Fishing at Island Pond, Essex County, Vermont

• Overview

  The Essex County end of Vermont holds Island Pond. The bank is 1,161 feet above sea level. About 614 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 5.2 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Few waters listed in Essex County are bigger. Start from Stanstead, 18 miles down the road. Then Stratford, 18 miles, and Newport, 19 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Island Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Essex County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Island Pond light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 12°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Island Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A pier 0.9 miles from here gives a platform over deeper water. A rest area sits about 0.9 miles from the water. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Spectacle Pond, 0.9 miles away. Confirm access to Island Pond locally before you travel.