TOP brook trout ponds for the 2015 ice fishing season in Franklin County, Maine

The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2015 ice fishing season in Franklin County are highlighted below (in alphabetical order). Only a few ponds are listed because most of the smaller bodies of water are closed to ice fishing. A pond is considered “top” based on its stocking density. Simply put, the more trout are packed per acre, the higher the chances of catching them through the ice!

For the purpose of this blog, I’ll define a brook trout pond as a body of water with a surface area of less than about 100 acres (with some exceptions) which is stocked in the fall with hatchery-reared brook trout to support ice fishing. These ponds tend to freeze over early in the season and are typically safe to fish well 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.

Keep in mind that the state typically manages these smaller bodies of water 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 have frozen over and the ice fishing action moves elsewhere.

Always consult the latest regulations (click here) about special ice fishing rules that may apply on these ponds. I did my utmost best to verify that a particular pond is indeed open for ice fishing, but I make no guarantees whatsoever that my interpretation of the Maine fishing rules is accurate or correct. It is up to each reader of this blog to ensure that a pond listed below can be fished through the ice.

Note also that the list excludes “kids only” ponds which have their own stocking regime and fishing rules.

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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Crowell Pond covers 211 acres and is located next to Route 41 (Vienna Road) in New Sharon, Franklin County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 D2). Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2014 with 9 brook trout per acre. Most of the stocked trout measured around 13”, with a smaller portion measuring between 6” and 7”.

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Haley Pond covers 170 acres and is located in the town of Rangeley next to Route 16 (Stratton Road) in Franklin County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 28 E5). Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2014 with 4 brook trout per acre. All of the stocked trout measured 13”.

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Norcross Pond covers 122 acres and is located next to Ridge Road in Chesterville, Franklin County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 20 E1). Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2014 with 8 brook trout per acre. All the stocked trout measured 13”. Norcross Pond offers the best odds of catching 1-pound brookies in a small pond setting in Franklin County during the 2015 ice fishing season!

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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