It is a cold and windy day but the trout are biting.
Biscay Pond is a 377-acre body of water located in Bremen, Lincoln County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 7 A4). To reach this location, drive on Route 1 (Main Street) north in Damariscotta, turn right on Biscay Road and drive for about 3 miles down that road. The public access point will appear on your right. It consists of an unimproved boat launch found by a small sandy beach at the northern tip of the pond. Several vehicles can be parked off the road by the launch.
I wade back to shore after catching a trout to facilitate unhooking and avoid spooking the others.
Biscay Pond is a moderately developed water body which has a surprisingly “big” feel given its relatively small size. This is an illusion because the pond has the shape of a tadpole: it is over 3 miles long but is, on average, less than a 1,000 ft. wide… The pond was stocked earlier this fall with 400 13-inch brook trout and 350 12-inch brown trout in anticipation of the upcoming ice fishing season. I successfully trolled Biscay Pond for brown trout five years ago in early fall. Today, I want to see if I can catch brookies in my waders along the shoreline in the vicinity of the public access point. Fall fishing occurs under the general fishing laws applicable to the south zone except that a) only artificial lures can be used between October 1 and December 31, and b) all salmonids must be released at once. Click here for a depth map and (dated) fisheries information.
These fish give a splendid fight!
I reach the public access point of Biscay Pond at 11 am, don my waders, and dress up warmly. Darn, I forgot to put on my long johns before I left home; that is going to result in cold legs… The air temperature is 46°F, the sky is partly cloudy, but a stiff cold breeze blows in from the northwest. I notice upon entering the water that the wading conditions around the access point are perfect: the substrate is firm and sandy, the depth increases gradually, and the bottom lacks any obstructions. It is definitely a safe area to wade (click here, here, here, and here for other examples). I fish using an ultralight spinning rod, small spinning reel spooled with 6-pound test monofilament, and a magic #2 Mepps spinner. I removed one of the three hooks from the treble and flattened the barb on one of the two remaining hooks to minimize harm to the fish. I am also glad to see that I am the only one in the water today, which is typically the case this late in the fall.
Look at the spawning colors on this male!
I start wading and casting but fail to connect with any fish for the first 15 minutes. I cast out the spinner, let it sink towards the bottom, get the blade spinning, and then retrieve the lure by constantly twitching the tip of my rod to cause a flickering in the blade that triggers a strike. I have slowly moved way out into the water column when I finally get a hit and a hookup. Yes, I am not going home skunked today! I net the fish and return closer to shore to avoid spooking any others in the area and to safely take a picture before releasing the creature. It’s a male brookie in full spawning colors. I wade back out to the same depth and soon connect with another fish. This is good! I catch and release four trout in the next 20 minutes but must seek refuge in my vehicle due to a passing shower. That is OK because I can warm up my legs! The shower soon ends, and I wade back out again. I am glad to have the wind in my back because I can cast way out and keep the chilly breeze out of my face. I catch another four brookies over the next half hour, but then the bite stops. I need to call it quits anyway because I am shivering and my legs are cold. I leave Biscay Pond a happy angler and recommend this spot for its safe wading conditions. However, beware that the noise from the traffic buzzing by on Biscay Road is consistent and insistent.
The results: I caught eight brook trout (largest = 15 inches) in 1.5 hour of fun but chilled fishing.
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Tight Lines, y’all.
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