Fishing Johnston Pond in Piscataquis County, Maine

• Overview

  Set in Piscataquis County, Maine, this is Johnston Pond. Height above sea level is 1,365 feet. With some 58 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 1.2 miles, small enough to learn in a day. It sits higher than most water we list in Maine. Millinocket sits 18 miles from the bank. Brownville follows at 20 miles, then East Millinocket at 24 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Johnston Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Piscataquis County include Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt, brook trout and brown trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Johnston Pond the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 65°F on average, January about 12°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages place the thaw at late April and the freeze at early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Johnston Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Jo-Mary Pond at 1.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Johnston Pond.