Tag Archives: largemouth bass

Largemouth bass fishing on Hutchinson Pond in Albany Township, Maine (July 25, 2015)

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View from the launch of Hutchinson Pond with the mountains in the background

View from the public access point of Hutchinson Pond with the mountains in the background. She is pretty!

Hutchinson Pond is a 93-acre body of water located in Albany Township, Oxford County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 C4). The pond can easily be accessed by driving down Hutchinson Pond Road (off Hunts Corner Road) for exactly 1.4 miles. The state-leased public access point is marked on the left of the road by a small Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sign. The pond is reachable via a rough 150-ft tote trail which can only accommodate small hand-carried craft, such as a canoe or kayak. A few cars can be parked along the shoulder of the road next to the access point. Hutchinson Pond is quite a beauty! It is framed along the northeastern horizon by three tall hills, namely Lovejoy Mountain (1792 ft), Peabody Mountain (1575 ft), and Patch Mountain (1565 ft). The watershed is completely forested. Parts of the shoreline are moderately developed, supporting less than two dozen houses and summer cottages. One thing strikes me immediately upon arrival: none of the docks jutting out into the water display power boats, jet skis or pontoon boats! I assume that’s due to a lack of a boat launch, which limits the release and retrieval of these larger craft. It also means guaranteed peaceful quietness for property owners and fishermen alike.

 

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Marshall Pond in Hebron, Maine (July 18, 2015)

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General view of Marshall Pond

General view of the upper half of Marshall Pond looking north

Marshall Pond (a.k.a. Matthews Pond) is a 142-acre body of water located in the towns of Hebron and Oxford, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 11 D2&3). The pond is situated at the end of Marshall Pond Road, off Merrill Hill Road. Public access is available at an unimproved boat launch found right next to the cement dam at the end of Marshall Pond Road. This sandy launch can accommodate small trailered boats. A handful of cars can be parked on a small grassy clearing next to the launch. The pond is an impoundment of Dunham Brook which has its source at Hall Pond further upstream. Marshall Pond is another one of those gorgeous little gems that few people know about, even though it is located no more than a dozen miles west of the Lewiston-Auburn area. About two dozen houses are scattered along its shoreline. Most are discreetly tucked into the surrounding woods and are barely visible from the water. A number of unobtrusive docks jut into the pond, but none of them displays large power boats or jet skis, providing a sense of quietness and peace. The surrounding landscape is completely forested and green.

 

 

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Basic lures for largemouth bass fishing

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Largemouth bass fishing is a favorite pastime for many people in the summer. The tackle industry has eagerly responded to this pent-up demand by developing a bewildering variety of lures to catch these fish. Anyone who has ever visited a ProBass or Cabela’s store knows what I’m talking about. If we multiply the several dozen bass lure types by their hundreds of variations, one ends up with many thousands of different kinds of lures!! That is enough to give anyone an instant head ache. I also suspect that more than a few of these lures are designed to hook fishermen more than the fish they seek to catch…

Yet, out of all this clutter emerge five proven lures which have worked time and time again for me. Keep in mind that most largemouth bass fishing occurs in relatively shallow water (say, less than 10 ft) rich with structure, such as aquatic vegetation, submerged wood, boulders, sunken reefs, and/or docks. Most of the lures discussed below are designed to operate in such an environment. What follows is a summary overview of these basic lures and how best to use them. I’ve arranged the presentation in the order in which I spend my time fishing with these lures. Keep in mind that this information is based largely on personal experiences. I do most of my bass fishing on relatively small ponds and lakes which experience low fishing pressure. So I can get away with using bolder lures that might scare away wearier bass in more heavily-fished areas. Regardless, don’t be shy and try different variations on a lure until you find the one that works for you. Keep in mind that more often than not, whether a particular lure “works” often depends on the confidence the fisherman has in that lure. And that confidence can only be gained by going out on the water, wetting the line, and letting the fish tell you what works best!

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Largemouth bass fishing on Bickford Pond in Porter, Maine (September 6, 2014)

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The access point is located at the southern end of Bickford Pond

The access point is located at the southern end of Bickford Pond

 

Bickford Pond is a 237-acre body of water nestled in southern Oxford County next to the New Hampshire border in Porter, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 C1). A sandy boat launch is located at the southern tip of the pond, next to the dam by the outlet. This rough launch can accommodate small trailered boats. It is accessible via Dam Road, which connects Bickford Pond Road with Colcord Pond Road. Both of these roads run along the western and eastern shores Bickford Pond, respectively. Several cars can be parked in the boat launch area. Note that the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer does not identify this access point using its iconic boat symbol.

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Granger Pond in Denmark, Maine (September 6, 2014)

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The access point to Granger Pond is sandy and steek

The access point to Granger Pond is sandy and steep

 

Granger Pond is a 125-acre body of water located in Denmark, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B3). A rough town access point is located at the very southern tip of the pond, off Bushrow Road. Beware that the path connecting the road to the pond is quite steep and consists of a loose, sandy material full of small washout gullies. I do not dare drive my front wheel-drive car down to the pond because I’d get stuck in this loose material on my way back up. With the benefit of a 4X4, the launch could accommodate a small trailered boat in a pinch, but in my estimation should only be used to launch car-top craft, like canoes or kayaks. Cars can be parked on the shoulder of Bushrow Road.

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Ingalls Pond in Baldwin, Maine (August 30, 2014)

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View of Ingalls Pond from the access point

View of Ingalls Pond from the access point

 

Ingalls Pond is a 25-acre body of water located in Baldwin, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 C3). The pond is located immediately to the left of Route 113 (looking north). A smaller lobe of the pond, which I did not visit, is located to the right of this road (again, looking north). A traditional access point is situated off Route 113. This launch can only accommodate hand-carried craft. Parking is either in the woods right next to the access point or on the shoulder by the road.

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Black Pond in Porter, Maine (August 30, 2014)

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View of Black Pond from the boat launch. Note the dense lily pads.

View of Black Pond from the boat launch. Note the dense lily pads.

Black Pond is a 50-acre body of water located in Porter, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D2). Drive north on School Street from Route 160/25 in South Hiram. The name of this road changes to Spec Pond Road at some point before it weaves between the two Spectacle Ponds. Regardless, stay on this road until you pass house number 413 on the left. Several 100 ft beyond (and after driving 2.5 miles from Route 160/25) turn left on Old Meetinghouse Road. Beware that the street marker for this road is missing and it is therefore easy to drive right by it. The pond will appear on the left after 0.6 miles. A hard boat launch is located about 100 ft past the two big culverts that run underneath the road. The launch is tight but can accommodate a trailered boat. Parking is limited along the unimproved shoulders of the road.

 

 

 

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Big Clemons Pond in Hiram, Maine (August 23, 2014)

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View of Big Clemons Pond from the public access point

View of Big Clemons Pond from the public access point

Big Clemons Pond is an 85-acre body of water located in Hiram, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 C2). From Hiram, drive north on Routes 5/113 (Pequawket Trail). After about 2 miles, turn left on Notch Road. Drive 2.5 miles down this road and turn right on Clemons Cove Road. The access point is 0.2 miles on the left, immediately past “Neighbors Way”. Note that both The Maine Gazetteer and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife indicate the presence of a hard-surface boat launch at this location. What I found was a public launch area that can only accommodate small hand-carried craft, such as a kayak or canoe; a couple of cars can be parked on the grass on the side. I suspect that the actual boat launch is located nearby but that I missed it.

 

 

 

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Beaver Pond in Denmark, Maine (August 23, 2014)

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The access point on Beaver Pond with view of the large island and a hint of Pleasant Mountain in the background

The access point on Beaver Pond with view of the large island and a hint of Pleasant Mountain in the background

 

Beaver Pond is a 128-acre body of water located in Denmark, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B3). The pond is situated off Denmark Road, which connects Route 302 (Bridgton Road) with Route 160 (West Maine Street). Public access is available at a town launch sited at the end of Beaver Pond Road. This dirt road is unmarked but can be found right next to house number 347 on Denmark Road (look for a red barn). Note that this road is not named in the Maine Gazetteer but appears on the Google map at the top of this article. The pond is located 0.3 miles from the Denmark Road turnoff. The sandy launch can accommodate small trailered boats, but is best suited for hand-carried craft. Only a handful of cars can park “rough” in the woods around the launch.

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Island Pond in Harrison, Maine (August 16, 2014)

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General view of Island Pond

General view of Island Pond

Island Pond is a 166-acre body of water which straddles the town lines of Harrison and Waterford, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 E5). The pond is located next to Temple Hill Road, off Route 117 (a.k.a. Norway Road). It has an unusually rectangular shape, with a long, narrow and rocky island at the southern end. Public access is available at a traditional carry-in situated on the western side of the pond after driving 0.5 miles on Island Pond Road. This access point is located right before the entrance to the Fernwood Cove Girl Summer Camp. Only hand-carried craft such as canoes or kayaks can be launched at this location due to the lack of a boat ramp. Several cars can park “rough” on the left-hand side of the road across from the access point.

 

 

 

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