The boat launch is spacious, and plenty of parking is available nearby.
Pennesseewassee Lake covers 922 acres and is located in Norway, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 D1). Access is through a high-quality public boat launch off Route 118. Coming in from Harrison, drive north on Route 117 all the way to the lake. Turn left at the stop sign on Route 118, go for 0.3 miles, and then turn right at the blue boat launch sign. The launch itself is spacious, and the nearby parking area can accommodate many vehicles.
View of Pennesseewassee Lake towards the islands by the northern basin. It is a windstill this morning.
Pennesseewassee Lake is moderately developed and consists of a larger southern basin and a smaller and shallower northern basin, separated by several wooded islands. During the summer, anglers targeting salmonids do best to focus their efforts on the southern basin – and in particular the southern half of this basin – because of its greater depth. One negative about this location is the incessant traffic whizzing by on Route 118, which runs along the shoreline. That traffic is visible and quite audible from the water, which takes away from the experience. I used my special approach to identify this lake as a target for catching rainbows in the summer. The water quality data for this lake published by Lakes of Maine shows that the thermocline is found 23 to 26 ft. deep in mid-July, but is oxygen deficient (i.e., < 6 parts per million [ppm]), as is the cooler water below it. The water above the thermocline has plenty of oxygen (i.e., > 7 ppm) but is too warm (>70°F) to support salmonids. As a result, the local salmonids and their baitfish are “squeezed” in a narrow band of relatively cool and oxygenated water found about 20 ft. below the surface. That is my target fishing depth this morning. Note the critical need to determine this depth based on data prior to reaching the lake in order to place the lures in the proper strike zone. Fish too deep and the water is cool but oxygen deficient; fish too shallow and the water has enough oxygen but is too warm. An aggressive stocking program yields an annual stocking density of two rainbow trout per acre, which has turned this lake into an easily-accessible, regional rainbow trout fishery powerhouse, with secondary fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon. The lake has a mean and maximum depth of 18 ft. and 48 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map and (ancient) fisheries information. Maine’s general fishing laws for the South Zone apply during open-water fishing at this location. The lake is also open to ice fishing in the winter.
All my calculations bore fruit! Unfortunately, this fish is coming home because it got caught in the gills and is bleeding out.
I get out of bed at an ungodly hour and arrive at the launch by 5 am. Sunrise this morning is at 5:10 am. It is wind-still, foggy, humid, and warm (70°F). The temperature of the water at the surface is 75°F. The forecast calls for full sunshine and 90+°F later today. I want to fish the “golden hour”, i.e., the low-light period that occurs 30 minutes before and an hour or so after sunrise when salmonids are actively foraging but before higher light levels shuts down the feeding. I troll using an 8-weight fly rod with lead core line, as well as a spinning rod with my portable downrigger. I tie three one-hook, smelt-imitating streamer flies to the lead core line, and three small (<2 inches long) spoons to the spinning rod. The fish can choose from six different lures! I also keep my lures small when targeting rainbows. I printed out the depth map for Pennesseewasse Lake and circled the zone with 30+ ft. of water in the southern basin to highlight my target area and avoid wasting time looking for it. I use an electronic depth finder to keep me over the right water depth. At 5:45 am (still during the “golden hour”…), I get a great hit on the fly rod which I am holding in my hand. I hook and fight a nice rainbow trout. Yes!! It is so exciting when all my calculations actually work out. I try to net the fish as fast as possible to limit its exposure to the warm surface water. However, my efforts are for naught because I hooked the trout in the gills, and it is bleeding. Darn, I cannot release this fish. I reluctantly keep it with me for lunch.
Bass like to hang around the cool thermocline during the hot summer months.
The fog has lifted by 6:30 am and the sun is throwing its harsh light across the water. My chances of catching another salmonid at this point are quickly decreasing. My spinning rod suddenly starts shaking, announcing another customer at the other end of the line. I fight a spirited fish which announces itself as a smallmouth bass when it breaches the surface water. I have caught many bass in the past fishing for salmonids in the thermocline in the summer (click here, here, here, and here for examples). Today is no exception. That, however, is the last activity for this morning. I continue trolling until 8 am but get no more customers and call it good. Summer trolling for salmonids is “technical” but can be rewarding. Today was no exception.
The winning lures for this morning (note: I caught the trout on the Parsons Tom streamer fly). Notice their diminutive size. Bows are attracted to smaller, more compact lures.
The results: I caught one rainbow trout (18 inches) and one smallmouth bass in 3 hours of fishing.
Was the information in this blog useful? I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions. Also, feel free to discuss your fishing experiences at this location.
Tight Lines, y’all.
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