Tag Archives: Androscoggin County

Fishing for Smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River in Brunswick, Maine (September 1, 2018)

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The turn-off is in front of this sign next to mailbox #822 on River Road.

My goal this afternoon is to fish the Androscoggin River below the dam and hydropower station located in Brunswick, Maine, across the river from Pejepscot (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 6 B2). Note that I am not talking about the “head of tide” dam/power station located in downtown Brunswick (see The Atlas and Gazetteer map 78 B2, just upstream of the route 24/201 bridge over the river). For the record, I did fish that latter spot this morning and only caught 4 scrawny smallmouth bass in 1.5 hours of intense fishing in what otherwise looked like an ideal location. I suspect that the twice-a-day brackish conditions in this section of the river are less suitable to sustain a healthy and robust bass population. Hence, I didn’t bothered writing a blog about this tidal location.

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Fishing for smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River in Livermore, Maine (August 25, 2018)

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Tank #1.

I continue exploring the outstanding smallmouth bass fishery on the middle Androscoggin River by fishing downstream of the Otis hydropower station located in Livermore, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 A5). To reach this spot coming from Livermore Falls, drive over the Route 4 (Bridge Street) bridge across the river, turn right on Godlin Road immediately after crossing the river, drive no more than 200 ft and then hang a right on Spruce Mountain Road. Park your car along the grassy shoulder of the road, across from mailbox #72. The river will be flowing on your right. This access point is not official and requires dragging your canoe or kayak through 75 ft of brush to reach the water. The dam and the power station are about 1000 ft further upstream.

 

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Fishing for Smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River in Livermore Falls, Maine (August 18, 2018)

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The Livermore Dam access point on River Road

I continue my summer-long exhilarating smallmouth bass exploration of the middle Androscoggin River (click here, here, and here for earlier blogs on the subject) by checking out the spot around the Livermore Dam in Livermore Falls, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 A5). The public access point is located on River Road off Federal Road (a.k.a. Route 4), just below the Bridge Street bridge over the river in Livermore Falls. Note that this access point can only accommodate hand-carried craft.

 

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Fishing for smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River in Lisbon, Maine (July 7, 2018)

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View of Rapid #1 from upstream.

The section of the Androscoggin River flowing in the area of Lisbon in Androscoggin County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 6 AB 1) supports a thriving summer smallmouth bass fishery. The trick to success is to locate the kinds of habitat that will attract, concentrate, and retain these beautiful creatures. The required ingredients include adequate current, bouldery substrate, and appropriate depth. I’m focusing my attention this afternoon on a two-mile stretch of the Androscoggin River which provides easy access to this preferred habitat. I launch my motor boat from the excellent public access point on Sabattus Stream next to Frost Hill Avenue (right off Route 196/Lisbon Street). I float underneath Route 196 and the railroad tracks before turning right and motoring upriver. For the record, this fishing trip can also be accomplished using a canoe or kayak but will require muscle power.

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Ice fishing on Crystal Pond in Turner, Maine (January 27, 2018)

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The ice is glare and the light levels are low.

Crystal Pond (a.k.a. Beals Pond) covers 47 acres and is located in Turner, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 C4). This body of water is immediately adjacent to Route 4. Ample space is available to leave vehicles next by the pond, but be aware that this parking area is typically not plowed in the winter. During my visit, the snow was all packed down and icy due to the recent thaw, and I was able to park my car off the road. That may not be the case after a snow storm or if the snowplows have left behind a deep snowbank next to the road. In that case, vehicles must be parked in the breakdown lane of Route 4.

 

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Smallmouth bass fishing on the Androscoggin River, Lisbon Falls, Maine (July 20, 2017)

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Great smallmouth bass holding habitat downstream of the Route 125 bridge: shallow and deep water, boulders, and multiple current seams.

My 10-year old nephew Matt is visiting from “away” for a couple of days. He has never fished before, but expresses an interest in trying it out. I have to find a fishing spot where he (a) can cast wildly without causing harm or getting snagged, (b) is guaranteed to catch fish regardless of skill level, and (c) can experience the joy of seeing a fish jump out of the water after it’s been hooked. I quickly set my eyes on the half-mile stretch of the Androscoggin River that runs between the boat launch on Route 196 (Lewiston Road) and the hydropower dam in Lisbon Falls located just upstream of the Route 125 bridge over the river. I have fished this short stretch in the past for smallmouth bass and have consistently done well on it. Note that the access point off Route 196 represent a substantial boat launch that can handle larger vessels. The launch also has plenty of parking spaces across the old railroad tracks.

 

 

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Androscoggin County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Androscoggin County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of pond, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the fishing slows down in response to rising surface water temperatures.

 

More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Androscoggin County are as follows (in alphabetical order):

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TOP brook trout ponds for the 2017 ice fishing season in Androscoggin County, Maine

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The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2017 ice fishing season in Androscoggin County are highlighted below (in alphabetical order). A pond is considered “top” based on its stocking density. Simply put, the more trout are packed per acre, the higher the chances of catching them through the ice!

For the purpose of this blog, I’ll define a brook trout pond as a body of water with a surface area of less than 100 acres which is stocked in the fall with hatchery-reared brook trout to support ice fishing. These ponds tend to freeze over early in the season and are typically safe to fish well before the bigger lakes become accessible. This provides early-action opportunities for those of us (myself included!) who just can’t wait to get the hard-water fishing season going. Click here for tips to increase your chances of catching more brookies through the ice.

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Rainbow trout fishing on Middle Range Pond, Poland, Maine (November 27, 2016)

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Middle Range Pond is a heavily-developed 366-acre body of water located in Poland, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). A private hard-top boat launch is located at Cyndi’s Dockside restaurant (www.dockside.me) right off Route 26 at the northern end of the pond. Keep in mind that the launch fee at this spot is $8. An alternative (and free) public boat launch can be found at the northern end of Upper Range Pond off Range Hill Road. Boat access to Middle Range Pond is via a large passage underneath this road.

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Largemouth bass fishing on Lower Range Pond, Poland, Maine (August 26, 2016)

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The extensive shallow weedy area on Lower Range Pond looking towards Route 26 in the background

The extensive shallow weedy area on Lower Range Pond by the campground

Lower Range Pond is a 290-acre body of water located in Poland, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). An excellent hard-top boat launch is located in Range Pond State Park off Plains Road on the eastern side of the lake. Users must pay an access fee to enter the park and use this launch. I also note here that, as per the fishing rules, motor boats over 10 horsepower are not allowed on this pond. That means no speed boats or jet skis or other loud commotion on the water. I access the pond this morning via the Poland Spring campground (right off Route 26) where my son and his family are spending a few days camping before the kids head back to school again.

 

 

 

 

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