Fishing Campus Pond in Hampshire County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Campus Pond is a Hampshire County water, Massachusetts side. The surface lies 246 feet up. At roughly 3 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Hampshire County. Amherst Center at 1.1 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Springfield, 20 miles distant. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Campus Pond

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Hampshire County records list brook trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed and tessellated darter among the fish reported. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Campus Pond fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 23°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late March. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near late December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Campus Pond by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Lot 62 Red Permit gives parking 120 yards away. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. A toilet block sits half a mile away. This falls in or next to protected ground, so rules will be tighter than usual. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Factory Hollow Pond is 1.9 miles off. What applies at Campus Pond may have changed since it was mapped.