Tag Archives: brook trout

Ice fishing for brook trout and lake trout on Porter Lake in Strong, Franklin County, Maine (February 4, 2024)

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Porter Lake is a 527-acre body of water located in Strong, Franklin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 B1). From Norton Hill Road (Route 234), turn on Pond Road and drive for 1.1 miles before turning right on Beanies Beach Road by the blue public access sign. Stay on this gravel road for 0.5 miles all the way to the end by the boat launch which is also known as Bean’s Beach (note: do not turn right on West Shore Lane at the split). The public access is spacious and offers parking for up to two dozen vehicles.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Silver Lake in Phippsburg, Sagadahoc County, Maine (January 27, 2024)

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Most of the brookies I catch this morning are of this modest size.

 

Silver Lake is a 12-acre body of water located right next to the ocean in Phippsburg, Sagadahoc County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 6 E5). If you are quiet and listen attentively when on the ice, you can hear the waves crashing on the nearby beach! To reach this location, drive on Route 209 from Bath and pass Popham Beach State Park. The pond will appear within less than a mile from the entrance of the park. Just before reaching the southern tip of the pond, turn right on Hunnewell Avenue, which is a gravel road that splits off from Route 209. Drive 200-300 ft. on this road and leave your vehicle on the side. The access point will be to your left. Keep in mind that parking space is limited to a handful of vehicles (note: no parking is available or allowed on Route 209) and may also be a problem after a snowstorm.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Charles Pond in Georgetown, Maine (January 20, 2024)

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It’s tough to be a baitfish…

 

Charles Pond is a 14-acre body of water located next to Route 127 (Five Islands Road) in Georgetown, Sagadahoc County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 7 D1). The pond is located immediately next to the road and is therefore easily accessible. Vehicles can be parked along the wide shoulder. However, beware that parking may be a challenge following a snowstorm after the plows have pushed piles of snow on that shoulder.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Big Eddy Pond, Topsham, Sagadahoc County (January 15, 2024)

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The parking lot next to the transfer station can accommodate multiple vehicles. Note the total lack of snow…

 

Big Eddy Pond is a small, four-acre body of water located in the back of the Topsham Transfer Station at the end of Townsend Way, off Foreside Road in Topsham, ME. The pond is not shown on the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map. Consult the Google Maps link provided above to find your way in. Note that when the transfer station is active, one can just drive through the open gate all the way to the shore of the pond. However, make sure to stop and talk to one of the attendants to explain your intent. If the transfer station is inoperative, leave your vehicle by the small parking lot to the left of the closed gate and walk in. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to your destination.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Shirley Pond in Shirley, Piscataquis County, Maine (December 31, 2023)

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Shirley Pond is a 60-acre body of water located in the town of Shirley, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 41 E2). To reach this location, drive north on Routes 6/15 (Greenville Road) towards Greenville and take a left on Upper Shirley Corner Road. Drive towards Shirley Mills for less than 2 miles. The pond will appear to your right after passing two stop signs. The public access point is by a small public park right before the outlet. Space is available to leave a few vehicles by the park. Access to the water is down a steep slope.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Doe Pond in Monson, Piscataquis County, Maine (December 23, 2023)

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Doe Pond is pretty and the ice is safe!

 

Doe Pond is a 54-acre body of water located in the town of Monson, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 31 A3). To reach this location from downtown Monson, drive on Blanchard Road for about 2.4 miles, turn right on Doe Pond Access Road and drive down this dirt road for 0.4 miles until you see the blue boat launch sign. Turn left and drive for about 300-400 ft until you reach the public access point (note: the last 100 ft of the trail to the pond is blocked off to prevent launching of trailered boats during the open-water season). I do not know if or how well Doe Pond Access Road is plowed in the winter. That is not an issue this morning because the ground is not covered by any snow.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Otter Pond #2 in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (November 18, 2023)

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Walk down next to the old railroad tracks until you reach this sign. Enter Otter Pond #2 right behind it.

 

Otter Pond #2 is a 12-acre body of water located in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D1). To reach this location, drive down Route 35 (Chadborne Road) towards the southern tip of Sebago Lake. The parking area for the Otter Ponds is located just to the north of the Route 35 bridge that crosses over the unused railroad tracks. On the other side of that bridge is the even larger parking lot for the Johnson Field athletic grounds. After you park in the ponds parking lot, do not forget to fill out the short form provided at the little wooden kiosk, and leave a copy on your vehicle’s dashboard. It takes less than a minute to complete the requested information and provides a way for the Sebago Lake Land Preserve to keep track of day usage on their property. From the parking lot, make your way down towards the old railroad tracks, turn left, and walk for less than 10 minutes next to those tracks. Your target pond will be the last one on your right.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Otter Pond #4, Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (November 8, 2023)

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Don’t forget to fill out the permit form available at the little wooden kiosk by the parking lot.

 

Otter Pond #4 is a 6-acre body of water located in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Map and Gazetteer map 5 D1). Click here for information on how to reach this pond. Make sure to follow those directions because you will pass several ponds on the way in, only two of which contain brook trout (i.e., Otter Ponds #2 and #4). Also, do not forget to fill out the short permit form provided at the little wooden kiosk by the parking lot, and leave a copy on your vehicle’s dashboard. It takes less than a minute to provide the requested information and provides a way for the Sebago Lake Land Preserve to keep track of day usage on their property. The parking lot is regularly checked by the preserve people and non-abiders will receive a kind warning to fill out the form (I know…).

 

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Fishing for brook trout and rainbow trout on Middle Range Pond in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (November 7, 2023)

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Middle Range Pond is a 366-acre body of water located in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). To access this pond, drive on Route 26 and look for Cyndi’s Dockside Restaurant located at the northwestern tip of the pond. Beware that this access point is part of a privately owned marina and that the restaurant folks charge a $20 fee to launch a boat from their ramp. If you are planning on using a motorized craft, a free alternative is to use the public boat ramp on Upper Range Pond off Range Hill Road, and motor underneath the road bridge into Middle Range Pond. That is not an issue for me this morning since I am not fishing from a boat but from waders. However, I suspect that the owners may frown upon anglers leaving their vehicles at the restaurant parking lot. I therefore leave my vehicle on the shoulder of Route 26 close to the premise and access the pond by crossing the road guard rail instead of walking on private property.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Symmes Pond in Newfield, York County, Maine (October 22, 2023)

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The public access point can accommodate small trailered boats. Note the “bowl” in the background.

 

Symmes Pond is a 36-acre body of water located in Newfield, York County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 A2). The public access point is located by the outlet at the eastern tip of the pond. The launch, which is found right off Route 11 (a.k.a. Water Street), is unimproved and can accommodate small, trailered boats. Limited parking is available for a few vehicles. Keep in mind not to park in front of the fire truck water intake structure to avoid a ticket or an unexpected tow…

 

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