Mud Pond Fishing near Haut-Madawaska, Maine

• Overview

  The Aroostook County end of Maine holds Mud Pond. The country here is lake country bush. With some 57 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The bank runs about 1.4 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The nearest place of any size is Haut-Madawaska, 26 miles away. Further out sit Fort Kent (27 miles) and Riviere-Bleue (34 miles). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Mud Pond

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Aroostook County, recorded fish include Atlantic salmon, rainbow smelt and brook trout. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. On Mud Pond that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 63°F for July and 6°F for January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late April until roughly late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Plan around that when you fish Mud Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Togue Pond at 2.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Mud Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.