Fishing Center Pond in Somerset County, Maine

• Overview

  Center Pond falls in Somerset County, part of Maine. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. It measures about 55 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.3 miles on foot. Compared with other Maine water on our list, it sits high. You are 25 miles from Linière. For a city, Lévis is 90 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Center Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Somerset County include Atlantic salmon, brown trout and smallmouth bass. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Center Pond fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in July and bottom out at 9°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late April and starts locking again about late November. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It holds true on Center Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Canada Falls Lake at 3.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Center Pond.