Foster Pond in Essex County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Essex County, Massachusetts, you have Foster Pond. It sits 1.1 miles in from the sea. Nearest town is Swampscott, 0.9 miles off. Further out sit Lynn (1.7 miles) and South Peabody (2.2 miles). More in the same country: Floating Bridge Pond lies 0.8 miles on, Flax Pond within 1.4 miles, Spring Pond lies 1.5 miles on, Browns Pond within 1.9 miles and Lily Mere lies 1.9 miles on. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Foster Pond

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Essex County: Atlantic cod, alewife, bluegill and striped bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Foster Pond in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 72°F, the coldest about 27°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. The cooler months are the comfortable ones to fish here. It sets the rhythm of the year at Foster Pond. A rising level usually fishes better than a falling one.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Harold A. King Town Forest runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Floating Bridge Pond sits 0.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm access to Foster Pond locally before you travel.