Fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon on Long Lake, Naples, Maine (May 3, 2020)

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Stan

The sign for the boat launch in downtown Naples off Route 302. Beware that this access is reserved for Naples residents.

Long Lake is a 4,867-acre body of water located in the towns of Naples, Bridgton, and Harisson in Cumberland County, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 A5). I access the lake this morning via the Naples town beach and boat launch at Kent’s Landing in downtown Naples, right off Route 302. It is only after I take a picture of the sign by Route 302 and read its fine print that I realize this access is in fact not public but available for use only by “Naples residents and taxpayers”… No one was checking when I arrived at 5:15 this morning and the entrance is not gated, so I do not know how vigorously this rule is enforced during normal operating hours. Two other boat launches are available: one at Plummer Landing in Bridgton off Route 302, and the other at the northern tip of the lake off Route 35 in Harrison. The launch at Kent’s Landing in Naples is spacious and improved, and provides ample parking, plus bathroom facilities.

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Ice fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon on Moose Pond, Bridgton, Maine (February 13, 2017)

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Stan

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View south down the middle basin of Moose Pond. I’ve got the place all to myself this morning! The sky is also completely overcast.

Moose Pond covers 1694 acres and is located in Bridgton (Cumberland County) and Denmark (Oxford County), Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 A3). A convenient public access point is available off Route 302 at the northeastern tip of the middle basin of the lake, right before the road crosses the water. Plenty of parking is available along the shoulder of the road. This pond supports a robust landlocked Atlantic salmon fishery which consistently produces 20+ inch fish. This species is the focus of my efforts today. However, ice fishing for salmon can be slow business. The reason is that the state stocks this species at a low rate (typically about one fish per two or three acres of lake) in order to preserve the local rainbow smelt populations, which represent the salmon’s main forage base, and to allow for decent growth. Hence, lots of patience is needed… Keep in mind that because of the popularity of this fishery with the local hard-water angling crowd and the easy access from Route 302, the regulations for Moose Pond during the ice fishing season stipulate a daily bag limit of one landlocked salmon with a minimum length of 16”. Click here for a depth map and more fisheries information.

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Largemouth bass fishing on Moose Pond in Bridgeton, Maine (July 19, 2014)

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Stan

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View of the shoreline in the Upper Basin

Moose Pond is a 1,694-acre body of water which straddles the towns of Denmark and Sweden in Oxford County, and Bridgeton in Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer Map 4 A&B3). An excellent hard-top boat launch is located on Route 302 on the eastern end of the causeway. A second hard-top boat launch (which I did not visit) is located at the southern end of the lake off Denmark Road in Denmark, less than a mile north of Route 160 (a.k.a. West Main Street; see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B3). I also noticed what appears to be a dirt launch for canoes and kayaks facing the Upper Basin on the wooded island which links to Route 302 about halfway down the causeway. Moose Pond is a highly-popular regional destination for both open-water fishing in the spring, summer, and fall and for ice fishing in the winter. It consistently yields serious lake trout and landlocked salmon every year, particularly through the ice, but also during spring trolling. The largemouth and smallmouth bass populations are robust enough to support tournament fishing.

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Largemouth bass fishing on Otter Pond, Bridgton, Maine (June 14, 2014)

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Stan

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General view of Otter Pond from the launch area

Otter Pond is a 90-acre body of water located in Bridgton, Maine (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 A4). To access the pond, turn right on Otter Pond Road after driving about 4 miles north on Route 302 from Naples. The pond will appear on your left after about 0.2 miles. Note that this “road” is quite rough and eroded, with rocks and small boulders sticking out left and right. I’m able to get through with my front-wheel drive car, but only slowly and very carefully… This pond provides a real sense of isolation and remoteness, which is remarkable considering that it is located but a few of miles outside of both Naples and Bridgton. Only two or three houses are visible from the water. The surrounding landscape is completely forested, with Mount Henry keeping watch in the background.

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Trout fishing on Willett Brook in Bridgeton, Maine (May 18, 2014)

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Stan

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This is a tale of two brooks…Willett Brook has its source in Denmark, ME. It flows north towards Bridgton and empties out into Long Lake. The State stocks this stream once each spring in late April-early May with around 400 brown trout measuring between 8” and 10”. General fishing rules apply. Click here for more details on the regulations.

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Largemouth bass fishing on Holt Pond, Bridgton, Maine (September 2, 2012)

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Stan

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View of the Muddy River

Holt Pond is located in the town of Bridgton (see the Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 4 B4). From Route 302 in Naples, turn left on Perley Road and drive for about 1.4 miles until the intersection with Chaplin Mills Road. Drive straight on Grist Mill Road (a gravel road) and turn left after about 0.2 miles. Continue until you reach a small parking area. Holt Pond can be reached via its outlet, called the Muddy River (although calling it a “river” is a misnomer since it has little or no current), by walking down the left trail that start at the parking area. It takes about three minutes to reach the outlet. Only small craft can be launched from the Muddy River because of the carry-in. It takes another 10 minutes of paddling on the Muddy River to reach the pond itself. Continue reading →

The Amazing Fish-a-Metric

Blog about fishing in Maine

Tag Archives: Bridgton

Fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon on Long Lake, Naples, Maine (May 3, 2020)

Ice fishing for landlocked Atlantic salmon on Moose Pond, Bridgton, Maine (February 13, 2017)

Largemouth bass fishing on Moose Pond in Bridgeton, Maine (July 19, 2014)

Largemouth bass fishing on Otter Pond, Bridgton, Maine (June 14, 2014)

Trout fishing on Willett Brook in Bridgeton, Maine (May 18, 2014)

Largemouth bass fishing on Holt Pond, Bridgton, Maine (September 2, 2012)