The first trout of the morning is a real beauty!
December 28, 2019
Location and Access to Silver Lake
Where is Silver Lake Located?
This 12-acre water body is located next to the ocean in Phippsburg, Sagadahoc County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 6 E5; note that the lake is shown on the map but is not specifically named). My goal this morning is fishing for trout on Silver Lake through the ice.
Public Access
To reach this pond, drive on Route 209 from Bath towards Popham Beach State Park. Pass the state park entrance and drive for another 0.5 miles. Turn right on Hunnewell Avenue just before reaching the pond. You can park your vehicle on the left side about 200 ft further down that road.
I do not know what the parking situation would be on Hunnewell Avenue after a snow storm when the road has been plowed and the narrow shoulder is filled with snow.
The smile says it all.
Silver Lake Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
Stocking
I’m drawn to Silver Lake because the state stocked it this fall with 660 8” brookies (or 55 fish per acre), fifty 13” brookies (or 4 fish per acre), and ten 17” brookies (or 0.9 fish per acre).
The two largest size classes are of interest to me, but most particularly the ten 17” trout. I caught one of those beauties the last time I ice fished this pond, and I would like to repeat that experience again this morning!
Depth Profile
This pond is extremely shallow, with a mean and maximum depth of 5 ft. and 7 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
Keep in mind that Silver Lake is a classic southern Maine “put-and-take” trout fishery. That means that it supports brook trout only in the fall, winter, and spring. None of the trout remaining in June are expected to survive the summer due to the pond’s shallow depth and excessive water temperature.
Regulations for Fishing for Trout on Silver Lake through the Ice
The ice fishing rules for this pond fall under the general fishing law for the South Zone. Click here for all the rules that apply to Silver Lake.
The Powerbait Power Nymph really works for brook trout! Note the baitfish head to add “flavor” to the water.
Fishing for Trout on Silver Lake through the Ice
Arrival and Conditions
My grandson Geovani and I arrive at Silver Lake by 7:45 am. That is a solid hour later than what I would have liked, but I can drag an 11-year old out of bed only so early..
The temperature is a balmy 31°F and forecast to rise into the lower 40’s. The wind is calm and the sun is out. These are ideal conditions to make ice fishing enjoyable for a kid.
The glare ice is transparent and does not seem very thick. I use my spud to check for ice thickness and measure 3”, which is not much for such a shallow pond in late December… But the ice is solid, so I decide to continue. We also put cleats to our boots as a safety measure to avoid slipping.
Technique for Catching Trout on Silver Lake through the Ice
I drill 8 holes with my auger and string out 8 tip-ups baited with 2” minnows placed half-way down the water column all along the eastern shoreline, in the hope of staying as long as possible in the shadow of the rising sun. The holes are over 2 to 5 ft of water.
Before pinning a baitfish, I slide a scented salmon egg on each hook to add some pizzazz to my offerings.
I LOVE it when things work out according to plan!
Results of Fishing for Trout on Silver Lake through the Ice
We get a flag within 5 minutes of deploying the first trap. Great! The trout are active and feeding. Geovani handles the situation and lands a gorgeous 13” male brookie in full spawning colors. He is in seventh heaven, and so is grampy!
The bite is slow but steady over the next two hours, resulting in nine additional flags, three more 13” trout and two 7” trout, and much running around! We also find several tip-ups with naked hooks. The trout stole bait but without triggering the flag. It still baffles me how they do this trick! Two holes in particular generate the most flags, which leads me to move four inactive traps in their immediate vicinity.
Jigging does the trick!
It is now 9:45 am and we only have 45 minutes left before we need to head out. The sun is rapidly rising above the sparse tree cover along the eastern shoreline. I have to get serious about jigging if I want to catch one of those large trout.
The flag action slows down considerably, which gives me the time to check out the dozen and a half jigging holes I drilled earlier. I hit the jackpot in one of those holes when I see a shadow flash by and grab my Powerbait Power Nymph and jighead combo. It is one of those ten large trout!! It is a thrill to fight such a powerful fish on an ultra-light jigging rod, even when the trout is confined by the shallow bottom.
The fish, which is long but quite skinny, is photographed and released to be caught again. It is so much fun when the plan actually works out. We both leave Silver Lake fully satisfied with our morning. The best part? We had the place all to ourselves…
The outcome of fishing for trout on Silver Lake: We caught seven brook trout (largest = 16.5”) in two and a half hours of fun 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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