Eight fabulous largemouth bass ponds in York County, Maine

Fishing for largemouth bass is a cherished summer activity for many fishermen in southern Maine. The desired quietness and loneliness, however, can be rudely impacted by the unwelcome hustle and bustle of jet skiers, swimmers, speed boaters, other fishermen, general shore activity, or busy road traffic. My goal was to find, and share with you, hidden largemouth bass fishing spots scattered throughout York County. I focused on small ponds less than 50 acres in size, located off the beaten track but still readily accessible by car (no need for 4X4 driving or hiking through the woods!). I also avoided ponds with excessive shore development. A small motorized boat could be launched on a few of these ponds, but most are fishable only by hand-carried craft, such as a canoe or kayak. This selection process ensures that you will likely be fishing for largemouth bass all by yourself in unspoiled, quiet, natural surroundings. The ponds are also small enough that they can be covered in a lazy afternoon or a long summer evening. Finally, I fished each one of them to ensure that they contain largemouth bass, which they did!  Click here for an overview of the lures I like to use on these fish. I’ve also identified fabulous largemouth bass ponds in Cumberland County, south coastal Maine, and southern Oxford County.

And the fabulous ponds for York County are (in alphabetical order)….

BARTLETT POND, WATERBORO, MAINE

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View of Bartlett Pond

View of Bartlett Pond

 

Bartlett Pond sits in the middle of a triangle formed by Route 5, Deering Ridge Road, and Bennett Hill Road in Waterboro (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 B5). The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer shows a trailerable boat launch at the southern end of the pond. Note that this launch is NOT trailerable. It is also located on a private forest road and is therefore not accessible to the public. One way onto the pond is to launch a canoe on Bartlett Brook which flows through a culvert underneath Bennett Hill road 0.9 miles north of Route 5. The stream is narrow and confining at first but quickly opens up into a wide passageway through an enormous marsh. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the pond by that scenic route.

 

General view of Bartlett Pond

Bartlett Pond covers 30 acres and reaches a maximum depth of 18 ft. The pond is the remnant of a much larger body of water which has been slowly filling in over the ages by a quaking bog. The setting is quite beautiful, tranquil, and serene. The southern and eastern shorelines are completely wooded and undisturbed. The edge of the marsh defines the northern and western shorelines, with the forest delineated in the background. The surface water is darkly colored. The bottom of the pond experiences a dissolved oxygen deficiency in the summer, which limits the fishing to the upper reaches of the water column. Patchy floating and emergent aquatic vegetation grows in the shallows around the rim of the pond providing good bass habitat. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 


BOYD POND, LIMINGTON, MAINE

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General Viw if Boyd Pond

Boyd Pond is located on the north side of Mill Turn Road, about 0.2 miles east of Route 117 in Limington (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 E4). The edges of this 26-acre pond (maximum depth = 19 ft) are completely surrounded by wide, dense beds of lily pads. The surface water is lightly stained. The shoreline is mostly wooded and only one house is visible from the pond.

 

 

 

 

View of the lily pads around Boyd Pond

Access to Boyd pond is via the outlet that flows underneath Mill Turn Road. The outlet is narrow, weed choked and shallow (< 2 ft) and will only accommodate small hand-carried craft. A boat ramp is not available. The pond itself is about 300-400 ft further up from the road. A large paved area right next to the outlet allows fire trucks to pump water from the outlet into their tanks. Don’t park in that area because you will likely be towed. Instead, leave your car on the shoulder of the road next to the paved area. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

KILLICK POND, HOLLIS, MAINE

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Killick Pond is located off Killick Pond Road or Sand Pond Road in Hollis (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 E5). The pond can be accessed with some difficulty from several directions, two of which are described below:

(1) Take Route 35 (Bonny Eagle Road) south and turn right on Killick Pond Road. After about 1 mile, turn right on Berube Lane (an improved dirt road).  Pass the Poland Spring plant on the left, the high-voltage lines, and the “Killick Pond Wildlife Management Area” panel. The road narrows and becomes rough as it enters the woods. The pond outlet is about 0.2 miles further down on the left. Only hand-carried crafts can be launched from this access point. Beware of the gate at the beginning of Berube Lane. It was open when I checked out the area in late afternoon but I do not know if it is closed at some point in the evening.

(2) Take Route 35 (Bonny Eagle Road) south and turn right on Sand Pond Road just after crossing the Saco River. Drive on Sand Pond Road for about 2.3 miles before turning left on Old Stage Road (an improved dirt road). Stay on this road for 0.1 mile before turning right on Brick Tavern Lane (an improved dirt road). Stay on this road for 0.4 miles (always stay on the right), pass underneath the high-voltage lines, and turn left on Promised Lane (an unmarked and unimproved dirt road) about 150 ft after the high voltage-lines. Stay on this road for 0.3 miles (bear right at the two splits). Promised Lane is quite rough, but drivable all the way to where it ends at a fire pit. The pond is about 200 ft further down. Only hand-carried crafts can be launched from this access point.

 

View down Killick Pond

It is well-worth the effort of getting on Killick Pond!! This picturesque 45-acre water body is completely undeveloped and surrounded by woods. Only two houses are located along its shoreline. Because of the difficult access, the pond is lightly fished and devoid of motorized craft. One gets the impression of experiencing a truly remote pond, even though it is located only 25 miles outside of Portland! The pond also feels much bigger than its surface area would suggest, because it is rather narrow but over one mile long. Killick Pond has a maximum depth of 12 ft but is shallower on average.

 

 

 

 

View of Killick Pond shoreline

Only sparse floating and emergent aquatic vegetation occurs along most of its shoreline, except at the two ends of the ponds. Other structure includes tree stumps, submerged branches, and shrubs around the shoreline. The substrate consists mostly of fine sand. The water is slightly stained. Overall, this habitat is made for largemouth bass! Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

LITTLEFIELD POND, SANFORD, MAINE

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View of the shoreline of Littlefield Pond

Littlefield Pond is located in Sanford (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 C3). Access to the pond is as follows: drive west on Route 224 (Pleasant Street) into Springvale. Turn right on Payne Street . Cross Beaver Hill Road unto Elm Street. Stay on Elm Street for 0.6 miles before turning left on Littlefield Road. Stay on this road for 0.5 miles before turning right on Emmons Road (a gravel road). The access point to the pond is 0.2 miles on the right.

 

 

 

 

View of Littlefield Pond

This 19-acre pond (maximum depth of 17 ft) is a beautiful fishing spot located no more than 10 minutes outside of the largest town in York County. Access to the pond is by permissive trespass. Only small, hand-carried craft can be launched from the access point. The pond water is crystal clear. The substrate consists of a mixture of fine material interspersed with numerous large boulders. The surrounding land is entirely wooded. Much of the pond is also ringed with a narrow band of emergent vegetation, interspersed with some lily pads and submerged fallen trees and branches. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

MILLIKEN MILLS POND, OLD ORCHARD BEACH, MAINE

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View of Milliken Mills Pond

Milliken Mills Pond is an impoundment of Mill Brook (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 3 B3) in Old Orchard Beach. Access to the pond is on Milliken Mills Road, right by the dam on Portland Avenue. The launch is rough and can only handle hand-carried craft because a thick cable is stretched across the entrance way and half-a-dozen large granite blocks bar the way further down.  The distance between the road and the water is no more than 150 ft. Parking is on the road shoulder and is limited to two or three cars.

 

 

 

Great bass habitat along the shoreline of Milliken Mills Pond

Even though the pond is small (10 acres), it gives the impression of being much larger because it is quite narrow (< 130 ft), and hence very long (over 0.5 mile!). The pond has little aquatic vegetation but a multitude of overhanging branches and fallen trees. The water is also crystal-clear. This small water body, located no more than 12 miles south of Portland, provides a remarkable feeling of “remoteness”. Both banks are densely wooded and devoid of houses or camps. Further upstream, the heavy canopy on both banks provides a cocoon-like feeling. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

MOOSE POND, ACTON, MAINE

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The shoreline of Moose Pond

Moose Pond is located right off H Road in Acton (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 A1). Access to the pond is via a rough boat launch visible from H Road. The launch, which is located by the outlet, could accommodate small trailered boats. A small wooden plaque affixed to a nearby tree states that motorboats are not allowed on the pond. However, a review of the ME Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife fishing rule book does not state that engines are forbidden. Hence, it appears that the plaque may reflect the views of local homeowners.

 

 

 

General view of Moose Pond

Moose Pond is a real beauty! It covers 27 acres and has a maximum depth of 20 ft. The substrate consists of coarse sand, rubble, and boulders. The water column is crystal clear and stays oxygenated throughout the summer. Sparse aquatic vegetation extends in the shallows both on the right and left side of the launch. The rest of the pond supports little vegetation or structure. The shoreline is heavily wooded and only has a handful of houses, which provides a real sense of “remoteness”.  Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

WARDS POND, LIMINGTON, MAINE

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View of the shoreline of Wards Pond

August 10, 2015 UPDATE: One of my blog readers (thanks, Tom) reported that the unnamed forest road into Wards Pond off Route 11 (Sokokis Avenue) was recently posted as “PRIVATE PROPERTY” and is therefore no longer accessible to the public. Feel free to let us know if you can find another way into this pond by car so that I can share it with everyone.

Wards Pond is located off Route 11 in North Limington (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 D5). Access to the pond is as follows: drive west on Route 25 (Ossipee Trail), turn right on Route 11 (Sokokis Avenue), drive on Route 11 for 0.7 miles before turning right on an unnamed forest road (right across from Helmlock Lane). This trail, which is rough but passable with a car, reaches the north-western end of the pond after about 0.2 miles. A sandy launch allows access for small trailered boats, as well as hand-carried craft. Beware that the sand is soft and that it is a real challenge to pull a boat up the slope of the launch using a front wheel drive car, as I experienced the hard way!

 

 

 

General view of Wards Pond

This 44-acre pond is a another hidden gem in southern Maine. The water has a deeply-stained color. Most of the shoreline is wooded with minimal development. Only four camps are visible from the pond. The entire shoreline is ringed by floating and emergent aquatic vegetation. The amount of vegetation is not excessive because the pond rapidly gains depth away from the shore. The maximum depth is 34 ft. The deeper part of the lake is off-limit to fish in the summer because of a severe oxygen deficiency down below. Hence, much of the summer fishing is concentrated along the shoreline. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

 

 

YORK POND, ELIOT, MAINE

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View of the shoreline of York Pond

York Pond is located in Eliot (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 1 A3). The access to this body of water is well “hidden”. Drive on Route 91 and turn unto York Shore Drive, which leads through a residential development. Turn right on York Pond Road after 0.2 miles. Go to the end by the circle and look for mail box #6. Get on the driveway but make an immediate left on a rough, stony forest road. The access point to the pond is about 500 ft further down on the right. Even though a small trailered boat could be launched, the fishing rule book states that motorboats with internal combustion engines are prohibited on the pond. So, only craft powered by sweat or an electric motor are allowed on the water.

 

 

 

A beautiful sunset over York Pond

This 45-acre pond (maximum depth of 11 ft) is another hidden gem in southern Maine. It is simply gorgeous! The western end of the pond abuts a large marsh. The shoreline is fringed mostly with small bushes that grow in dense stands all along the water’s edge. The aquatic vegetation is surprisingly sparse and consists mainly of scattered lily pads. The lack of floating vegetation is probably not a surprise because the pond rapidly gains depth away from the shoreline. The water is also darkly stained. The land around the pond is heavily wooded, with only a handful of houses visible from the pond. One truly gets the impression of “remoteness” when fishing this body of water.  Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

 

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34 thoughts on “Eight fabulous largemouth bass ponds in York County, Maine

  1. Thank you very much for your list of 8 small York County bass ponds. I’d driven by Moose Pond several times but never stopped to fish. Today I followed your advice and Wow! I lost count after about 10 bass but I think I caught about two dozen plus a mid-sized pickerel in a little over four hours. It’s been years since I’ve caught that many fish in such a short amount of time. Just me in my kayak. Typical good fishing day— cloudy and cool with occasional showers. The bass were on average 12″ to 13″ with a few smaller ones plus one that was 14 1/2″. Thank you. I’ll plan on hitting the other ponds on your list soon.

    • Hi Bruce, what a blast to hear that you nailed the largemouth bass on Moose Pond!! It sounds like you had one memorable day on the water. That’s what life is all about, at least in my book. I urge you to check out some of the other small ponds on the list. All are pretty, remote, and loaded with bass. Feel free to drop a line and let us know how well you’ve done. I’m also working on a “fabulous” list for Cumberland County. Stay tuned! Stan.

  2. I am looking for some bass ponds in southern maine, these look great, however I do not have a boat. are any of these good for shore fishing? thank you.

    • Hi Dave, you could probably cast a lure from various spots on-shore on most of these ponds, particularly around their launch areas, but you’d miss out on most of the fun and would be very limited without some kind of craft. These and similar small ponds in York County are pretty undeveloped, which can makes shore access a challenge. Stan.

    • The Otter Ponds in Standish offer good fishing from the shoreline. It’s an area where the majority of the people fishing are casting from shore. Portland Water District owns the property around the ponds and you will need to fill out a form to gain permission to fish there. There is a parking lot and kiosk (where the permission forms are located and a map of the area) off of Route 35 heading towards the town of Windham. The parking lot is located just after the bridge on the right. I would try there if you don’t have a small boat to use for fishing. Good luck!!

  3. My sixteen yr old son and I found this site to be very informative and helpful. We live in Lebanon and plan of hitting each of these before the end of the summer. We are always looking for places like these to put our inflatable in. The Milliken Mills Pond will be our first this coming Wednesday while my wife spends time with her family at the beach. Thanks again for doing the research and providing it to us. We will let you know how we do.

    • Thanks for your kind words. I’m particularly glad to see that your son is getting into the fishing action. My greatest satisfaction over the years has been to turn my own son (who is also my fishing buddy) into a dedicated, well-rounded, four-season fisherman. He beats my regularly at my own game, which gives me great satisfaction. We also constantly learn new tricks from each other. He’s started fishing with his own two young sons, who will hopefully get just as bitten as their elders!

      Feel free to drop a line about your success fishing the eight “fabulous” York County largemouth bass ponds. Don’t forget to also check out the list of “fabulous” Cumberland County largemouth bass ponds I just published. I’m also working on a “fabulous” mid-coast list for release latter this year. I hope that you and your son will spend great afternoons together bonding on these beautiful water bodies.

  4. Made it to Killick Pond for the 2nd time this year- happy to report the fish are doing well. On my first trip a couple months ago I caught several largemouths in the 13″ to 16″ range. Today the smallest was 13″ plus one 16.5″, two 17.5″, and one that I carefully measured at 18.25″. Also caught a couple pickerel and crappie. Paddled my kayak the full length of the pond but caught all the fish at the west end. As I was leaving a young couple and their son arrived. I believe they also heard about Killick Pond via this website. Thanks again!

    • What a great story! It sounds like you caught several nice largemouth bass the second time around. Killick Pond is a definite winner, but keep on going down the Eight Fabulous list for York County. There are several more beautiful spots waiting to be discovered. And when you’re done with those, feel free to go down the Fabulous list for Cumberland County! Tight lines.

    • Hi Rick. The access to Littlefield Pond (at least the one that I found) is as described in the blog. A trailered boat cannot be launched from that spot because the “launch” is blocked by several big boulders. That access point is also not posted, which makes it accessible to the public. The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (map 2 C3) does not show a boat launch site at all. Hence, the pond is quiet and secluded. Just the way I like it! Tight lines. Stan

  5. Has anyone fished Killick Pond recently? I tried to go down the promised lane entrance and it now has 2 gates, one when you turn onto promised lane which was open but had a sign about no trespassing, and then a second gate that strectched from woodline to woodline a few hundred feet further that was locked and would have been difficult to get around with a kayak and a long walk to the water. I was wondering if anyone has had better luck on the Berube side? Thanks

        • I just took promised yesterday. Be aware the road back there is very narrow with trees on each side as you go, plus low hanging branches. Our kayaks had to make a few large branches move or break, and there are times where we would not have been able to open our car doors.

          Also, the launch is very steep. My wife and I carried two 70 lb fishing kayaks down there… down, not so bad.. back up.. oo boy haha, we got our workout for sure – BUT that being said, the fishing was GREAT.

          There was another canoe on the water, and he had to have put in some place else, so if I were to go back, I would scout another launch spot first, saving promised lane as my last ditch effort. Worth the effort.

          Wife and I used a tiny wee craw crankbait, and cranked 22 fish out there over 3 hours of fishing.

          • OH also, there IS a marked road now called “promised lane”, pass it right up, stay to the right and continue down the dirt road. you will see the turn to the left 150 ft after the lines just as described. Also, continue to bear right… down the way there is a little sign that says killick pond and points to the LEFT, which is confusing. The road there is even narrower, so we did not turn left, we stayed right. No idea what you find if you follow that sign.

  6. I am very excited about our trip to killick pond this morning. I live on a very heavily fished lake and have been nailing the big ones this year I know that this pond will be better. Last year I went to wards pond with my dad and we caught a lot of 12″ bass up to about 16″ and then I caught a medium sized pickerel. Thanks for doing this research for us. We really enjoyed it

  7. Wow I caught an 18 inch largemouth and it was the biggest freshwater fish that I have ever caught! Killick pond was a beautiful pond but took a little while to get to. This blog was true and getting to it is worthwhile. We put the canoe in at the east side and soon realized that the big bass were jumping for water bugs. We did not have any lures that small but tried some hula poppers and jitterbugs. I think we got one strike but was too fast to get hooked up. My dad and I have decided to defiantly go back and bring our fly rods. Based on Tuesday we would have 2 times the fish. Killick pond was overall a beautiful sight and great fishing. I am hoping to get onto littlefield pond next. Thanks for all of your research

    • I’m always glad to hear that the info I share with my blog readers yields good results! Consider signing up on my web site to be notified of future fishing blogs. Maine is FULL of hidden gems like Killick Pond. Stay tuned!

  8. Good to hear some are catching nice fish in Killick Pond. I had great luck there last summer. Been there twice this summer and only got one 13″ largemouth and a 19″ pickerel. I say “only” because last year was so much better…..must be me!

  9. I hit littlefield pond and fished for about an hour. I fished from shore first thing in the morning. Good boat access but I did not bring my boat. The time I spent was well used. Several largemouth within the hour and just from shore. I will be back with my boat.

  10. So great to find this website with your great suggestions!

    I made the mistake of seeing a boat launch on Bartlett pond on my map but never finding how to access it – was very frustrating. I’m thinking now of the Brook Access you mentioned and my question is – if I park up there and take the canoe down it 0.9miles, is the return UP the brook a problem? The current isn’t fast or anything? Thanks so much!

    • The return up the brook is not problem at all because the water is flat and barely flows, at least in the summer. The only issue, particularly for kayakers who need a bit more space with their paddle, is that the brook gets narrow and hemmed in by bushes at certain spots up towards the road. But that shouldn’t stop anyone from enjoying the quiet and solitude on this otherwise pretty pond.

      If you haven’t done so yet, make sure to sign up on my website to get notified when I publish future fishing blogs about other hidden gems scattered throughout our beautiful state. The service is free.

    • Hi Bobbie. All the ponds presented in this blog are open to bass fishing in the spring. As per the 2016 Maine fishing rules, the daily bag limit on bass is two fish with a minimum length of 10″ and only one keeper can exceed 14″. The one exception is Littlefield Pond which falls under Special Regulation Code S-13 (= no size or bag limit on bass). Best of luck and drop us a line about how you did.

  11. I appreciate the advice on where to go. I live in sanford and just got a paddle boat. I caught a 22 inch large mouth and a 10 inch out of ell pond in between sanford and wells this morning. It has a rough boat launch and served me well. I will most certainly start checking out the others. Thanks again.

  12. Great site. Im headed up to Ogunquit for a week w my family and I’m really hoping to get out once or twice on my own. Unfortunately I don’t have room for my kayak and it wounds like most of these places are heavily wooded. Is there any opportunity for shore fishing at these locations or does anyone know of other spots? thanks, tight lines!!

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