Fishing Berry Pond in Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Berry Pond falls in Essex County, part of Massachusetts. Around the bank it is mixed woodland. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Our Essex County list holds plenty of bigger water. Start from North Reading, 3.2 miles down the road. Lowell is the closest city, 12 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Berry Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Essex County, recorded fish include alewife, bluegill, striped bass, pumpkinseed and rainbow trout. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Berry Pond decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 25°F. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. That is the shape of the year on Berry Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. The nearest car park is 160 yards from the water. A picnic site 0.9 miles off makes this workable with family in tow. There are toilets 130 yards off. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. If the gate is shut, Bear Pond at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Rules at Berry Pond are worth checking on the day.