January 6, 2020
Location and Access to Pettingill Pond
Where is Pettingill Pond Located?
This 36-acre water body is found next to Route 302 in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). My goal this morning is fishing for trout on Pettingill Pond.
Access
The public access can be tricky to find under the snow in the winter. While driving on Route 302 in Windham (direction Raymond and Naples, i.e., north), turn right at the light on Anglers Road just past Bob’s Seafood Restaurant, go down that ruddy road for about 0.4 miles and look for house #48.
The small, unmarked dirt boat ramp will be to your left immediately past that house (and across from house #51). You have gone too far if you reach Mud Pond Road.
Note that Anglers Road is narrow, twisty, and trafficky. Anglers are nor allowed to leave their vehicles either by the access point or anywhere on Anglers Road. Route 302 is the only readily-available place to leave your car in that area.
View of Pettingill Pond from the unimproved boat launch.
Pettingill Pond Features, Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
General Characteristics
This pond is the most-developed water body I have encountered in all my years of fishing all across Maine! Dozens upon dozens of houses and cottages two or three deep occur cheek by jowl along the entire shoreline of this small, three-lobed body of water.
Yet, surprisingly, this unobtrusive but busy little pond located within spitting distance of Windham’s business district, supports a high-quality brown trout fishery…. That is why I am here today!
It also supports several other fish species, including largemouth bass, pickerel, and yellow perch. In my experience, the largemouth bass are plentiful but typically on the smaller size.
Annual Stocking
Pettingill Pond is on my “favorites” list because it receives the highest brown trout stocking rate (on a “per acre” basis) in the whole of Cumberland County. It also produces nice-sized fish (click here and here). The State stocks it with around 80 11” brown trout (i.e., about 2 fish per acre) each fall.
Depth Profile
The pond has a mean and maximum depth of 12 ft. and 29 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.
Fishing Regulations
The ice fishing rules at this location fall under the general law provisions for the South Zone. Click here for the full listing of rules applicable to this pond.
The place is quiet this morning: no snow mobilers, no other anglers, but also no fish activity…
Fishing for Trout on Pettingill Pond
Arrival and Conditions
I reach Pettingill Pond at 6:30 am. I only have about two hours of fishing time before I need to turn around to start my work day.
The ice is a rather slim 6” thick with frozen slush on top. That makes for easy walking. I also have the place all to myself since it is a Monday morning. The temperature is a cool 12°F but is quite bearable due to a lack of wind.
I find an east-facing shoreline in order to stay out of the bright light that will blanket the lake once the sun rises at 7:15 am.
Technique for Fishing for Trout on Pettingill Pond
My fishing strategy consists of using my auger to drill four holes for my tip-ups close to shore in 4 to 10 ft of water, with 2” baitfish placed half-way down the water column. Prior to pinning the bait, I slide a scented salmon egg on the hook to improve the olfactory and visual appearance of my offerings.
I also drill another dozen jigging holes all around my target area.
I know from experience that, unlike brook trout, ice fishing for brown trout is never “fast”. Not only are these creatures weary and shy but they are also released at much lower stocking densities compared to brookies.
Note that the last 10 ft of line on all my tip-up spools consists of invisible fluorocarbon monofilament; same deal with my jigging rod line. I also use needle-sharp hooks which I swap out regularly, and tiny split-shot weights.
One can never be too careful with these details when it comes to catching browns through the ice…
Success at last! It is not a hog, but I’m not skunked either!
Results of Fishing for Trout on Pettingill Pond
My four traps are deployed by 7 am and I’m eager for the action to start. But nothing happens for the next 95 minutes, either with the tip-ups or the jig. That is not necessarily unexpected but I’m starting to run out of time.
Then a flag pops up in my trap set over 9 ft of water. The spool is slowly turning, with the fish moving away from shore into deeper water. I let out some line, set the hook, and connect with a hard-fighting creature down below. It turns out to be an angry 17” brown trout. Success in the nip of time! The fish gets photographed for posterity and released to be caught by someone else.
I move my two shallower traps out into 9 ft of water in the hope of repeating this event, but I do not generate any more flags.
I also jig using a Rapala Jigging Rap which yields two small largemouth bass over the next 20 minutes. It seems like the fish below are starting to move around but I unfortunately have to leave to start my work day.
Regardless, my quiet early morning on the ice was peaceful. I am also mighty happy to have caught a brown trout.
The outcome of fishing for trout on Pettingill Pond: I caught one brown trout (17”) and two largemouth bass (largest = 15”) in two hours of slow ice 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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