That’s the way I like to start my mornings!
May 6, 2022
Location and Access to Pettingill Pond
Where is Pettingill Pond Located?
This 36-acre water body is found off Route 302 across from Seacoast Adventure in Windham, Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 C2). My goal this morning is trolling for trout on Pettingill Pond.
Access and Boat Launch
It is a challenge to find the public access to this body of water. 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 number 48.
The small, unmarked public access 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.
The unimproved ramp can only accommodate small trailered boats.
Anglers Road is narrow, potholed, and trafficky. Also, anglers cannot park their vehicles by the launch or anywhere along Anglers Road. The only readily-available place to leave your car is by Route 302.
I have the pond all to myself. And the lack of wind sure makes my paddling more enjoyable!
Pettingill Pond Features, Stocking, Depth Profile, and Angling Rules
General Characteristics
Pettingill Pond and I go back over a decade. I have ice fished it on and off for brown trout, and have consistently been successful at it (click here, here, and here for examples). But I have never fished it during open water, which is why I’m here today.
The surface water is crystal clear. In addition, the rich forage base supports decent brown trout growth.
Annual Stocking
What draws me back to this three-lobed pond time and time again is not its location (next to noisy Route 302) or its setting (the whole shoreline is entirely built up, cheek by jowl). No, it is the fact that it receives the highest stocking density of brown trout in the whole of Cumberland County, at about 2 fish per acre.
Keep in mind though that even that kind of stocking rate still makes for slow fishing… So, be prepared to put in your time in order to earn the right to catch one of those browns.
Depth Profile
Pettingill Pond has a mean and maximum depth of 12 ft. and 29 ft., respectively. Click here for a depth map and dated fisheries information.
The summer oxygen levels, though marginal at depth, allow for year-over-year survival, meaning that the trout can grow over time and reach desirable sizes and weights. I would not expect hog-sized (> 6 pounds) browns in here, but fish up to 3 or 4 pounds definitely reside in these waters.
Fishing Regulations
Open-water fishing in the spring occurs under the general fishing laws applicable to the South Zone. Click here to review the full regulations applicable to Pettingill Pond.
It took a lot of work to land this beauty, but it was all worth the effort.
Trolling for Trout on Pettingill Pond
Arrival and Conditions
I reach the access point of Pettingill Pond on Angler’s Road at 5:15 am and paddle off in my canoe 15 minutes later. It’s a beautiful early-spring morning: the birds are chirping, it is wind still, and all’s quiet. The water temperature is a relatively balmy 54°F.
Technique for Trolling for Trout on Pettingill Pond
My plan is to troll with two rods over 10 to 20 ft. of water along the shoreline. The first rod is an 8-weight fly rod with lead core line fishing two lures placed between 1 and 1½ colors down (say, 5 to 10 ft. below the surface). The second rod is an ultralight spinning rod with three fat split shots to place an additional two lures 2-3 ft. below the surface.
The lures for both rods consist of a two-inch ACME Phoebe spoon to which I attach a 1 ¼-inch ACME Thunderbolt spoon using a two ft. section of monofilament line. Of note, the Thunderbolt, being the smallest of the two lures, is the “straggler” lure placed at the end.
I pay close attention to the depth finder in order to remain over my target depth. It takes about 45 minutes to paddle around the pond. I have nothing to show for all my efforts two hours later…
I have FULL confidence in this little spoon. A big trolling misconception is the belief that one has to use large lures to catch big trout. The exact opposite is true.
Results of Trolling for Trout on Pettingill Pond
An Interesting Submerged Ridge
I notice a peculiar feature at a specific location in Pettingill Pond: the bottom rises up to about 3 ft. below the surface, even in the middle of the pond (note: the crude depth map does not show this ridge…).
I take a moment to examine this situation with my depth finder and quickly understand what is going on. A bouldery ridge connecting two points on opposite shorelines (hints: look for the little red lighthouse…) rises up steeply from the depths and then plunges back down on the other side. This feature creates a precipitous “wall” next to the deepest part of the pond. That intrigues me and I decide to check it out.
Changing the Strategy
The ultralight rod goes away to provide better maneuverability. I also release two full colors of lead core line to reach a depth of 12-14 ft. However, the Phoebe and Thunderbolt spoons stay put because I have absolute confidence in catching trout with these lures (click here, here, and here).
A fish provides a tremendous hit on my very first pass along the wall. But it unhooks within seconds, and is gone. Crap, he got away!!! But I seem to be onto something. I troll back and forth in front of the wall. The exact same thing happens again 20 minutes later: hit, hook, unhook, gone. Are you freaken’ kidding me??
The Last-Minute Miracle Fish
I would continue in my quest but need to return to start my workday. So I just keep on trolling passed the wall in 20 ft. of water toward the access point. My morning troll is over in less than five minutes.
Then I get my third hit and hookup, but this time the fish stays connected. YES!! I tussle with a hard-fighting brown trout that doggedly stays low, taking long runs. This is so much fun. I’m having trouble netting the creature because it constantly slips underneath the canoe, but the job gets done and I land the trout. It’s a fat and healthy-looking 18 incher. I take bragging pictures and quickly release it back to its watery world. I’m so glad that Pettingill Pond didn’t get the better of me this morning!
The outcome of trolling for trout on Pettingill Pond: I landed one 18-inch brown trout in 3 hours of trolling.
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