Fishing at Long Pond, Franklin County, Maine

• Overview

  Long Pond is set in Franklin County, Maine. Around the bank it is pine and birch. About 499 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With 5.0 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Franklin County. Phillips is the closest town at 14 miles. Sherbrooke is the closest city, 73 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Pond

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Franklin County include Atlantic salmon, brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Long Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 63°F, the coldest about 10°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Long Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Four Ponds Public Reserved Land covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. If the gate is shut, Mud Pond at 2.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Long Pond before loading the car.