Flat Bottom Pond Fishing in Dukes County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  The Dukes County entry here is Flat Bottom Pond, in Massachusetts. Tidal water begins 1.1 miles from here. On water this small, stealth matters more than range. It is a small entry by Dukes County standards. The closest town, Vineyard Haven, is 2.2 miles away. Oak Bluffs is 4.2 miles away, with West Tisbury at 4.8 miles. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Flat Bottom Pond

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Reported across Dukes County: American eel, striped bass, alewife, rainbow smelt and tessellated darter. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Flat Bottom Pond fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 30°F. Ice comes and goes from one year to the next. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. It holds true on Flat Bottom Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. The water borders Ripley's Farm Preserve, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Should this one be busy, Lake Tashmoo is 1.2 miles off. Ask locally about Flat Bottom Pond if anything is unclear.