For the purpose of this blog, I’ll define a brook trout pond as a body of water less than 50 acres in size which is stocked in the fall with hatchery-reared brook trout to support ice fishing. Such small ponds freeze over early in the season and are typically safe to fish several weeks before the bigger lakes become accessible. This provides a real opportunity for hot early-season action for those of us (myself included!) who just can’t wait to catch brookies through the ice.
The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2014 ice fishing season in Cumberland County are highlighted below (in alphabetical order). A pond is considered “top” based on its stocking density: the more brook trout are stocked per acre, the higher the chances of catching them.
Always consult the fishing rule book (available at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/regulations_seasons/index.htm) about special ice fishing rules that may apply on these ponds. I have done my utmost best to verify that a particular pond is indeed open for ice fishing, but I make no guarantees that my interpretation of the Maine fishing rules is accurate or correct. It is up to teach individual reader of this blog to ensure that a pond listed below can be fished through the ice. Note also that the list below excludes “kids only” ponds.
Keep in mind that these smaller ponds are typically managed as winter “put-and-take” fisheries. As a result, they get a lot of pressure early in the season and may be largely fished out within a few weeks. But by then the bigger lakes are frozen over and the action moves elsewhere.
Finally, use the website linked to this blog to discover how many trout and salmon are released per acre in the spring and fall in all the 600+ ponds and lakes stocked annually throughout Maine.
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Cold Rain Pond covers 38 acres and is located off Kimball Corner Road in Naples, Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B5). A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/cumberland/cold_rain_pond.pdf. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with a total of 16 brook trout per acre. Most of the stocked trout measure around 9”, but 100 of them (or about 3 trout per acre) measure 13”. Access to this pond is down Tiger Hill Road which is not plowed in the winter.
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Otter Pond #2 covers 12 acres and is located next to an old railroad track off Route 35 in Standish, Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D1). A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/cumberland/otter_ponds.pdf. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with a total of 66 brook trout per acre. Most of the stocked trout measure around 9”, but 175 of them (or about 15 trout per acre) measure 13”, whereas 15 of them (or about 1 trout per acre) consist of 18” beauties. Ample parking is available on both sides of the bridge over the railroad tracks on Route 35.
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Otter Pond #4 (also called Snake Pond) covers 6 acres and is located behind a wooded knoll across from Otter Pond #2 in Standish, Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D1). A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained from www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/cumberland/otter_ponds.pdf. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with a total of 77 brook trout per acre. Most of the stocked trout measure around 9”, but 150 of them (or about 25 trout per acre!) measure 13”, whereas 10 of them (or between 1 and 2 trout per acre) consist of 18” beauties! Ample parking is available on both sides of the bridge over the railroad tracks on Route 35. Otter Pond #4 offers the best odds in Cumberland County of catching 1 lb and 2.5 lb brook trout in a small pond setting during the 2014 ice fishing season!
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Upper Hinkley Pond covers 3 acres and is located in Hinkley Park off Highland Avenue in South Portland, Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 3 A4). This urban pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with a total of 90 brook trout per acre. Most of the stocked trout measure around 9”, but 50 of them (or about 17 trout per acre!) measure 13”. Beware that Lower Hinkley Pond, which is the first body of water visible from the parking lot, is a “kids only” pond. Upper Hinkley is located further up the hill.
Was the information in this blog useful? I invite you to share your thoughts and opinions. Also, feel free to discuss your fishing experiences at these locations.
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