Hales Pond Fishing near Cumberland Hill, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Look for Hales Pond in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Elevation runs to 236 feet. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Norfolk County list holds plenty of bigger water. Cumberland Hill lies 3.5 miles from the water. Woonsocket lies 3.5 miles off, Cumberland another 4 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Hales Pond

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Norfolk County records list bluegill, pumpkinseed and chain pickerel among the fish reported. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Hales Pond to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 25°F to 71°F. Some winters cap it and some do not. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Hales Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out. A rising level usually fishes better than a falling one.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Carls Pond at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Hales Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.