Etna Pond is a 361-acre body of water located in Etna, Penobscot County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 22 B3). The public access is found on the western side of the pond. From Route 143 (Lankins Road), look for mailbox #88 next to the Penobscot Valley Calvary Chapel. Turn onto Town Landing Road and drive for 0.3 miles straight to the boat launch. The ramp is improved and can accommodate large boats. Plenty of parking is available.
I am determined to fish the Golden Hour this morning!
Upper Range Pond is a 391-acre body of water located in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). The public boat ramp is located next to Range Hill Road at the northern tip of the pond by the causeway bridge. The cement launch can accommodate large boats. Plenty of parking for vehicles with trailers is available next to the ramp or along the road shoulder.
A gorgeous view of First Davis Pond from the boat launch. And, oh, that is another reason for calling it the Golden Hour!
First Davis Pond is a 128-acre body of water located in Guilford, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 31 B5). To reach this pond from Guilford, drive north on Route 150 (Blaine Avenue) and turn right on Davis Pond Road. Drive for 0.3 miles until you reach the public boat launch located on the western side of the pond. The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer does not show this access point. The cement launch can accommodate trailered boats, but is sandwiched between two properties. Parking is very limited to two – maybe three – vehicles with trailers. It is not possible to turn a vehicle with a trailer in that limited space without entering one or the other adjacent private properties. The alternative is to back up several hundred feet to where the short road to the launch splits off from Davis Pond Road and turn over there. Keep those limitations in mind when planning a fishing trip at this location. Fortunately, that is not my problem this morning because I am fishing from my canoe.
The conditions are perfect this morning: temps in the 40’s, overcast, and a couple of inches of snow on top of 18 inches of ice.
Raymond Pond is a 346-acre body of water located in Raymond, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B2). This pond does not have a recognized public access. I reach the ice this morning through the shoreline property of a friend. An unimproved and unmarked boat ramp exists off Raymond Hill Road on Swans Road as it crosses over towards a large island on the eastern shore. But the several prominent “no trespassing” and “private road” signs by the entrance of Swans Road indicate that this road is closed to the general public.
The boat launch is unimproved but wide and provides lots of parking space.
Stearns Pond is a 255-acre body of water located in Sweden, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 E3). To access this pond, turn off Route 93 (Waterford Road) unto Hardscrabble Road. Drive for about 1 mile and turn left on Wint Road. Then drive for <0.2 miles before turning left on Town Landing Road. The unimproved boat launch is located at the end of this short gravel road. Plenty of parking is available next to the launch.
We are starting relatively small…
Long Pond is a 275-acre body of water located in the town of Parsonsfield, York County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D2). Access to this pond is via a hard but steeply inclined boat launch located on Road Between the Ponds, off Joe Berry Road. This launch is at an awkward 90° angle (i.e., perpendicular) to the narrow Road between the Ponds which therefore requires a tight turn when backing the trailer into the water. And one needs to aim straight because the edges of the launch are quite steep, as I found out the hard way today… Fortunately, this road only has light local traffic. The depth at the launch is also rather shallow (< 2 ft.) for 25-30 ft. out. I brought my hip boots to get into the water at the end of the trip and help guide the boat back on the trailer.
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It is fun to troll through the early-morning fog.
Long Pond is a 275-acre body of water located in Parsonsfield, York County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D2). Access to this pond is via a hard but poorly maintained and steeply inclined boat launch located on Road Between the Ponds, off Joe Berry Road. Note that the launch is at a 90° angle (i.e., perpendicular) to the narrow Road between the Ponds which therefore requires a tight turn when backing the boat into the water. Fortunately, this road only has light local traffic. Also, keep in mind that the depth at the launch is shallow (< 2 ft.) for 25-30 ft. out. I am glad I brought my hip boots to get into the water at the end of the trip and help guide the boat back on the trailer.
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UPDATE (10/24/2023): The fishing rules for Long Pond have changed. The pond appears to be open year round under the general fishing laws applicable to the South Zone. Please check the regulations.
Long Pond covers 208 acres and is located in Livermore, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 A5). Public access is via the boat launch located right off Route 4 (Crash Road). A large and spacious parking area is available next to the launch.
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The boat launch is unimproved, steep, and gravelly…
Silver Lake (a.k.a. Figure Eight Pond) is a 29-acre body of water located in Sidney and Manchester, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 12 B5). To reach this location, drive on Route 27 north (towards Belgrade), turn left on Summerhaven Road, go for about 0.6 miles before turning left on Baxter Drive, drive for about 0.2 miles and turn right on Community Drive. The southern lobe of the pond will soon appear on your right. The public boat launch consists of loose gravel and is otherwise unimproved, but can accommodate small trailered boats. However, keep in mind that the launch is fairly steep; I had to use four-wheel drive to pull my boat up the wet and gravelly incline on my way out. In addition, the water by the launch is rather shallow, which requires backing into the lake a fair bit before the boat will float off. I also had to put on my hip boots to manually guide my boat back on the trailer on account of the shallow depth by the launch. Parking space is limited on Community Drive and occurs along the side of the road next to the launch.
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It’s crisp and cold this morning. Time to rise and start ice fishing!
It’s the annual winter school vacation, so it’s high time to go camping and fishing with the kids… on the ice! My son Joel and I are eager to make it a success because this will be a new experience for his two boys. The goal is to find a spot on a local lake where we can drive up, pitch the family tent, and be reasonably assured of catching quality fish to keep the two boys engaged and entertained. Previous fishing experiences on Panther Pond in Raymond, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B2) has shown us that this body of water supports a serious smallmouth and largemouth bass population of braggin’-size fish (click here, here, and here for examples). My son Joel and I are putting that information to good use.
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