Fishing Forest Pond in Oxford County, Maine

• Overview

  Forest Pond sits in Oxford County, out in Maine. The surroundings are pine and birch. The water covers some 43 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Canton, is 2.3 miles away. Chisholm is 4.2 miles away, with Jay at 4.3 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Forest Pond

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Oxford County names brown trout, Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Forest Pond gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 16°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Anyone fishing Forest Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Nelson Pond, 3 miles out. Signs at Forest Pond carry more weight than any list.