Fishing at Little Bartley Pond, Somerset County, Maine

• Overview

  Somerset County, Maine, is where Little Bartley Pond sits. The ground around here is pine and birch. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Somerset County standards. Nearest place of any size is Lac-Mégantic, 22 miles away. It is 71 miles to Sherbrooke, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Little Bartley Pond

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Somerset County cover Atlantic salmon, brown trout, smallmouth bass and rainbow smelt. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Little Bartley Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 10°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late April. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near late November in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Little Bartley Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Big Bartley Pond, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Little Bartley Pond locally before you travel.