Cranberry Pond Fishing Guide, Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  Look for Cranberry Pond in the Washington County part of Maine. Tidal water begins 7.5 miles from here. It runs to roughly 30 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. There is roughly 1.0 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Ground here is low by Maine standards. Nearest town is St. Stephen, 7.5 miles off. The big place round here is Dartmouth, 185 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Fish documented in Washington County include alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Take Cranberry Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 66°F and January reads 17°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Expect Cranberry Pond to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Part of this sits inside or beside Moosehorn Wilderness, so read the notices. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Bearce Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Cranberry Pond.