Walk down next to the old railroad tracks until you reach this sign. Enter Otter Pond #2 right behind it.
November 18, 2023
Location and Access to Otter Pond #2
Where is Otter Pond #2
This 12-acre water body is found in Standish, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 D1). My goal this morning is to catch brook trout while wader fishing on Otter Pond #2.
Access
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.
The first 100 ft or so along the shoreline to the right of this picture is where all the action is concentrated this morning.
Otter Pond #2 Features, Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
General Characteristics
Otter Pond #2 is a very old friend of mine. I have fished it for brook trout during fall and winter on and off for 20+ years. The surrounding land is wooded and undeveloped except for a picnic area and a few small cabins used as a summer camp.
Old gravel pits, excavated eons ago, form all four ponds on that property. Crystal-clear groundwater now fills them all.
Otter Pond #2 becomes a circus during the early ice-fishing season. However, it is essentially abandoned by anglers each fall when the trout fishing is at its best!
Annual Stocking
The State stocked Otter Pond #2 earlier this fall with 600 9-inch brookies and 125 13-inch brookies, and then again with 15 20-inch brood stock brook trout. That represents an impressive 62 trout per acre!
Depth Profile
The pond has mean and maximum depth of 11 ft. and 39 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map.
Fishing Regulations
Fall fishing at this location occurs under the general fishing laws for the South Zone. Anglers are allowed to fish between October 1 and November 30 but using artificial lures only. In addition, they have to release all trout immediately and alive. Click here for the full regulations applicable to Otter Pond #2.
Yes!! The trout are at their post!
Wader Fishing on Otter Pond #2
Arrival and Conditions
I arrive at the western shoreline of Otter Pond #2 at 9:15 am. I am the only one out and about. The weather is perfectly miserable: overcast and breezy with non-stop rain and an air temperature of 47°F.
Checking out a Hunch!
My purpose today is to check out a hunch I have had for several years about brook trout in Otter Pond #2… During past ice fishing trips to this pond, I noticed that the northwestern corner by the railroad tracks rarely freezes over, even in the coldest of winters.
That can only mean one thing: one or more active groundwater seeps keep the water over there relatively warmer, attracting trout.
I caught a ton of brook trout at this very location during a fishing trip in the fall of 2019. I want to see if that experience was just a fluke or indicative of a pattern.
It just never gets old to figure out the brookies in the fall and catch them “on demand”.
Technique for Wader Fishing on Otter Pond #2
I am armed with my usual weapon of choice when fall fishing for trout in waders: an ultralight spinning rod, with a small spinning reel spooled with 6-pound monofilament, and a bronze #2 Mepps spinner.
Light, efficient, and deadly…
I also cut off the third hook of the treble and flatten the barb on one of the two remaining hooks. These small changes make it easier to remove the lure without damaging the fish.
I enter the water, wade along the shoreline for about 50 to 75 ft. and start casting my lure out. I let it sink all the way to the bottom, get the blade turning, and slowly retrieve the spinner while constantly twitching the tip of my rod to impart a fluttering action to the lure.
Results of Wader Fishing on Otter Pond #2
I hook and land my first brookie by the fourth cast. I will be damned!! That fall 2019 experience at this spot was not a fluke. I am stoked and continue fan casting out into the pond.
I catch another three trout over the next 30 minutes. The fish aren’t suicidal but they are definitely down there. Just to prove my theory, I move further along the shoreline constantly casting my lure out. The bite quickly stops but starts back up as soon as I return to that sweet spot. This pattern is so neat.
By the end of my time, I have landed seven brookies, missed several more, and had many hits. This trip was a real success. It shows that anglers can specifically target the brookies in Otter Pond #2 in the fall based on a precise plan!
The trout stop biting if I move 50 ft. further down this shoreline. All the brook trout are concentrated at one specific spot. It’s quite uncanny!
The outcome of wader fishing on Otter Pond #2: I caught seven brookies (largest = 14 inches) in 1.5 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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