Dead Pond in Washington County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Washington County, Dead Pond is a Maine water. The surroundings are rolling bush. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Washington County list. Supplies mean a trip to Addison, 17 miles off. Machias follows at 18 miles, then Cherryfield at 19 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Dead Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Washington County records list alewife, Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brown trout and smallmouth 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 Dead Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 67°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Dead Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Grassy Pond at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. For Dead Pond in particular, ask before you travel.