Bubble Pond covers 32 acres and is located inside Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island (MDI) in Hancock County, Maine (see The Atlas and Gazetteer map 16 B4). The pond is situated right off the Park Loop Road. Vehicles can be parked in a small paved lot which contains a clean bathroom. Be aware that you’ll need a pass to legally park your car anywhere inside the Park. The pass can be purchased on-line or at the visitor center on MDI. The pond is located about 200 ft further down from the parking area. The access point can only accommodate hand-carried craft. Besides, it lacks an official launch and motor boats with internal combustion engines are prohibited.
Bubble Pond sure is photogenic!
Bubble Pond is a small but gorgeous body of water. It is over half a mile long, which is quite remarkable given its small surface area of 32 acres. The reason for this peculiar lay-out is that it is formed inside a narrow but highly-elongated glacial valley, with Cadillac Mountain towering to the east and Pemetic Mountain looming to the west. The surface water is clear, with a substrate consisting entirely of gravel, cobbles, and boulders. The pond has a maximum and mean depth of 39 ft and 21 ft, respectively. It was stocked last fall and this spring with a total of 26 brook trout per acre. However, I suspect that a lot of the fish stocked last fall were harvested over the winter since the pond is open to ice fishing. Also, don’t expect a “remote” experience while fishing this pretty pond because the Park’s wide carriage road runs all along the western shoreline. This well-maintained gravel path is frequented by hikers, joggers, bicyclists, families with small children, horseback riders, etc. On the other hand, one could easily fish from shore along various spots on the carriage road in the spring when the water is still cool (<65ºF) and the trout are still inshore. General fishing law applies on this waterbody. Click here for the full fishing regulations. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
I reach Bubble Pond at 10 am. I only have about two hours this morning to figure it out. The sun is high in the blue sky (never a good thing when trout fishing…) and the breeze is blowing stiffly from the southeast. I start by paddling upwind to the other end of the pond along the western shoreline in about 10 ft of water trolling with lead core line one color down (about 5 ft deep). I’m using three small trout spoons tied in tandem to each other. I get one hit but no hook-up. I turn the canoe around and let the wind push me all the way back to the starting point while using my ultra-light spinning rod to cast a small #1 Mepps spinner along the same shoreline. Nothing… I turn the canoe around and troll upwind again to the other end of the pond but along the opposite (eastern) shoreline placing my three lures one color down. Nothing… Mmm, this is not looking good. I turn the canoe around but place it so that I’m over the deep trench that runs through the center of the pond. I fish my lead core line three colors down and paddle back to the starting point. Nothing…
Buddy, you were hard to find and catch!!!
I’m quickly running out of time and options. I switch out the three small spoons which haven’t produced and replace them with three slightly larger and more colorful spoons. I paddle back upwind along the eastern shoreline but stay off-shore a bit more while fishing my lures two colors (about 10 to 12 ft below the surface) down . Finally, a brookie recognizes all my strenuous efforts and grabs one of the lures. It’s not much of a fish (9”) but at least I’m not skunked and Bubble Pond can go off my list. It’s also time to leave this pretty but capricious pond behind and move on to the next one.
The results: I landed one 9” brook trout in 2 hours of hard fishing.
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