From October 1 - November 30, all salmon, trout, togue, and black bass caught must be released alive at once. The information provided herein is based on best-available data. The northern portions of Maine are filled with lakes and ponds that house large brook trout, landlocked salmon, bass, crappie, pickerel, pike, and everything else you could imagine. I was asked recently which ponds were my top selections for Maine trout ponds. Migis Lodge. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with 1850 rainbow trout of 14”, which yields about 2 rainbow trout per acre. The air and water will be cooling and the trout and landlocked salmon will start their pre-spawn movement and/or positions into the rivers very soon. Find out where the action is, what the water conditions are and everything you need for a successful day on the water! Located just 10 miles from Maine’s capital city of Augusta, the Belgrade Lakes are a series of island-dotted lakes … Ahh, summertime fun in Maine, so many lakes and ponds, so little time it seems between the Fourth of July and Labor Day. When I was younger, about 40 years ago. Maine's wild brook trout lakes and ponds range from just over an acre to sprawling 16,000-acre Mooselookmeguntic Lake in historic Rangeley. 5. Click the links below for the most up-to-date fishing news and suggestions from Maine’s fisheries biologists. This pond was stocked in the spring of 2013 with 2800 rainbow trout of 11”, which yields about 5 rainbow trout per acre. Here are a handful of Maine’s best lakes just waiting for you to visit. With over 500 lakes and ponds in the North Maine Woods, there are certainly a lot of places to fish and over the past 30 years I have had the good fortune to try many of them. As a child growing up I always dreamt about discovering a pond or stream that no one had ever fished. Finally, use the website linked to this blog to discover how many trout and salmon are released per acre in the spring and fall in all the 600+ stocked ponds and lakes throughout Maine. It’s like the Chimney Pond of the north, except you can drive all the way to your site and you’ll have one of the best swimming spots in Maine — deep, cool water with $1 canoe or kayak rentals and a stone-bottom (no muck), which kept away the leeches that wee ever-present at other ponds. A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/hancock/jones_pond.pdf. Please remember to check with the local Fish and Wildlife department to ensure the stream is open to the public. Stanley Pond offers the best odds in Maine of catching rainbow trout through the ice during the winter of 2014. About 26 ponds open to ice fishing in this county are stocked with trout … Another 235 have been stocked, but not in ten years or more. ", "I feel the article on page 18 of the April issue, “Recipes of Violence” by Matt Dunlap, needs to be published nationwide. A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/oxford/pennesseewassee_lake.pdf. This 1,100 hectare lake is located in central Maine just north of Mt Katahdin. It's a great river to enjoy a real possibility of a tight line even throughout the winter. This article is well written by one with the wisdom many of us sportsmen possess. It usually occurs from the last few days of June into mid-July, and always produces some of the most frantic action of the season. Rainbow Trout are the most popular fish stocked.They grow fast, adapt to most ponds, and are easily caught. Credit: Courtesy of Diana Mallard No species of fish is more synonymous with Maine than brook trout. Photo: Joe Klementovich. The best fishing guide in Maine! Rainbow smelt are the primary forage in Flying Pond, and they are abundant! The crossing at rt. For equipment, I like a 9-foot, 4- or 5-weight for dry-fly fishing and a 5- or 6-weight for fishing sinking lines. Many of these ponds are open to ice fishing and are stocked with rainbow trout each spring or fall. bass and trout) in small ponds is not recommended.Generally, however, it is ok to mix different species of trout or trout of different sizes. Migis Lodge staked out one of the best fishing holes in Maine in 1916, on Maine's Sebago Lake, just miles west of Portland. Whether you are fishing for bass, trout or salmon, fly fishing or spin casting, you'll find plenty of lakes, ponds and streams in The Maine Highlands. Ninety ponds have not been stocked but may--or may not--have received stocked fish from a tributary source. More than half of Maine’s wild brook trout ponds have never been stocked. Brook Trout Waters. This blog identifies the TOP ponds in Washington County, Maine that provide the best odds of catching brook trout during the spring of 2016. Many anglers prefer fly fishing. Maine's lake and pond brook trout resources are the jewel of the eastern range: lake populations are intact in 185 subwatersheds (18% of the historical range), in comparison to only six intact subwatersheds among the 16 other states." Male lake trout spawn every year, while females often spawn only every other year. – Al has been the executive director at North Maine Woods for over 20 years and for the past 10 years he has been writing this column to keep sportsmen informed about what is happening in the NMWs. View Larger MapLittle Ossipee Lake covers 564 acres and is located off Route 5 in Waterboro, York County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 2 A4). This guide profiles 40 trout ponds located within a hour’s drive of Greenville. The deeper water in the big portion of the lake is home to lake trout in the 6- and 8-pound class, while big browns occupy areas closer to shore. We are approaching one of the best fishing times of the year! Most access is private, but you can fish from Dick's Marina for a $5 fee. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with 400 rainbow trout of 14”, which yields about 1 rainbow trout per acre. The best months for trout fishing are May and June, late September, October, and November. This pond was stocked in the fall of 2013 with 650 rainbow trout of 14”, which yields about 2 rainbow trout per acre. Maine Guide Fly Shop and Guide Service. I caught it on the north side shoreline of Nehumkeag Pond in Pittston, Maine. ", "I enjoyed reading Ms. AuClair’s article on Mount Katahdin. Mixing Species: Mixing warm and cold water species of fish (e.g. Coveted brook trout thrive in remote Maine ponds. I did my utmost best to verify that a particular pond is indeed open for ice fishing, but I make no guarantees whatsoever that my interpretation of the Maine fishing rules is accurate or correct. Maine is home to 97 percent of the wild brook trout waters in the Eastern United States, according to Trout Unlimited. There are many other lesser know waters that have good trout populations, but many are small and sensitive to too much angler pressure. ", Website Content Copyright © 2021 Northwoods Sporting Journal, P.O. The fish was about 5″-6″ in length, without scales. Anglers far and wide travel to the Jackman Maine area to sample the thrill of fishing for 10-15 inch native and stocked brook trout on that special fly. 35 in Windham is one of the hot spots for trout. There are some stocked trout waters, but there are many more that contain only truly native brook trout. Brook trout, lake trout, and whitefish are all doing well in these lakes right now so it’s a perfect time to get away from the crowds and enjoy some solitude in the North Maine Woods. As for lake trout, these are my personal preferences: Clear Lake, Spider Lake, Eagle Lake, Chamberlain Lake, Churchill Lake, Ross Lake, Crescent Pond, Togue Pond, and 1st and 2nd Musquacook Lakes. Years ago Tim Shaw sent us this request. The Maine Brook Trout Waters Interactive Map allows users to locate Wild and Native Brook Trout Waters and the most current open water fishing regulations. Your email address will not be published. I am an experienced fly fisherman but have limited … Continue reading A Season on a Wild Trout Pond Mixing Species: Mixing warm and cold water species of fish (e.g. With over 500 lakes and ponds in the North Maine Woods, there are certainly a lot of places to fish and over the past 30 years I have had the good fortune to try many of them. Stanley Pond offers the best odds in the whole state of Maine for catching a rainbow trout through the ice during the winter of 2017! Also, the Upper Kennebec is widely regarded as one of the best places in the country to fish for wild, native brook trout. View Larger MapLake George covers 335 acres and is located next to Canaan Road (Route 2) in Canaan, Somerset County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 21 B2). Join us as we discuss the Maine Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. For five minutes every month, he eased my mind and took me into the Maine Woods. Copyright © 2009-2016 Amazing Fish-a-Metric Enterprise. Great East Lake is a deep, cold lake covering some 1,768 acres. Best ice fishing ponds for catching large trout in Oxford County, Maine (winter of 2016) This blog highlights the ponds in Oxford County which provide the best odds of catching larger stocked trout during the 2016 ice fishing season. ... Nymphs slowly crawl along the bottom so a slow retrieve works the best. View Larger MapCrystal Lake covers 189 acres and is located next to Mayberry Road in Gray, Cumberland County (see The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer map 5 B3). There are many hatcheries throughout the State of Maine and many spring fed ponds that were once stocked with trout. A depth map and more fisheries information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/cumberland/crystal_lake.pdf. I love your publication and read it from cover to cover. Be sure to understand the regulations Marina for a $ 5 fee July send... All about, and cannibalism can destroy the weaker and/or smaller trout 40 ago! Void in many of the year information can be obtained at www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing/lakesurvey_maps/androscoggin/range_pond_middle.pdf canoe or some other remote ponds that brook... 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