Tag Archives: Oxford County

The TOP Ponds Stocked with Brook Trout for the Spring of 2017 in Oxford County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Oxford County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2017. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: all else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of water, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Most of the target ponds are below 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and mid-June, after which the bite slows down due to rising surface water temperatures. Check out this blog on trolling techniques for catching trout.

Most of the ponds described below were stocked last fall but are closed to ice fishing. Hence, those stocked trout have had at least 6-7 months to fatten up since their release. Other ponds are stocked once early in the spring or may be stocked several times in April and May. More details are provided in the stocking reports compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It is recommended to check the regulations about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds, such as daily bag limits, minimum size limits, use of live bait fish, artificial lure requirements, limits on outboard engine size, etc. Note also that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids-only” ponds.

 

The TOP ponds stocked with brook trout for this spring in Oxford County are listed below in alphabetical order:

 

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

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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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Best ice fishing ponds for catching large trout in Oxford County, Maine (winter of 2017)

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This blog highlights the ponds in Oxford County which provide the best odds of catching larger stocked trout during the 2017 ice fishing season. Over two dozen ponds open to ice fishing in this county are stocked with trout each fall. Most of these fish are relatively small (7” to 12”), but plentiful, in order to provide fast action. The state also spiced up some of the ponds with larger trout, which are defined here as fish measuring 13” or more, and weighing at least 1 pound. Click here for tips to increase your chances of catching more brookies through the ice.

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TOP brook trout ponds for the 2017 ice fishing season in Oxford County, Maine

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The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2017 ice fishing season in Oxford County are highlighted below (in alphabetical order).  A pond is considered “top” based on its stocking density. Simply put, the more trout are packed per acre, the higher the chances of catching them through the ice!

For the purpose of this blog, I’ll define a brook trout pond as a body of water with a surface area of less than about 100 acres which is stocked in the fall with hatchery-reared brook trout to support ice fishing.  These ponds tend to freeze over early in the season and are typically safe to fish well before the bigger lakes become accessible. This provides early-action opportunities for those of us (myself included!) who just can’t wait to get the hard-water fishing season going. Click here for tips to increase your chances of catching more brookies through the ice.

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TOP Brook Trout Ponds for the 2016 Spring Fishing Season in Oxford County, Maine

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This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Oxford County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2016. A pond is considered TOP due to its trout stocking density: everything else being equal, the more brook trout that are stocked per acre of water, the greater the chances of catching those fish! Most of the target ponds are below 50 acres and are therefore relatively small. Trout activity typically peaks between late April and early June, after which the bite slows down due to rising surface water temperatures.
Most of the ponds described below were stocked last fall but are closed to ice fishing. Hence, those stocked trout have had at least 6-7 months to fatten up since their release. Several other ponds are stocked once early in the spring. More details are provided in the most recent stocking report compiled by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Click here for the latest law book about special fishing rules that may apply on these ponds.  Note that the list of TOP brook trout ponds excludes “kids only” ponds.
The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2016 spring fishing season in Oxford County are listed below in alphabetical order:

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Best ice fishing ponds for catching large trout in Oxford County, Maine (winter of 2016)

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This blog highlights the ponds in Oxford County which provide the best odds of catching larger stocked trout during the 2016 ice fishing season. About 26 ponds open to ice fishing in this county are stocked with trout each fall. Most of these fish are relatively small (7” to 12”), but plentiful, in order to provide fast action. The state also spiced up some of the ponds with larger trout, which are defined here as fish measuring 13” or more, and weighing at least 1 pound.

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TOP brook trout ponds for the 2016 ice fishing season in Oxford County, Maine

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The TOP brook trout ponds for the 2016 ice fishing season in Oxford County are highlighted below (in alphabetical order).  A pond is considered “top” based on its stocking density. Simply put, the more trout are packed per acre, the higher the chances of catching them through the ice!

 

For the purpose of this blog, I’ll define a brook trout pond as a body of water with a surface area of less than about 100 acres which is stocked in the fall with hatchery-reared brook trout to support ice fishing.  These ponds tend to freeze over early in the season and are typically safe to fish well before the bigger lakes become accessible. This provides early-action opportunities for those of us (myself included!) who just can’t wait to get the hard-water fishing season going. Click here for tips to increase your chances of catching more brookies through the ice.

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Largemouth bass fishing on Heald Pond in Lovell, Maine (August 1, 2015)

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Heald Pond is gorgeous and quiet

Heald Pond is gorgeous and quiet

Heald Pond is an 80-acre body of water located in Lovell, Oxford County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 D2). The unimproved public boat launch is found on Slab City Road (off Route 5) at the southern tip of the pond in the narrow and shallow outlet by the dam. It can accommodate small trailered boats with outboard engines. Keep in mind though that the State of Maine fishing regulations prohibit the use of engines over 6 horsepower on this pond. Also, beware that the boat launch is rather steep and gravelly. Ample parking is available next to the launch. A nice bonus of the engine size restriction is that the pond lacks power boats and jet skis, and that the fishermen largely have the place to themselves.

 

 

 

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Farrington Pond in Lovell, Maine (August 1, 2015)

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A gorgeous view of Farrington Pond with White Mountain National Forest as a backdrop

A gorgeous view of Farrington Pond with White Mountain National Forest as a backdrop

Farrington Pond is an 89-acre body of water located in Lovell, Oxford County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 D1). The pond, which is just north of the lower bay of Kezar Lake, is situated off F Road, which itself is located off West Lovell Road. Beware that the sign for F Road consists only of a small ivory white placard with the letter “F” on it. Next to it is a bigger painted wooden sign that reads “Timber Bay Shores; Private Road”, which throws me off because it makes it sound like F Road is a private road. However, I check with a local resident who assures me that F Road is public, which turns out to be the case. The public access point is clearly marked and located 0.3 miles down F Road on the right (just past Lady Slipper Drive). The launch itself is about 400 ft from the wooded parking area down a rough forest trail. Only hand-carried crafts can be launched from that spot. The parking area is in the woods and can accommodate several cars.

 

 

 

 

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Largemouth bass fishing on Hutchinson Pond in Albany Township, Maine (July 25, 2015)

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View from the launch of Hutchinson Pond with the mountains in the background

View from the public access point of Hutchinson Pond with the mountains in the background. She is pretty!

Hutchinson Pond is a 93-acre body of water located in Albany Township, Oxford County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 10 C4). The pond can easily be accessed by driving down Hutchinson Pond Road (off Hunts Corner Road) for exactly 1.4 miles. The state-leased public access point is marked on the left of the road by a small Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sign.  The pond is reachable via a rough 150-ft tote trail which can only accommodate small hand-carried craft, such as a canoe or kayak. A few cars can be parked along the shoulder of the road next to the access point. Hutchinson Pond is quite a beauty! It is framed along the northeastern horizon by three tall hills, namely Lovejoy Mountain (1792 ft), Peabody Mountain (1575 ft), and Patch Mountain (1565 ft). The watershed is completely forested. Parts of the shoreline are moderately developed, supporting less than two dozen houses and summer cottages. One thing strikes me immediately upon arrival: none of the docks jutting out into the water display power boats, jet skis or pontoon boats! I assume that’s due to a lack of a boat launch, which limits the release and retrieval of these larger craft. It also means guaranteed peaceful quietness for property owners and fishermen alike.

 

 

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