Urban edge ponds good bet for fishing
Waterways were stocked in fall
MAINELY OUTDOORS
by Bill Graves
Most large lakes throughout Aroostook still sport part or all of their winter coat of ice, with open water and prime trolling opportunities likely peaking the first week of May.
In the meantime, however, one of our regional ponds or small lakes becomes ice free and ready for trolling anglers or shoreline casters almost daily.
Since a surprising number of theses diminutive waterways are situated less than 15 minutes from a county town or village, they are perfect for a short pre- or post work casting outing.
A high number of these urban edge waterways receive a goodly number of stocked fish each fall after the regular open water fishing season ends. Since most are closed to ice fishing, the autumn stocked fish feed and grow all winter yielding fat, feisty and cooperative finned quarry for early-bird spring sportsmen. To make matters more enticing, many of these small lakes get 50- to 100-brood size fish 14- to 18- inches in length, some real bragging size beauties that may exceed 20 inches this month.
Even before these rural waterways are fully free of ice, many anglers cast worms, lures or dead smelt from the shoreline into the open water between ice and the banks. A surprising number of fish are caught this way. Bait and bobber fishing is an easy and productive method of getting youngsters involved with spring fishing.
Put a gob of worms on a hook, toss the bobber rig 20- or 30-feet offshore, lean the rod on a crotched stick stuck in the ground then watch and wait.
If the weather is cold and inclement it’s even possible to sit in a warm vehicle and watch a couple of rods. Action is usually consistent and kids enjoy short, fun-filled outings to nearby ponds and will usually want to do it again soon.
The proximity of small, urban-edge neighborhood ponds and lakes allow adult anglers quick but fun trips as well, an important aspect with all the spring clean up, yard work, garden preparation and other chores at hand this month.
Presque Isle, Westfield, and Mapleton have a variety of early ice out lakes to visit this month. Echo Lake has been well stocked with brook trout, as has Hanson Lake between Presque Isle and Mapleton, and Arnold Brook received four trout stockings in the last year including a hundred 17-inch brookies. Carry Lake in Littleton got trout while Conroy Lake in Monticello got splake and trout.
Limestone anglers should visit Durepo and Trafton Lakes which enjoyed an influx of 3,300 and 5,000 trout, respectively, and Monson Pond in Fort Fairfield was stocked with 2,000 eight-inch brookies.
Hodgdon nimrods need to toss a hook into Stewart Pond or Hodgdon Deadwater, while Stiles Pond and Spaulding Lake are the spots for anxious Oakfield anglers to visit for foot-long trout.
Houlton worm wranglers best hustle over to Brown Pond or Logan Lake for the main ingredient of a trout and fiddlehead supper.
From Fort Kent to Haynesville and all the towns in between, there’s a petite pond or lake that will shed its icy coat before the end of April. Keep a close eye on the urban edge pond near your neighborhood for the first sign of open water. The first two weeks after ice out usually yields gangbuster fishing regardless of age or ability, so get out early and often.
Contributed photo
April worm-and-bobber anglers take advantage of summer picnic areas, like this one at Aroostook State Park, to relax and wait for bites along area streams, rivers and ponds.
