Author Archives: Stan

About Stan

Hi there! I'm a four-season freshwater fishing Mainiac who chases after salmonids and largemouth/smallmouth bass year-round. This is my blog. I also maintain a web site (www.amazingfishametric.com) to help fellow anglers find great fishing spots in Maine. The site is free, fun, and full of information. Check it out; you'll enjoy it. Happy fishing!

Ice fishing for brook trout on Big Eddy Pond, Topsham, Sagadahoc County (January 15, 2024)

Posted on by
Reply

 

The parking lot next to the transfer station can accommodate multiple vehicles. Note the total lack of snow…

 

Big Eddy Pond is a small, four-acre body of water located in the back of the Topsham Transfer Station at the end of Townsend Way, off Foreside Road in Topsham, ME. The pond is not shown on the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map. Consult the Google Maps link provided above to find your way in. Note that when the transfer station is active, one can just drive through the open gate all the way to the shore of the pond. However, make sure to stop and talk to one of the attendants to explain your intent. If the transfer station is inoperative, leave your vehicle by the small parking lot to the left of the closed gate and walk in. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to your destination.

 

Continue reading →

So, you want to go ice fishing this winter? Tips and tricks (part 1)!

Posted on by
Reply

In a previous blog, I described the basic equipment required to catch fish through the ice. Today’s article is the first of three blogs about tips and tricks that will enhance your ice fishing experience.

 

 

Ice safety: Ice in southern Maine is at its thinnest in late December-early January when it sets, and by the end of March when it starts melting. I like to see a minimum of 3 inches of solid black ice in early winter, plus people fishing or their traces (e.g., footsteps on the snow, ice-fishing holes). If so, I will check the thickness with my ice spud before venturing out and make it a point to stay over shallow water close to shore. Late-winter ice can be tricky too. Typically, the ice will still be 1 to 2 feet thick, but the edges right along the shorelines may already have melted and refrozen, thereby creating dangerous breakthrough conditions. If unsure, always check to avoid falling through; I know from personal experience. When unsure about the conditions, I place retractable ice picks around my neck. I fortunately have never had to use them but they could one day save my life in an emergency situation…  Finally, make it a point to wear cleats on your boots when walking on glare ice to avoid slipping and causing a severe back or head injury.

 

Continue reading →

So, you want to go ice fishing this winter?

Posted on by
Reply

This article is the first in a series on a topic close to my heart. Ice fishing is deeply interwoven in the fabric of our local culture and has been enjoyed by generations of Mainers. It is a fantastic way to appreciate the great outdoors during our long winters, create lively memories for the kids, and bring home a few fish for the frying pan. With a relatively small investment, ice fishing gets folks outside without the high costs associated with more expensive winter activities, such as snowmobiling or downhill skiing.

 

Like all sports, ice fishing requires some basic equipment, much of which has not changed much over the last 100 years. I describe below the main pieces of gear needed to practice this sport.

Continue reading →

Ice fishing for brook trout on Shirley Pond in Shirley, Piscataquis County, Maine (December 31, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

Shirley Pond is a 60-acre body of water located in the town of Shirley, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 41 E2). To reach this location, drive north on Routes 6/15 (Greenville Road) towards Greenville and take a left on Upper Shirley Corner Road. Drive towards Shirley Mills for less than 2 miles. The pond will appear to your right after passing two stop signs. The public access point is by a small public park right before the outlet. Space is available to leave a few vehicles by the park. Access to the water is down a steep slope.

 

Continue reading →

Ice fishing for brook trout on Doe Pond in Monson, Piscataquis County, Maine (December 23, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

Doe Pond is pretty and the ice is safe!

 

Doe Pond is a 54-acre body of water located in the town of Monson, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 31 A3). To reach this location from downtown Monson, drive on Blanchard Road for about 2.4 miles, turn right on Doe Pond Access Road and drive down this dirt road for 0.4 miles until you see the blue boat launch sign. Turn left and drive for about 300-400 ft until you reach the public access point (note: the last 100 ft of the trail to the pond is blocked off to prevent launching of trailered boats during the open-water season). I do not know if or how well Doe Pond Access Road is plowed in the winter. That is not an issue this morning because the ground is not covered by any snow.

 

Continue reading →

Ice fishing for brook trout on Snows Pond in Dover-Foxcroft, Piscataquis County, Maine (December 16, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

Snows Pond is at the end of this road.

 

Snows Pond is a 21-acre body of water located in Dover-Foxcroft, Piscataquis County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 32 B2). To reach this location, drive north towards Sebec Lake on Route 153 (Greeley’s Landing Road) from downtown Dover-Foxcroft for a mile or so and turn left on Snows Pond Road. Drive down that dirt road for 200-300 yards, and pass the Piscataquis Valey Snowmobile Club clubhouse until you reach the pond. I do not know if or how well Snows Pond Road is plowed in the winter. That is not an issue this morning because the ground is free of snow. Also, if the conditions allow it, you can drive your vehicle right up to the edge of the pond, set up your traps along the shoreline, and watch them from the comfort of your automobile!

 

Continue reading →

Fishing for brook trout on Otter Pond #2 in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (November 18, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

Walk down next to the old railroad tracks until you reach this sign. Enter Otter Pond #2 right behind it.

 

Otter Pond #2 is a 12-acre body of water located in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D1). To reach this location, drive down Route 35 (Chadborne Road) towards the southern tip of Sebago Lake. The parking area for the Otter Ponds is located just to the north of the Route 35 bridge that crosses over the unused railroad tracks. On the other side of that bridge is the even larger parking lot for the Johnson Field athletic grounds. After you park in the ponds parking lot, do not forget to fill out the short form provided at the little wooden kiosk, and leave a copy on your vehicle’s dashboard. It takes less than a minute to complete the requested information and provides a way for the Sebago Lake Land Preserve to keep track of day usage on their property. From the parking lot, make your way down towards the old railroad tracks, turn left, and walk for less than 10 minutes next to those tracks. Your target pond will be the last one on your right.

 

Continue reading →

Fishing for brook trout on Otter Pond #4, Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (November 8, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

Don’t forget to fill out the permit form available at the little wooden kiosk by the parking lot.

 

Otter Pond #4 is a 6-acre body of water located in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Map and Gazetteer map 5 D1). Click here for information on how to reach this pond. Make sure to follow those directions because you will pass several ponds on the way in, only two of which contain brook trout (i.e., Otter Ponds #2 and #4). Also, do not forget to fill out the short permit form provided at the little wooden kiosk by the parking lot, and leave a copy on your vehicle’s dashboard. It takes less than a minute to provide the requested information and provides a way for the Sebago Lake Land Preserve to keep track of day usage on their property. The parking lot is regularly checked by the preserve people and non-abiders will receive a kind warning to fill out the form (I know…).

 

Continue reading →

Fishing for brook trout and rainbow trout on Middle Range Pond in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (November 7, 2023)

Posted on by
Reply

 

 

Middle Range Pond is a 366-acre body of water located in Poland, Androscoggin County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). To access this pond, drive on Route 26 and look for Cyndi’s Dockside Restaurant located at the northwestern tip of the pond. Beware that this access point is part of a privately owned marina and that the restaurant folks charge a $20 fee to launch a boat from their ramp. If you are planning on using a motorized craft, a free alternative is to use the public boat ramp on Upper Range Pond off Range Hill Road, and motor underneath the road bridge into Middle Range Pond. That is not an issue for me this morning since I am not fishing from a boat but from waders. However, I suspect that the owners may frown upon anglers leaving their vehicles at the restaurant parking lot. I therefore leave my vehicle on the shoulder of Route 26 close to the premise and access the pond by crossing the road guard rail instead of walking on private property.

 

Continue reading →