View of Kennebunk Pond from the launch area.
Kennebunk Pond is a 224-acre body of water located in Lyman, York County, Maine (see The Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 B5). To reach this location, from Route 111 (Alfred Road), turn into Kennebunk Pond Road and drive for less than two miles. The unimproved boat launch at the eastern tip of the pond will appear to your left. This launch is associated with a small sandy beach. A spacious municipal parking lot is located across the road from the launch.
The public launch at the northern end of Worthley Pond only allows for hand-carried craft.
Worthley Pond is a 42-acre body of water located in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). To reach the public access point from Route 26, turn onto Route 122 towards Auburn, drive for 1.4 miles passed the signage for Range Pond State Park, and turn right on Worthley Pond Road. Drive down that road for 0.2 miles; it is rough in spots but drivable all the way with a regular car. The access to the pond is on the left. Beware that The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer – at least my 2019 version – shows that the launch can accommodate trailed boats. That was true in the past but is no longer the case. The access has been obstructed for years by two large cement blocks so that only hand-carried craft can be launched from this location.
The boat launch for Bryant Pond. The dock is gone for the winter. The outlet is at the back of this picture towards the right. The grassy berm is also visible.
Bryant Pond (a.k.a. Christopher Pond) is a 278-acre body of water located in Woodstock and Greenwood, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 B5). To access this pond, drive on Route 26 and turn off on Old County Road. Drive for about 1 mile before turning left on Rowe Hill Road. The public access point will be immediately to your right and is clearly marked with a blue sign. It is in a small municipal park next to the pond’s outlet. The boat launch is hard-topped. Plenty of parking spaces are available.
Lower Range Pond is a 290-acre body of water located in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5A3). The public access point is situated at the southeastern end of the pond, within Range Pond State Park. The entrance to the park is clearly indicated by an iconic brown state park sign on Route 122. After entering the park, drive straight down the road to the huge parking area. The sandy boat launch is found towards the back end of that lot. The gate is open and the booth unattended when I enter the park this afternoon. The place is empty, except for a lone kayaker and a few walkers.
The unimproved public access point to Dodge Pond can accommodate small trailed boats.
This blog continues my exploration of the trout fishing opportunities in the Rangeley region. Click here, here, here, here, here, and here for other reports from this general area. Dodge Pond is a 230-acre body of water located in Rangeley, Franklin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 28 E4). The public access point consists of an unimproved boat launch located at the southern tip of the pond by the outlet on Route 4/16. The gravel ramp can accommodate small, trailered boats. Parking is rather limited at the launch itself, but several more parking spots are available along an expanded shoulder on the other side of the bridge over the outlet.
Look for this trail sign next to pole 282 to turn off Pumpkinville Road towards the gate.
Long Pond is a 58-acre body of water located in Sullivan, Hancock County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 24 E4). From Route 1, turn on Pumpkinville Road next to Sumner Memorial High School, and drive for about 1.5 miles down that road (I forgot to measure the exact distance). The access point will be on your left, down an unmarked road. Look for an electrical pole at the turn-off with a dark blue sign and the number 282. Next to that pole is a discrete wooden sign for “Long Ledges Preserve” and “East Side Trail”. Drive down that road for a couple of 100 ft. until you reach a closed metal gate. Leave your vehicle parked by the gate and walk for 5 minutes down a well-maintained gravel road until you reach the pond. Only hand-carried craft can be launched from the access point which consists of flat slabs of rock.
The public access point next to Route 182 consists of an unimproved sandy boat launch.
Fox Pond is a 77-acre body of water located in T10 SD, Hancock County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 24 D5). Its northern shoreline abuts Route 182 (Black Woods Road). The pond is just to the northwest of Tunk Lake. The public access consists of an unimproved dirt launch next to Route 182 at the northeastern tip of the pond. The launch can accommodate small, trailered boats. A few vehicles can be parked by the launch.
The first brookie of the afternoon.
The Pleasant River is a relatively short stream which originates in Gray and merges with the Presumpscot River near South Windham. The stretch I am targeting this afternoon flows upstream from the bridge on Windham Center Road in Windham (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D2). Other good fishing areas flow between Windham Center Road and the Pope Road bridge (behind the Windham high school), and the stretch downstream from Pope Road. It and I are ancient friends as I have been visiting these waters on and off for over 25 years. It is remarkable how few people have discovered this place, given its central location close to several large population centers in southern Maine. I do not remember ever bumping into more than 3 or 4 people during any one outing. In fact, I see no one else during today’s trip even though it is a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in late spring, which is prime time for trout fishing!
Six of us are on our annual extended Memorial Day weekend fishing pilgrimage to Pierce Pond, located at the end of a long dirt road off the grid in Somerset County, just east of Flagstaff Lake (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 30 A2). We are staying for four days in one of the cozy cabins at Cobb’s Camps located across from Lindsey Cove. I love staying at Cobb’s because of the camaraderie among the guests who have been gathering at this place for decades, the honest home-cooked food, the super-friendly staff, and the authentic “sports camp” atmosphere from a bygone era. Also, the lack of electronic connection to the outside world forces everyone to unplug, slow down, and focus entirely on the business at hand, which is to catch salmonids.
My blog readers know that one of my angling “specialties” is to explore new places across our great state of Maine and consistently catch trout and salmon in open water or under the ice. Even though I reside in the Sebago Lakes region of southern Maine, I will confidently drive several hours into areas of the state unknown to me and catch salmonids in water bodies located at the end of dirt roads lost in the woods somewhere. Through trial and error, I have developed a winning strategy to uncover these places quickly and efficiently. This blog explains that approach and will help you do the same.
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