Chicopee Reservoir in Hampden County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Hampden County entry here is Chicopee Reservoir, in Massachusetts. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. The water measures roughly 22 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. 2.6 miles away sits North Chicopee, the nearest town. Chicopee is 3.3 miles away, with Ludlow at 3.9 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Chicopee Reservoir

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Hampden County records list bluegill, white sucker, pumpkinseed, brook trout and tessellated darter among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Work Chicopee Reservoir in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 72°F and January near 24°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from late March until about late December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Chicopee Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. This sits inside Chicopee Memorial State Park, so read the reserve notices first. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Plastic Park Pond is 1.9 miles off. Treat Chicopee Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.