Sewell Pond is a 43-acre body of water located next to Route 127 in the town of Arrowsic, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 6 C5). The entire shoreline is wooded. Only three houses are visible from the pond, which gives it a nice “remote” feel. General fishing laws apply on this body of water, except that motorboats with internal combustion engines are prohibited. Click here for the latest information on this topic. The pond is also relatively shallow for its size, with a maximum depth of 11 ft and a mean depth of 9 ft. Click here for a depth map and additional fisheries information.
Fishing for largemouth bass is a cherished summer activity for many fishermen in southern Maine. The desired quietness and loneliness, however, can be rudely impacted by the unwelcome hustle and bustle of jet skiers, swimmers, speed boaters, other fishermen, general shore activity, or busy road traffic.
My goal was to find, and share with you, hidden largemouth bass fishing spots scattered throughout Cumberland County. I focused on small ponds less than about 50 acres in size, located off the beaten track but still readily accessible by car (no need for 4X4 driving or hiking through the woods!). I also avoided ponds with excessive shore development. A small motorized boat could be launched on a few of these ponds, but most are fishable only by hand-carried craft, such as a canoe or kayak.
This selection process ensures that you will likely be fishing all by yourself in unspoiled, quiet, natural surroundings. The ponds are also small enough that they can be covered in a lazy afternoon or a long summer evening. Finally, I fished each one of them to ensure that they contain largemouth bass, which they did! Click here for an overview of the lures I like to use on these fish and click here to review the fishing rules that may apply on these ponds. I’ve also identified fabulous largemouth bass ponds in York County, south coastal Maine, and southern Oxford County.
And the fabulous ponds for Cumberland County are (in alphabetical order)….
General view of the rapids on the Androscoggin River about 0.5 miles upstream of the Sabattus River boat launch
I’m fishing a set of rapids on the Androscoggin River with my ten-year old nephew Christian this afternoon. These rapids are found about 0.5 miles upstream of the boat launch located on the Sabattus River where it flows into the Androscoggin River off Route 196 (and just upstream of the old railroad bridge) in Lisbon. We arrive at 4 pm and quickly launch my boat. The water level is quite low and the boat launch isn’t very steep. I’ve got to go way into the water before my small boat floats off the trailer. This could be an issue for more substantial craft.
Chaffin Pond is a pretty 13-acre body of water located in the heart of the business district of North Windham off busy Route 302 (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). Going north on Route 302, turn right on Chaffin Pond Road, right before the Sherman Williams paint store. The pond is part of the Windham Parks and Recreation’s 123-acre Donnabeth Lippman Park. Click here for a map of the park and its pond. A depth map is not available
Lily Pond is a pretty 38-acre water body located just west of the Maine Turnpike (I-95) in New Gloucester, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B4). Access to this pond is via a rough boat launch that can only accommodate hand-carried craft. The launch is located at the end of a short dirt road off Snow Hill Road (looking east) right before the bridge over the pond outlet. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife stocks the pond each year with about 8 rainbow trout per acre. This stocking rate makes Lily pond one of the premier rainbow trout destinations in southern and central Maine, right after Ell Pond (click here for more details on the latter). The fishing rules on this pond are strict because of its special status as a regional rainbow trout fishery. The major restrictions are as follows: (a) the pond is closed to ice fishing, (b) use or possession of live fish is prohibited (dead bait fish, salmon eggs, and worms are allowed), and (c) motorboats are prohibited. Click here for details on the fishing regulations and for additional rules pertaining to this body of water.
General view of the Tenny River: broad and very shallow.
The Tenny River connects Crescent Lake to Panther Pond in Raymond, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B2). Calling this body of water a “river” is somewhat of a misnomer. It is essentially a 1.5-mile long, shallow thoroughfare. However, the current definitely flows in a southerly direction, from Crescent Lake into Panther Pond. The Tenny River is wide (60 to > 100 ft) but very shallow (1 to 3 ft for the most part). Both banks of the river are lined with trees and woods, providing a nice and “remote” feel. The substrate consists mainly of coarse sand and gravel/pebbles, interspersed with larger rocks. The bottom is either bare or covered with aquatic submerged plants. The water is crystal clear. The limited bass habitat, consisting of weedy shallows and submerged wood, is all congregated along the shoreline. The rest of the river is otherwise pretty featureless and does not provide attractive habitat.
Chaffin Pond is a pretty 13-acre body of water located in the heart of the business district of North Windham off busy Route 302 (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). The pond is part of the Windham Parks and Recreation’s 123-acre Donnabeth Lippman Park. Click here to obtain a map of the park and its pond.
Mill Pond is a 10-acre impoundment formed by the outlet of Little Sebago Lake in Windham (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). The downstream end of this small pond is dammed. The ouflow pouring over this dam forms Ditch Brook which flows underneath Route 115 and eventually into Collins Pond further downstream. The water in Mill pond is crystal clear. The substrate consists mostly of boulders and cobbles. The maximum depth is about 35 ft. Around a dozen houses dot the shoreline.
I’m spending the weekend with my family at Sebago Lake State Park, which is located at the northern end of Sebago Lake in Naples. I love camping at this location in early June because we have the camp ground (almost…) to ourselves, yet the weather is warm enough to make an overnight stay a pleasure. It is only later on in the summer that the park becomes crowded and noisy on weekends. My son Joel and I decide to get up at 6 am on Sunday morning to spend two hours fishing for smallmouth bass in and around the Dingley Islands before the rest of the family gets up. The Dingley islands consist of two dozen or so small to large islands located in the northwestern corner of Sebago Lake, near South Casco (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C1).
View Larger Map I’m spending the weekend with my family at Sebago Lake State Park, which is located at the northern end of Sebago Lake in Naples. I love camping at this location in early June because we have the camp ground (almost…) to ourselves, yet the weather is warm enough to make an overnight stay a pleasure. It is only later on in the summer that the park will become crowded and noisy on weekends. Christian, my ten-year old nephew and my latest project for turning another family member into an ardent fisherman, asks me if we can go fishing…
View of Sebago Cove on Sebago Lake from Route 114
I decide to give Sebago Cove a try. I don’t want to drive up to the cove from the state park with my boat because we only have 2 hours to fish. Instead, we leave the state park by car at 5 pm and quickly arrive at the Route 114 bridge over the short thoroughfare which connects Sebago Lake to Sebago Cove in South Naples. We park the car on the “Sebago Lake” side of the road and walk diagonally across the narrow bridge and over the railing to fish the cove by the thoroughfare. Note that this spot is not really “kid friendly” due to its location next to a busy road and the fact that the bridge lacks shoulders to safely walk on. An alternative option is to fish the Sebago Lake side of the thoroughfare.
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