Fishing at Benedict Pond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Benedict Pond stands in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. It sits at 1,581 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 38 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It sits higher than most water we list in Massachusetts. For supplies, Great Barrington is 3.9 miles out. Berkshire Heights is 4.3 miles away, with Housatonic at 5.3 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Benedict Pond

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. County-wide records name brown trout, pumpkinseed and largemouth bass. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Benedict Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 68°F and January at 20°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Benedict Pond rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A made slipway is half a mile from here, which settles the boat question. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Failing this one, try Barbieri Reservoir, 1.5 miles away. Check the position on Benedict Pond before loading the car.