Josh Pond Fishing in Washington County, Maine

• Overview

  Josh Pond is a Washington County water, Maine side. Everything around it is pine and birch. Roughly 62 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. There is roughly 1.4 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Maine listings. Nearest place of any size is East Machias, 5 miles away. Further out sit Machiasport (7.1 miles) and Machias (8.8 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Josh Pond

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Washington County records list alewife, Atlantic salmon and rainbow smelt among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Josh Pond the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 66°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Josh Pond that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Holmes Pond sits 2.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Josh Pond.