Geovani casting in the basin at the outlet by the road. No easy pickings here today…
November 9, 2019
Location and Access to Charles Pond
Where is Charles Pond Located?
You can find this 14-acre water body next to Route 127 (Five Island Road) in Georgetown, Sagadahoc County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 7 D1). My goal this morning is fishing for trout on Charles Pond.
Access and Boat Launch
Access is very simple because the pond sits right next to the road. So, anglers can park their vehicles on the nearby road shoulder and simply walk in. However, the pond lacks a boat ramp. Hence, people can only use hand-carried craft at this location.
Charles Pond is entirely undeveloped and quite pretty.
Charles Pond Features, Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
General Characteristics
The entire shoreline around Charles Pond is undeveloped (i.e., no houses, no yards, no fences, no docks) and unposted. Hence, much of it is accessible by foot from shore.
A number of my blog readers have asked me about locations in southern and central Maine where one can catch trout from shore in the fall using waders and without the need for a boat or fancy electronics. Charles Pond is such a place, as are many others.
Annual Stocking
The pond was stocked earlier this fall with 150 7” brookies (about 11 trout per acre) and 75 13” brookies (= about 5 trout per acre). I am eager to connect with those larger one-pounders this morning.
This location has proven to be an excellent early ice-fishing destination for me in the past (click here and here for examples).
Depth Profile
A depth map is not available. But, the pond has a maximum depth of < 7 ft as determined based on my past fishing experiences.
Fishing Regulations
This little gem falls under the South Zone “general fishing laws”, i.e., the pond is open to ice and open-water fishing between January 1 and December 31 under the general law bag limit (i.e., two fish per day) and length limit (minimum of 6”). Click here for the rules.
My first brookie of the morning , in full spawning colors!
Fishing for Trout on Charles Pond
Arrival and Conditions
My grandson Geovani and I arrive at Charles Pond at 7:30 am. It is chilly (lower 20’s), with the forecast calling for full sunshine with low wind but temperatures only rising into the lower 30’s later today. We are dressed accordingly! As expected, we also have the whole place to ourselves.
We notice a thin layer of ice skimming the northern half of the pond, which soon melts under the rising sun. That means that the water temperature in the rest of the pond is in the mid-30’s at best. I’m not sure how active the trout will be to chase after a darting spinner…
Technique for Fishing for Trout on Charles Pond
Normally, I would use my hip boots or waders to fish directly from within the water, but I’m accompanied by 11-year old Geovani. So, I stick to fishing with him strictly from dry land. Enough breaks occur in the riparian vegetation along the shore to make it possible for him to cast without constantly getting tangled up in branches and bushes.
We use our ultralight spinning rods and small reels spooled with 6-pound test monofilament together with a fabulous #2 Mepps spinner. I removed one of the three hooks from the treble and flattened the barb on one of the two remaining hooks to minimize harm to the fish.
The second brookie this morning is a ripe female.
Results of Fishing for Trout on Charles Pond
Charles Pond is a popular fall angling spot spot because it is easily accessible and right next to the road. We start fishing around the basin next to the road. Thirty minutes of non-stop casting fails to yield a single hit, dashing my hopes of quickly putting Geovani on some easy trout. We are going to have to work to catch fish this morning!
We start walking upgradient along the western shoreline, hitting every open spot in the vegetation we find along the way. I finally hook and land a male brookie in spawning colors after 45 minutes, followed by a ripe female half an hour later.
I have lost Geovani by now. But he is a good sport about it and gets all excited when I bring in these fish. I catch a tiny 7 incher in the basin on our way back to the car. All are released to be caught by someone else.
I regret that Geovani did not get a single bite, but am nonetheless glad to have caught my target fish under less than ideal conditions. And his time will surely come!
The outcome of fishing for trout on Charles Pond: I caught 3 brook trout (largest = 13”) in 2.5 hours of cold, hard 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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