Dead River
Fishing, stocking, and current conditions
Stocked May to October in 2026: atlantic salmon and brook trout, 4 plants in all. One of 14 stocked waters on the Somerset County record. A USGS gauge reports from this water, so the conditions card on this page is live.
Somerset County · Maine · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Brook trout
Atlantic salmon
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked yesterday.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27 | Brook trout | yearling | 1,000 | completed |
| May 27 | Atlantic salmon | yearling | 100 | completed |
| Oct 20 | Brook trout | adult | 250 | completed |
| Oct 20 | Atlantic salmon | adult | 100 | completed |
When to fish Dead River
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 9:16-11:16 am and 9:38-11:38 pm | 3:31-4:31 am and 3:47-4:47 pm |
| Tomorrow | 10:02 am-12:02 pm and 10:26 pm-12:26 am | 4:44-5:44 am and 4:07-5:07 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Eastern Time (EDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 3 days ago (Oct 20)
- Flow 49% of the seasonal median
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Maine fishing forecast
Gear for this water
Stocked within the last three weeks: fish are still bunched near the release points and keyed on familiar smells.
For the trout (brook trout stocked 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Small jerkbaits | floating minnows in the 2 to 3 inch class for the deeper bends |
| Waders or wet-wading boots | stocked stream fish stack in the obvious pools; getting to the next one is the edge |
| Light spinning rod | 5 to 6.5 ft light or ultralight; short rods cast under branches |
For the salmon and steelhead (atlantic salmon stocked 2 times here in 2026, moving water)
| Spoons and spinners | 1/4 to 1/2 oz metal; cast across and swing through the run |
| Beads and egg imitations | drifted under a float where bait rules allow |
| Trolling flies and dodgers | for landlocked salmon in the lakes, early and late in the day |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Lake | 16 mi | Oct 20 |
| West Outlet (Moosehead Lake) | 18 mi | Sep 24 |
| Moosehead Lake | 21 mi | May 20 |
| Brassua Lake | 24 mi | May 20 |
| Sandy Stream | 26 mi | Apr 29 |
Follow Somerset County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule