First Pond near Kilbride: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  First Pond falls in Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, part of Newfoundland and Labrador. This is rolling bush ground. With some 15 hectares of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. You are 4.7 km from Kilbride. St. John's is the closest city, 10 km away. Not far off: Bill Hazels Pond out at 0.4 km, Second Pond at 2.7 km, Double Loon Pond out at 5.3 km, Cochrane Pond at 9.8 km and Oxen Pond out at 11 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on First Pond

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove include Atlantic cod, American eel and brown trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Take First Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  August is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 16°C, while February sits near -5°C. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between late April and mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. First Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is a slipway on the shore, 1.2 km from the water we list. A carry of 990 m from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. There is a pier recorded roughly 1.3 km away. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Bill Hazels Pond sits 0.4 km off and takes the overflow. For First Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.