Maine, Round and Rocky ponds are legendary for wild brook trout. They are easy to reach as roads in the park are well maintained. Aside from flatwater, both the Penobscot and Nesowadnehunk Stream -- a fly-fishing-only river -- offer a variety of brown trout and landlocked salmon.

St. John River -- Another wilderness experience, this river flows through the deep forest near the Quebec border and north to a confluence with the Allagash River at Allagash Plantation Village. Access is along gravel logging roads that are well maintained but necessitate sharing with fully loaded semis that move along at a good clip. Still, the remoteness of St. John and Baker Lake make this a real paradise for the sportsman who can be self-sustaining. This is truly one of those places where ''there's nowhere to go, nothing to do" for the mall-raised generation. The woods are full of moose and bear. A trip to these parts should be carefully planned.

Allagash Wilderness Waterway -- The St. John flows into this famous outdoor destination, a hundred-mile sweep of lakes and river that is truly the north country (located hundreds of miles farther than the tips of New Hampshire and Vermont). Most of the Allagash is heavily forested with a few gravel-packed roads. This country is for serious, hard-core sportsmen with real knowledge about life in the deep woods. For any fisherman or outdoorsman who really wants to encounter stunning natural beauty, planning a trip to the Allagash is just the answer.

New Hampshire

Upper Connecticut River -- The stretch well north of the White Mountain national forest (which draws summer tourist crowds) is the Upper Connecticut River, which flows through rolling hill country and forms a series of lakes by the same name. The town of Pittsburg is easily reached along Route 2 out of St. Johnsbury, then Route 3 up to Pittsburg. The Upper Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis comprise this stretch of rugged wilderness and excellent trout fishing.

Swift River -- In the White Mountain National Forest, this river offers a freestone stream with beautiful mountainous surroundings, good access, and plenty of camping opportunities along the way. The river runs from its headwater at Mt. Kancamagus to a confluence with the Saco River about 25 miles away. Since most east-west highways in the northeastern mountains follow riverbeds, the Swift is no exception, and the scenic Kancamagus Highway from Lincoln to Conway is a well-worn tourist and skier route. The road is dotted with camping and picnic areas, and at any of them anglers can access the river. For fly-fishers, there is an exclusive fly-fishing-only section. Like most streams of its kind -- without dams -- heavy rain causes the Swift to rise rapidly. Before heading here, call the state's wildlife field office to check the water levels.

Gale River -- A west-flowing tributary to the Ammonoosuc River, the Gale River is pretty freestone water that drains the White Mountains from the region of Twin Mountain, and at times is very rapid. Like the Swift, the water levels are subject to variation, and respond quickly to heavy rain and dry conditions. The lower river flows through Franconia along Route 18 and upstream. Along this stretch there are several spots to pull over and leave the car while you walk to the water. A few rainbows are found in the Gale, but the wild brookies are excellent game.

Vermont

Lamoille River -- One of the best-known waterways, this river flows from Caledonia County west to Lake Champlain, providing strong trout fishing well into July. Browns, rainbows, and brookies are the fare here, and are best fished on the lower river, where it increases in size and volume. Routes 16 and 15 run along the stream, and there are several places to pull off and park. Lower, near its mouth at Champlain, the Lamoille becomes a warmwater fishery with populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass. Many anglers launch canoes in the lower part of the river below Lake Lamoille, though wading is still done.

Missisquoi River -- Northeast of Burlington and north of the Lamoille is another north-west-flowing contributor to Lake Champlain. The river also has warmwater species near its end. But at its headwaters in Lowell, Vt., you can fly-fish for native brookies, and you will find them along the mouths of several tributaries. The river flows through the Northeast Kingdom with its rolling forests and farmland, across the Quebec border and back into Vermont, where it flows south and west to Enosburg. Most fly-fishermen concentrate on this 20-mile stretch because of its offerings of rainbow and brown trout, and wild brookies. Because it's so far north, spring comes late to these rivers, and with the rain this spring, the water can be high and fast. As you wade, look for the small holding pools that eddy out of the flow.

Lake Memphremagog -- Sometimes considered a Canadian lake because only the lower tip of the 30-mile lake falls south of the border, this relatively shallow water has a remarkable variety of offerings. Walleye, togue, brown and rainbow trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and panfish all live in the 6,300-acre lake, which is as pretty to take a ride on as it is fun to fish.

Lake Willoughby -- Located in the Northeast Kingdom, Lake Willoughby is more than 300 feet deep and has made an inland fjord by the soaring rock walls of Mt. Pisgah and Mt. Hor rising on the east and west sides of the narrow lake. Route 5A runs along the east shore, where the views are spectacular and anglers can obtain several services. Lake, rainbow, and perch are the principal species found in Willoughby, which is best accessed from Interstate 91 to Route 16 west.TONY CHAMBERLAIN