Fishing for largemouth bass is a cherished summer activity for many fishermen in southern Maine. The desired quietness and loneliness, however, can be rudely impacted by the unwelcome hustle and bustle of jet skiers, swimmers, speed boaters, other fishermen, general shore activity, or busy road traffic. My goal was to find, and share with you, hidden largemouth bass fishing spots scattered throughout York County. I focused on small ponds less than 50 acres in size, located off the beaten track but still readily accessible by car (no need for 4X4 driving or hiking through the woods!). I also avoided ponds with excessive shore development. A small motorized boat could be launched on a few of these ponds, but most are fishable only by hand-carried craft, such as a canoe or kayak. This selection process ensures that you will likely be fishing for largemouth bass all by yourself in unspoiled, quiet, natural surroundings. The ponds are also small enough that they can be covered in a lazy afternoon or a long summer evening. Finally, I fished each one of them to ensure that they contain largemouth bass, which they did! Click here for an overview of the lures I like to use on these fish. I’ve also identified fabulous largemouth bass ponds in Cumberland County, south coastal Maine, and southern Oxford County.
And the fabulous ponds for York County are (in alphabetical order)….
BARTLETT POND, WATERBORO, MAINE
View of Bartlett Pond
Bartlett Pond sits in the middle of a triangle formed by Route 5, Deering Ridge Road, and Bennett Hill Road in Waterboro (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 B5). The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer shows a trailerable boat launch at the southern end of the pond. Note that this launch is NOT trailerable. It is also located on a private forest road and is therefore not accessible to the public. One way onto the pond is to launch a canoe on Bartlett Brook which flows through a culvert underneath Bennett Hill road 0.9 miles north of Route 5. The stream is narrow and confining at first but quickly opens up into a wide passageway through an enormous marsh. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the pond by that scenic route.
General view of Bartlett Pond
Bartlett Pond covers 30 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 18 ft. The pond is the remnant of a much larger body of water which has been slowly filling in over the ages by a quaking bog. The setting is quite beautiful, tranquil, and serene. The southern and eastern shorelines are completely wooded and undisturbed. The edge of the marsh defines the northern and western shorelines, with the forest delineated in the background. The surface water is darkly colored. The bottom of the pond experiences a dissolved oxygen deficiency in the summer, which limits the fishing to the upper reaches of the water column. Patchy floating and emergent aquatic vegetation grows in the shallows around the rim of the pond providing good bass habitat. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
BOYD POND, LIMINGTON, MAINE
General Viw if Boyd Pond
Boyd Pond is located on the north side of Mill Turn Road, about 0.2 miles east of Route 117 in Limington (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 E4). The edges of this 26-acre pond (maximum depth = 19 ft) are completely surrounded by wide, dense beds of lily pads. The surface water is lightly stained. The shoreline is mostly wooded and only one house is visible from the pond.
View of the lily pads around Boyd Pond
Access to Boyd pond is via the outlet that flows underneath Mill Turn Road. The outlet is narrow, weed choked and shallow (< 2 ft) and will only accommodate small hand-carried craft. A boat ramp is not available. The pond itself is about 300-400 ft further up from the road. A large paved area right next to the outlet allows fire trucks to pump water from the outlet into their tanks. Don’t park in that area because you will likely be towed. Instead, leave your car on the shoulder of the road next to the paved area. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
KILLICK POND, HOLLIS, MAINE
Killick Pond is located off Killick Pond Road or Sand Pond Road in Hollis (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 E5). The pond can be accessed with some difficulty from several directions, two of which are described below:
(1) Take Route 35 (Bonny Eagle Road) south and turn right on Killick Pond Road. After about 1 mile, turn right on Berube Lane (an improved dirt road). Pass the Poland Spring plant on the left, the high-voltage lines, and the “Killick Pond Wildlife Management Area” panel. The road narrows and becomes rough as it enters the woods. The pond outlet is about 0.2 miles further down on the left. Only hand-carried crafts can be launched from this access point. Beware of the gate at the beginning of Berube Lane. It was open when I checked out the area in late afternoon but I do not know if it is closed at some point in the evening.
(2) Take Route 35 (Bonny Eagle Road) south and turn right on Sand Pond Road just after crossing the Saco River. Drive on Sand Pond Road for about 2.3 miles before turning left on Old Stage Road (an improved dirt road). Stay on this road for 0.1 mile before turning right on Brick Tavern Lane (an improved dirt road). Stay on this road for 0.4 miles (always stay on the right), pass underneath the high-voltage lines, and turn left on Promised Lane (an unmarked and unimproved dirt road) about 150 ft after the high voltage-lines. Stay on this road for 0.3 miles (bear right at the two splits). Promised Lane is quite rough, but drivable all the way to where it ends at a fire pit. The pond is about 200 ft further down. Only hand-carried crafts can be launched from this access point.
View down Killick Pond
It is well-worth the effort of getting on Killick Pond!! This picturesque 45-acre water body is completely undeveloped and surrounded by woods. Only two houses are located along its shoreline. Because of the difficult access, the pond is lightly fished and devoid of motorized craft. One gets the impression of experiencing a truly remote pond, even though it is located only 25 miles outside of Portland! The pond also feels much bigger than its surface area would suggest, because it is rather narrow but over one mile long. Killick Pond has a maximum depth of 12 ft but is shallower on average.
View of Killick Pond shoreline
Only sparse floating and emergent aquatic vegetation occurs along most of its shoreline, except at the two ends of the ponds. Other structure includes tree stumps, submerged branches, and shrubs around the shoreline. The substrate consists mostly of fine sand. The water is slightly stained. Overall, this habitat is made for largemouth bass! Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
LITTLEFIELD POND, SANFORD, MAINE
View of the shoreline of Littlefield Pond
Littlefield Pond is located in Sanford (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 C3). Access to the pond is as follows: drive west on Route 224 (Pleasant Street) into Springvale. Turn right on Payne Street . Cross Beaver Hill Road unto Elm Street. Stay on Elm Street for 0.6 miles before turning left on Littlefield Road. Stay on this road for 0.5 miles before turning right on Emmons Road (a gravel road). The access point to the pond is 0.2 miles on the right.
View of Littlefield Pond
This 19-acre pond (maximum depth of 17 ft) is a beautiful fishing spot located no more than 10 minutes outside of the largest town in York County. Access to the pond is by permissive trespass. Only small, hand-carried craft can be launched from the access point. The pond water is crystal clear. The substrate consists of a mixture of fine material interspersed with numerous large boulders. The surrounding land is entirely wooded. Much of the pond is also ringed with a narrow band of emergent vegetation, interspersed with some lily pads and submerged fallen trees and branches. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
MILLIKEN MILLS POND, OLD ORCHARD BEACH, MAINE
View of Milliken Mills Pond
Milliken Mills Pond is an impoundment of Mill Brook (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 3 B3) in Old Orchard Beach. Access to the pond is on Milliken Mills Road, right by the dam on Portland Avenue. The launch is rough and can only handle hand-carried craft because a thick cable is stretched across the entrance way and half-a-dozen large granite blocks bar the way further down. The distance between the road and the water is no more than 150 ft. Parking is on the road shoulder and is limited to two or three cars.
Great bass habitat along the shoreline of Milliken Mills Pond
Even though the pond is small (10 acres), it gives the impression of being much larger because it is quite narrow (< 130 ft), and hence very long (over 0.5 mile!). The pond has little aquatic vegetation but a multitude of overhanging branches and fallen trees. The water is also crystal-clear. This small water body, located no more than 12 miles south of Portland, provides a remarkable feeling of “remoteness”. Both banks are densely wooded and devoid of houses or camps. Further upstream, the heavy canopy on both banks provides a cocoon-like feeling. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
MOOSE POND, ACTON, MAINE
The shoreline of Moose Pond
Moose Pond is located right off H Road in Acton (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 A1). Access to the pond is via a rough boat launch visible from H Road. The launch, which is located by the outlet, could accommodate small trailered boats. A small wooden plaque affixed to a nearby tree states that motorboats are not allowed on the pond. However, a review of the ME Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fishing rule book does not state that engines are forbidden. Hence, it appears that the plaque may reflect the views of local homeowners.
General view of Moose Pond
Moose Pond is a real beauty! It covers 27 acres and has a maximum depth of 20 ft. The substrate consists of coarse sand, rubble, and boulders. The water column is crystal clear and stays oxygenated throughout the summer. Sparse aquatic vegetation extends in the shallows both on the right and left side of the launch. The rest of the pond supports little vegetation or structure. The shoreline is heavily wooded and only has a handful of houses, which provides a real sense of “remoteness”. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
WARDS POND, LIMINGTON, MAINE
View of the shoreline of Wards Pond
August 10, 2015 UPDATE: One of my blog readers (thanks, Tom) reported that the unnamed forest road into Wards Pond off Route 11 (Sokokis Avenue) was recently posted as “PRIVATE PROPERTY” and is therefore no longer accessible to the public. Feel free to let us know if you can find another way into this pond by car so that I can share it with everyone.
Wards Pond is located off Route 11 in North Limington (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D5). Access to the pond is as follows: drive west on Route 25 (Ossipee Trail), turn right on Route 11 (Sokokis Avenue), drive on Route 11 for 0.7 miles before turning right on an unnamed forest road (right across from Helmlock Lane). This trail, which is rough but passable with a car, reaches the north-western end of the pond after about 0.2 miles. A sandy launch allows access for small trailered boats, as well as hand-carried craft. Beware that the sand is soft and that it is a real challenge to pull a boat up the slope of the launch using a front wheel drive car, as I experienced the hard way!
General view of Wards Pond
This 44-acre pond is a another hidden gem in southern Maine. The water has a deeply-stained color. Most of the shoreline is wooded with minimal development. Only four camps are visible from the pond. The entire shoreline is ringed by floating and emergent aquatic vegetation. The amount of vegetation is not excessive because the pond rapidly gains depth away from the shore. The maximum depth is 34 ft. The deeper part of the lake is off-limit to fish in the summer because of a severe oxygen deficiency down below. Hence, much of the summer fishing is concentrated along the shoreline. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
YORK POND, ELIOT, MAINE
View of the shoreline of York Pond
York Pond is located in Eliot (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 1 A3). The access to this body of water is well “hidden”. Drive on Route 91 and turn unto York Shore Drive, which leads through a residential development. Turn right on York Pond Road after 0.2 miles. Go to the end by the circle and look for mail box #6. Get on the driveway but make an immediate left on a rough, stony forest road. The access point to the pond is about 500 ft further down on the right. Even though a small trailered boat could be launched, the fishing rule book states that motorboats with internal combustion engines are prohibited on the pond. So, only craft powered by sweat or an electric motor are allowed on the water.
A beautiful sunset over York Pond
This 45-acre pond (maximum depth of 11 ft) is another hidden gem in southern Maine. It is simply gorgeous! The western end of the pond abuts a large marsh. The shoreline is fringed mostly with small bushes that grow in dense stands all along the water’s edge. The aquatic vegetation is surprisingly sparse and consists mainly of scattered lily pads. The lack of floating vegetation is probably not a surprise because the pond rapidly gains depth away from the shoreline. The water is also darkly stained. The land around the pond is heavily wooded, with only a handful of houses visible from the pond. One truly gets the impression of “remoteness” when fishing this body of water. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.