Fishing Barker Pond in Oxford County, Maine

• Overview

  In Maine, Barker Pond belongs to Oxford County. The bank is 489 feet above sea level. At 255 acres this is proper open water rather than a pond. At about 3.2 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. It ranks high for size among our Oxford County listings. The nearest place of any size is Hiram, 2.6 miles away. The big place round here is Manchester, 71 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Barker Pond

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Oxford County records list brown trout, Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Read Barker Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 18°F in January up to 68°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between early April and mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Barker Pond the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Southeast Pond sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. For Barker Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.