Hamilton Pond Fishing near Belgrade, Maine

• Overview

  Hamilton Pond falls in Kennebec County, part of Maine. Everything around it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 38 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Belgrade lies 1.6 miles from the water. The big place round here is Sherbrooke, 119 miles distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hamilton Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Kennebec County: brown trout, Atlantic salmon, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Hamilton Pond rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 17°F for January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Plan around that when you fish Hamilton Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Ray Hammond Memorial Forest covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Stuart Pond at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Hamilton Pond are worth checking on the day.