Fishing for brook trout on Echo Lake in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine (October 28, 2025)

 

View of the boat launch at the northern tip of Echo Lake. The Taylor Pond outlet is to the right of this picture.

 

Echo Lake (a.k.a. Crotched Pond) is a 1,105-acre body of water located in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 12 A2). Access is via the public boat launch found just downstream of the low dam at the northern tip of the lake, off Desert Pond Road. Beware that the put-in above the dam on the opposite side of the road is for Taylor Pond, which is an impoundment of Hopkins Stream. The Echo Lake launch is spacious and hard-topped, and offers a large parking area with a permanent outhouse.

 

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Fishing for splake on Minnehonk Lake in Mount Vernon, Kennebec County, Maine (September 20, 2025)

 

A gorgeous view of Minnehonk Lake during the Golden Hour!

 

Minnehonk Lake is an 85-acre body of water located in Mount Vernon, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 12 A3). The boat launch, which is not shown in my 2019 edition of the Gazetteer, is located at the northern tip of the lake, off North Road and across from the fire station. The launch is narrow and sandy but can accommodate trailered boats. Parking is limited to a few vehicles along the road shoulder.

 

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Fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon on Parker Pond in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine (August 3, 2025)

 

View of the boat launch. This picture does not do justice to the steepness of the short boat ramp!

 

Parker Pond covers1,524 acres and is located in Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 12 A2). The public access point, which is not shown in the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer, is located in the far northeastern corner of the lake, off Tower Road. This launch is horrible: narrow, short, very steep, and consisting of half asphalt-half flat boulders. It is clear from the numerous scratches in the asphalt that lots of trailers have been scraped going down and coming up the ramp. The water by the launch is also shallow, requiring to back up a little ways into the lake before the boat can float off the trailer. I would be cautious launching at this location without a four-wheel drive vehicle because it may be difficult to pull the boat out of the water and up the steep incline without the extra assist. Fortunately, Tower Road is only lightly traveled, which allows one to maneuver properly to get the boat in and out.

 

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Ice fishing for brook trout on Crowell Pond, Vienna, Kennebec County, Maine (December 21, 2024)

 

Crowell Pond is a 211-acre body of water located in Vienna, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 D2). The public access point is found right next to Route 41 (Townhouse Road) which runs parallel to the northeastern side of the pond. Plenty of parking is available by the road shoulder. Beware that parking may be more limited after a big snowstorm when the plows have pushed the snow on the shoulders.

 

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Fishing for smallmouth bass (and catfish?!) on the Kennebec River in Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine (June 29, 2024)

 

The hard-top launch is narrow but plenty of parking area is available. The deeper channel is located along the opposite shoreline.

 

My focus this afternoon is on a small section of the Kennebec River that flows below the confluence with the Sebasticook River in Waterville, Kennebec County, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 76 D1). Access is via a hard-topped boat launch located on Water Street. To reach this location, drive down Water Street (which is a dead-end road) and look for the municipal baseball diamond. The entrance is right passed this field on the left. The launch is narrow but plenty of parking area is available.

 

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Fishing for smallmouth bass on the Kennebec River in Sidney, Kennebec County, Maine (July 22, 2023)

 

 

That is about as big as a boat launch gets!!

 

The Kennebec River flowing through Sidney towards Augusta is the target of my angling ambitions this morning (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 13 A1). To reach the public access point, look for the blue boat launch sign on Route 104 in Sidney, drive down Recreation Lane, and drive past the baseball fields all the way to the water. The launch is improved and spacious and offers plenty of parking.

 

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Fishing for smallmouth bass on Great Pond in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (May 13, 2023)

 

 

The boat launch is improved and spacious. It also includes an expansive parking area and a permanent out house.

 

Great Pond is a 5,239-acre body of water located in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 E4). To reach the public access point, drive north on Route 27 (Augusta Road) towards the town of Belgrade Lakes, turn right on Sahagian Road, drive for less than a quarter mile and then turn left on Boat Way Lane. Blue boat launch signs clearly indicate these two turn-offs. The spacious and well-maintained launch offers a hardtop boat ramp with plenty of parking. It also provides a permanent outdoor bathroom facility.

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Fishing for brown trout on Great Pond in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (November 20, 2022)

 

 

We are looking for the large brown trout in 2 to 3 ft. of water

 

Great Pond is a 5,239-acre body of water located in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 E4). To reach the public access point, drive north on Route 27 (Augusta Road) towards the town of Belgrade Lakes, turn right on Sahagian Road, drive for less than a quarter mile and then turn left on Boat Way Lane. Blue boat launch signs clearly indicates these two turn-offs. The spacious and well-maintained launch offers a hardtop boat ramp with plenty of parking. It also provides a permanent outdoor bathroom.

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Fishing for brown trout on Great Pond in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (November 19, 2022)

 

 

Great Pond is a 5,239-acre body of water located in Belgrade, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 E4). To reach the public access point, drive north on Route 27 (Augusta Road) towards the town of Belgrade Lakes, turn right on Sahagian Road, drive for less than a quarter mile and then turn left on Boat Way Lane. Blue boat launch signs clearly indicates these two turn-offs. The spacious and well-maintained launch offers a hardtop boat ramp with plenty of parking. It also provides a permanent outdoor bathroom.

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Fishing for brook trout on Jamies Pond in Manchester and Farmingdale, Kennebec County, Maine (October 29, 2022)

 

 

The gate and sign on Jamies Pond Road tells me that I have almost arrived.

 

Jamies Pond (a.k.a. Jimmie Pond) is a 107-acre body of water located in Manchester and Farmingdale, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 12 C4). The public access is located next to the former water pump house at the end of Jamies Pond Road (off Outlet Road). The area offers plenty of parking. Note that two large boulders block the narrow hard-top boat launch. Hence, anglers can only release hand-carried craft from this location.

 

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