Key Species: brown trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white perch, pickerel, cusk, crappie
Best Way to Fish: canoe, boat
Best Time to Fish: May through September, January through March
MAG: 21, D-5 and 22, D-1
Description: This 2,528-acre lake is set in the midst of rolling farm country. Much of the lake is surrounded by marshes. Unity Pond is the largest lake in Waldo County, and though popular with local anglers, it is never crowded. Motels are available in Hampden and Bangor.
Fishing index: Although Unity Pond receives annual stockings of brown trout, this species is largely underfished. May is the best month to find brown trout near the surface. Troll for browns during the day, using Mooselook Wobblers, live minnows, gray ghost streamers, Jerry’s smelt, and yellow perch streamers. Try dry flies in the evening. Use red quills, Hendricksons, caddis patterns, and dun variants. Look for brown trout near the shoreline at the southeast end of the pond and around the islands.
The most popular species here is largemouth bass. The area to the west of the boat ramp, near the railroad trestle, is a prime spot for bass early and late in the day. Use 6-or 8-inch black, red, and purple plastic worms. Cast toward the brushy shore and allow the worm to settle, and retrieve it by raising and lowering the rod, reeling in the slack, then repeating the process. Use at least an 8-pound test line because the bass will head for the cover of the shoreline brush. Poppers will produce early in the morning and toward evening. Two old favorites include Jitterbugs and Hula Poppers. June is the best month for bass.
Black crappie are also found here, but are rarely taken in large numbers. This may be because few Maine anglers are experienced in fishing for crappie. You should use small minnows, fished in about 20 feet of water. You can also use small lead-head jigs; the curlytail variety is a good choice. A fish locator will help you find schools of crappie. Crappie tend to run large here, up to 2.5 pounds.
Pickerel abound along the marshy shores of Unity Pond. Try using any heavily dressed yellow bucktail. Spinning lures include Daredevles and red
These white-perch anglers are staying close to shore, using the trees as a windbreak. Tip-ups, with live minnows as bait, are commonly used for perch.
plastic worms. Schools of white perch provide plenty of action throughout the summer months for anglers using bait. Use small minnows or worms, fished on bottom. Try drifting in 10 to 30 feet of water. If you get more than one bite in any location, go back to that point and drift over it again.
Ice fishers park near the boat ramp and walk out toward the center of the lake, where they fish in 20 feet of water for brown trout, crappie, and bass. Most anglers use tip-ups, baited with small minnows. Suspend the minnows at varying depths because while bass may be near the bottom, crappie may be at any level and brown trout can often be taken directly under the ice.
Directions: From Hampden, just south of Bangor on U.S. 1A, take U.S. 202 west to Unity. Upon entering town, look for a cemetery on the right and a gravel road just past the cemetery. Follow the gravel road to the boat ramp.
For more information: Contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Regional Fish and Wildlife Headquarters in Bangor.
