Key Species: splake, brook trout possible, white perch, pickerel, landlocked salmon possible
Best Way to Fish: boat, canoe
Best Time to Fish: May through September, January through March MAG: 31, B-3
Description: Piper Pond, a specially managed splake water, is easily accessible. The shoreline has some development, in the form of seasonal cottages.
The Bridge Pool on the Piscataquis River. The glassy slick shown here is perfect for dry-fly fishing, while the riffles and fast water downstream are perfect spots to work a steamer or bucktail.
At 420 acres, the entire pond is easily fished from a boat or canoe, or through the ice.
The deepest section (56 feet) is in the geographic center. There is little opportunity to fish from shore. Special regulations on splake and trout include a slot limit and a 2-fish daily bag limit. You can camp at nearby Peaks-Kenny State Park, and there are motels in Greenville, just north of Abbot.
Fishing index: Piper Pond receives annual stockings of splake, usually sometime in early May. Most anglers come here for the splake, and most splake are taken in winter. Small golden or silver shiners are the preferred bait. Using tipups, attach a leader of no more than 4-pound test to the end of the line and hook your shiner through both lips. Use only one small split shot for weight. Using a sounder to establish the depth, begin fishing in about 20 feet of water. When a splake bites, let it run with the bait before striking. Piper Pond splake are masters at stealing bait and will kill and drop your bait if they feel any resistance before they actually swallow it. Refer to the splake section of this book for detailed fishing techniques.
The best splake fishing, winter or summer, is found in about 20 feet of water, around points of land and near the mouths of coves. As you head south from the boat ramp, either side of the lake about halfway down is good for splake.
In May and June, anglers with ultralight spinning tackle can take splake by fishing near bottom with either earthworms or small minnows.
In summer, white perch can be taken in the middle of the lake with worms or live or dead minnows. Look for pickerel in weedy areas along the shores.
Directions: From Abbot Village, drive north on Maine Routes 6 and 15 and take the Whetstone Pond Road, which is the first road on the left. At about 4 miles, look for a public boat ramp on the left. Ample parking is available at the ramp.
For more information: Contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Regional Fish and Wildlife Headquarters in Greenville.
