Ireland Pond Fishing Guide, Penobscot County, Maine

• Overview

  The Penobscot County end of Maine holds Ireland Pond. The ground around here is pine and birch. The water covers some 43 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. You are 24 miles from Patten. Then Millinocket, 41 miles, and East Millinocket, 44 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ireland Pond

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Penobscot County, recorded fish include Atlantic salmon, brown trout and smallmouth bass. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. The shape of Ireland Pond decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 9°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan any trip to Ireland Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. West Sawtelle Pond, 1.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Ireland Pond.