Chickering Lake in Norfolk County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, this is Chickering Lake. The coast is 14 miles away. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Norfolk County. Medfield lies 2.2 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Cambridge, 14 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Chickering Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. 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. Fish documented in Norfolk County include bluegill, pumpkinseed and chain pickerel. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Chickering Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 26°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. At Chickering Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. Fork Factory Brook runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Notch Pond, 0.4 miles away. Check the current arrangement for Chickering Lake.