Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

No matter how you look at it, New England anglers are lucky! The region boasts the best of all watery worlds -- early-spring brooks, cool summer lakes and productive coastal waters. Some of the country’s best wild brook trout habitat may be found in New England.

There are also trophy largemouth bass fisheries and thousands of miles of Atlantic Ocean where big stripers and bluefish abound.

With so many habitats and species to choose from, it would take a lifetime to fish them all! Here’s a roundup of best bets to consider as you make your fishing vacation plans for 2008.

JANUARY
Northern Pike
Worden’s Pond, R.I.
Worden’s Pond is Rhode Island’s largest freshwater pond. This South Kingstown water is a hotspot for winter pike in the 10- to 15-pound range. Shiners work here, no matter where you drill your holes.

State-owned access is available on Worden’s Pond Road off Route 110.

Rainbow Trout
Granite Lake, N.H.
Granite Lake in Nelson and Stoddard is stocked with rainbow trout. Rainbows may be caught by drilling holes close to shore in two to three feet of water. Use a tip-up baited with a salmon egg or small night crawler. Or fish 30 to 40 feet under the ice with a night crawler or small shiner.

Access is on the southwestern side of the lake on Granite Lake Road, off of Route 9.

Lake Trout
Moosehead Lake, Maine
This big lake is brimming with lake trout in the 14- to 18-inch range, which anglers are being encouraged to keep. Access may be had in several locations. Try Junction Wharf in Greenville Junction or the Kineo boat launch area in Rockwood off routes 6 and 15 out of Greenville.

FEBRUARY
Lake Trout
Seymour Lake, Vt.
Seymour Lake in Morgan is one of the Northeast Kingdom’s finest waters for big lake trout. Five-pounders are the norm, and 10-pounders are not unheard of.

Fish deep. Try the southern bend and points along the western shore. Take Route 111 to reach the lake, where state-owned access and parking are available.

Northern Pike
Bantam Lake, Conn.
The 947-acre Bantam Lake in Morris and Litchfield is Connecticut’s largest natural lake. Bantam is considered the best lake in the state for taking big pike through the ice.

State-owned access may be had on the southeastern shore. From Route 61, take Route 109 west for 0.9 miles, and then go right onto East Shore Road for 0.5 miles.

Access is on the left. More access may be had along the southwestern shore along Route 209.

Cusk
Lake Winnipesaukee, N.H.
The state record for cusk was broken twice last year by ice-anglers on Lake Winnipesaukee. The previous record had stood for 23 years! Six-pound cusk are common and a few 10- pound fish are taken annually.

The new record is 12.22 pounds so drill those holes wider!

MARCH
Landlocked Salmon
Great Averill Lake, Vt.
Great Averill Lake is home to brown trout, lake trout, brookies and landlocked salmon. Better get there quick, though. Ice-fishing season runs from the third Saturday in January to March 15. The total of trout and salmon taken daily may not exceed two fish.

Largemouth Bass
Glen Charlie Pond, Mass.
For plenty of larger-than-average largemouth bass, 185-acre Glen Charlie is the place to go. Perch, pickerel and other panfish are also plentiful.

Public access is through town-owned land at the gas line crossing two miles north of Route 6.

Brook Trout
Mousam Lake, Maine
This lake in Acton and Shapleigh is one of the region’s most heavily stocked brook trout waters. Brood stock and fall yearlings are poured into these waters to allow hardwater anglers to pull some big trout through the ice. (Continued)

State-owned access may be had off Route 109.