The first brookie of the morning. I’m on to something!
November 1, 2019
Location and Access to Chaffin Pond
Where is Chaffin Pond Located?
This pretty 13-acre water body is found in Windham, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). My goal this morning is wader fishing on Chaffin Pond
Access
Access is super-easy! Drive on Route 302 north into Windham, pass the Home Depot sign (Franklin Drive) and take the next right on Chaffin Pond Reserve Drive (Donnabeth Lippman Park) just before the Sherman Williams store. Our target is a couple of 100 ft down that dirt road. Also, ample parking is available across from the playground.
I just love those spawning colors!
Chaffin Pond Features, Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
General Characteristics
My blog readers asked me about places in southern and central Maine to catch trout from shore in the fall without a boat or fancy electronics. Many spots are available. My target this morning is another such location.
Chaffin Pond and its surrounding woods were historically managed by the Portland Water District. That prevented any shoreline development, except for a few groundwater pump houses.
The area is now a well-used municipal park where young and old come to picnic, walk the many trails, use the playground, or fish, literally smack in the middle of Windham’s busy business district!
Wetlands, Mud, and Lily Pads
Much of the shoreline is accessible on foot. However, one notable exception is the large wetland along the northern end of the pond (across from the picnic area).
The remaining shoreline is rather swampy and boggy. So, hip boots or waders are a must to experience the full shore-fishing potential at this location. It is also best to go a couple of feet into the water away from shore to avoid the overhanging bushes, twigs, and branches.
The substrate is soft and muddy (and stinky!) which limits how far out one can wade. But the water is crystal clear. One last thing: much of the shoreline is girdled by lilypads in the summer. Most of the floating leaves are gone by early November, but may be a nuisance when fishing from shore earlier in the fall.
Annual Stocking
Besides a generous annual allowance of brook trout each spring, the State also stocks around 600-800 additional brookies each fall for use by the hard-water fishing crowd (myself included!). The 13-inchers are my target today.
Depth Profile
A depth map is not available for this pond.
Fishing Regulations
Chaffin Pond is open to fishing in the fall between October 1 and November 30. However, anglers can only use artificial lures (i.e., no live or dead baitfish, no worms, no preserved salmon eggs, etc.). Also, they have to release all trout alive and at once. Click here for the full rules applicable to this pond.
This male brook trout took the cake this morning. Glorious!
Wader Fishing on Chaffin Pond
Arrival and Conditions
I arrive at the Chaffin Pond parking lot at 7 am. The sky is clearing up after overnight rain, but it is breezy.
Technique for Wader Fishing on Chaffin Pond
I fish light this morning: hip boots, warm layers, a small backpack, my ultra-light spinning rod, a small spinning reel spooled with 6-pound monofilament, and a #2 Mepps spinner. Moreover, angling this way is fun because I am highly mobile and unencumbered.
I cut off the third hook of the treble and flatten the barb on one of the two remaining hooks. As a result, it easier to remove the lure and limits damage to the fish.
It just never gets old…
Results of Wader Fishing on Chaffin Pond
Over the next two hours, I hit multiple locations all along the eastern, southern, and western shoreline of the pond. Six brookies, several of which are big males in full spawning colors, fall for the spinner. My goodness, are these creatures beautiful or what!!
I also miss a biggie… I cast out the spinner, let it sink for a couple of seconds, and start the retrieve. The lure appears to get stuck on something along the way, which surprises me because the spinner is way out.
Then that something moves… Sh*t!!! It’s a monster fish! It swims parallel to the shoreline without breaching the surface but I cannot turn it or even slow it down because of my ultralight equipment. And then the hook pops out of its mouth…
I will never know what I missed (it was either a huge bass or a huge trout). But I sure hope that we will meet again soon through the ice!
The outcome of wader fishing on Chaffin Pond: I caught six brook trout (largest = 15”) in 2.0 hours of glorious fall fishing.
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 this location.
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