Great Pond in Cumberland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Great Pond belongs to Cumberland County, Maine. The setting is pine and birch on every side. Around 137 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Roughly 2.0 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Ground here is low by Maine standards. Scarborough is the closest place, 4.5 miles off. South Portland is 4.6 miles away, with Portland at 5.8 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Great Pond

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is tidal water: the state of the tide decides where fish sit, so plan the session around it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Cumberland County include Atlantic cod, brown trout and Atlantic salmon. The near bank of Great Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 68°F, with January the cold end at about 23°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly late December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Anyone fishing Great Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Little Pond is 1.2 miles distant. Ask locally about Great Pond if anything is unclear.