Horseshoe Pond Fishing near Lac-Mégantic, Maine

• Overview

  You will find Horseshoe Pond in Somerset County, Maine. It sits in lake country bush. The water covers some 66 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 2.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. Head to Lac-Mégantic, 25 miles away, for anything you forgot. Then Linière, 27 miles, and Saint-Côme--Linière, 33 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Somerset County records list Atlantic salmon, brown trout and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Anyone new to Horseshoe Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 10°F and July at about 64°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Horseshoe Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Benjamin Pond, 0.6 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Horseshoe Pond for certain.