Category Archives: Open Water Fishing

The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Lincoln County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Lincoln County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of water, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Most of these ponds are less than 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the bite slows down due to rising surface water temperatures. Check out this blog on trolling techniques for catching trout.

 

All of these ponds are closed to ice fishing and are stocked once in the spring. More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special trout fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, minimum size limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements, limits on outboard engine use, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Lincoln County are listed below in alphabetical order.

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Kennebec County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Kennebec County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of water, the greater the chances of catching those fish!  Most of the target ponds are below 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the bite slows down due to rising surface water temperatures. Check out this blog on trolling techniques for catching trout.

 

More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, minimum size limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements, limits on outboard engine size, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout this spring in Kennebec County are listed below in alphabetical order:

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Franklin County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Franklin County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of pond, the greater the chances of catching those fish!  All of these ponds cover less than 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the fishing slows down in response to rising surface water temperatures. Check out this blog on trolling techniques for catching trout.

 

All the ponds described below were stocked last fall but are closed to ice fishing. Hence, all the trout have had at least 6-7 months to fatten up since their release. More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, minimum size limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements, limits on outboard engine size, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Franklin County are listed below in alphabetical order:

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Cumberland County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Cumberland County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of pond, the greater the chances of catching those fish! All of these ponds cover less than 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the fishing slows down in response to rising surface water temperatures.

 

Some of the ponds described below were stocked last fall but are closed to ice fishing. Others are stocked once early in the spring or may be stocked several times in April and May. More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements,  limits on outboard engine size, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Cumberland County are listed below in alphabetical order:

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Aroostook County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Aroostook County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of pond, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Most of these ponds cover less than 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the fishing slows down in response to rising surface water temperatures.

 

With one exception, all the ponds described below are closed to ice fishing. Most were stocked last fall, whereas the rest are stocked once early in the spring or may be stocked several times in April and May. More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements, limits on outboard engine size, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Aroostook County are listed below in alphabetical order:

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The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Androscoggin County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Androscoggin County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of pond, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the fishing slows down in response to rising surface water temperatures.

 

More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Androscoggin County are as follows (in alphabetical order):

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Kids-only brook trout ponds stocked for the 2017 spring season in Maine

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This blog presents the kids-only ponds in Maine which are stocked with brook trout in the spring for youngsters to enjoy open-water trout fishing. Be aware that these special set-aside ponds are governed by strict and convoluted rules pertaining to the use of live baitfish, number of lines allowed, opening and closing dates, daily bag limits, use of motorboats, etc.! It is strongly encouraged to read the regulations when planning a fishing trip to one of these locations.

 

It is also recommended to consult the stocking reports (updated daily starting in early spring) to find out the exact timing of when your target kids-only pond has been stocked with brook trout, which varies from year to year depending on weather conditions. This simple check will further increase the odds of putting a youngster on trout! Also, keep in mind that many of these ponds are small and shallow and become too warm by late spring to sustain trout. Hence, the best period to bring the kids out is from late April to mid-June.

 

The purpose of these special ponds is to provide a reasonably quick and assured way for kids to catch a trout in open water. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to introduce a child to what may blossom into a life-long passion for fishing and the outdoors. I can’t think of a better means to redirect fledgling minds away from the corroding effects of electronic devices, TV screens and social media!

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Rainbow trout and brown trout fishing on Kennebunk Pond, Lyman, Maine (December 3, 2016)

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The boat launch on Kennebunk Pond is unimproved and sandy.

The “boat launch” on Kennebunk Pond is unimproved and sandy.

Kennebunk Pond is a 224-acre body of water located in Lyman, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 B5). A rough and sandy public boat launch is located off Kennebunk Pond Road at the outlet on the eastern side of the pond. Ample parking is available across from the launch. Be aware that this launch is quite shallow, particularly in the fall when the water level in the pond is low. In my opinion, only hand-carried craft or small motor boats can effectively be put in and retrieved from this spot in late fall. Anything bigger would be problematic, and would require a 4X4 vehicle. This pond was stocked last month with a total of 641 brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout measuring between 12” and 15”. Our goal this morning is to catch some of those fish.

 

 

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Rainbow trout fishing on Middle Range Pond, Poland, Maine (November 27, 2016)

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Middle Range Pond is a heavily-developed 366-acre body of water located in Poland, Maine (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 A3). A private hard-top boat launch is located at Cyndi’s Dockside restaurant (www.dockside.me) right off Route 26 at the northern end of the pond. Keep in mind that the launch fee at this spot is $8. An alternative (and free) public boat launch can be found at the northern end of Upper Range Pond off Range Hill Road. Boat access to Middle Range Pond is via a large passage underneath this road.

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Lake trout fishing on Sebago Lake, Maine (November 12, 2016)

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The water level by the boat launch is really low but fortunately the boat has a low draft and Joel brought the waders!

The water level by the boat launch is really low but fortunately the boat has a shallow draft and Joel brought the waders!

Mid-fall is a great time to troll for landlocked Atlantic salmon and lake trout in southern Maine. The surface water temperatures in the larger lakes have dipped into the mid- to upper-40’s and the cooling temps allows these cold-loving fish to emerge from the depths to partake in their annual breeding efforts. The salmon congregate in the shallows to migrate up their spawning rivers, whereas the lake trout assemble along bouldery shorelines to deposit their eggs. And, as an added bonus, most open-water anglers have closed up shop for the season, meaning that no one else is on the water! My son Joel and I decide to take advantage of these conditions to fish Sebago Lake, with a particular focus on the area in front of where Panther Run (i.e., the outlet of Panther Pond) enters Jordan Bay. A few days earlier, I walked down a small stretch of Panther Run downstream of the dam on Mill Street in Raymond and observed spawning landlocked salmon, meaning that they’ve started swimming up from the lake. Beware that the direct tributaries to Sebago Lake (including Panther Run) are closed to fishing from October 1 to March 31.

 

 

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