Fishing at Little Barnard Pond, Franklin County, Maine

• Overview

  Little Barnard Pond is one of the Franklin County listings for Maine. The setting is rolling bush on every side. Small at around 8 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Franklin County standards. Supplies mean a trip to Kingfield, 27 miles off. Phillips is 29 miles away, with Lac-Mégantic at 30 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Little Barnard Pond

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Franklin County include Atlantic salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout and rainbow smelt. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Little Barnard Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in July and bottoms out near 11°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Little Barnard Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Barnard Pond is 0.5 miles distant. Ask locally about Little Barnard Pond if anything is unclear.