Category Archives: Salmon and Trout

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

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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.

 

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

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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!

 

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

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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.

 

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

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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…).

 

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

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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.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Savade Pond in Windsor, Kennebec County, Maine (October 28, 2023)

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Savade Pond is a 42-acre body of water located in Windsor, Kennebec County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 13 C3). To reach this pond, drive down Greeley Road, and turn into Greeley’s Landing Road by the blue boat launch sign. Pass the yellow gate, which it is locked during mud season in the spring, and drive for several 100 ft. until you reach the access point at the end. It consists of a hard-top boat launch and includes a surprising amount of parking space given the small size of the pond.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Symmes Pond in Newfield, York County, Maine (October 22, 2023)

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The public access point can accommodate small trailered boats. Note the “bowl” in the background.

 

Symmes Pond is a 36-acre body of water located in Newfield, York County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 A2). The public access point is located by the outlet at the eastern tip of the pond. The launch, which is found right off Route 11 (a.k.a. Water Street), is unimproved and can accommodate small, trailered boats. Limited parking is available for a few vehicles. Keep in mind not to park in front of the fire truck water intake structure to avoid a ticket or an unexpected tow…

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Keoka Lake in Waterford, Oxford County, Maine (October 17, 2023)

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I locate the school of brookies about 150 ft to the left of the boat launch

 

Keoka Lake is a 467-acre body of water located in Waterford, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 D4). A cement boat launch is located on Route 35 on the western side of the lake. Parking is available on the road shoulder by the launch. One alternative is to park your vehicle in front of the Waterford Historical Society building located next to the boat launch. I see no signs forbidding this practice, but do not know if it is frowned upon.

 

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Fishing for brook trout on Keewaydin Lake in Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine (October 17, 2023)

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The boat launch by the dam. The launch is on the right (note the marked chain) and the dam is on the left.

 

Keewaydin Lake is a 307-acre body of water located in Stoneham, Oxford County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 C3). The public access is located at the outlet by the dam right next to Route 5 at the southern tip of the lake. Plenty of parking area is available around the launch. I notice that the entrance to the boat launch is chained off and therefore inaccessible to watercraft. Fortunately, that does not affect me because I will be fishing in my a waders by the dam.

 

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Fishing for brook trout and rainbow trout on Crystal Lake in Gray, Cumberland County, Maine (October 15, 2023)

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The launch is hard-topped and spacious. Plenty of parking is available across the road.

 

Crystal Lake (a.k.a. Dry Pond) is a 189-acre body of water located in Gray, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B3). Access to this pond is via a hard-top boat launch located at the southern tip of the lake on Mayberry Road right after it splits off from Noth Raymond Road. The town of Gray also maintains a public beach and swimming area right next to this ramp. A spacious parking lot able to accommodate dozens of vehicles is located across from the launch.

 

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