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

• Overview

  Haskell Pond sits within Essex County in Massachusetts. The coast is 2.4 miles away. It measures about 58 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Shoreline comes to about 1.4 miles, small enough to learn in a day. The closest town, Essex, is 2.7 miles distant. Manchester-by-the-Sea follows at 2.7 miles, then Gloucester at 3.9 miles. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Haskell Pond

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Reported across Essex County: alewife, bluegill, striped bass and pumpkinseed. The county list is broader than any single water. At Haskell Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 27°F in January. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Expect Haskell Pond to follow that timing. Cool nights slow the mornings but sharpen the evenings.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Part of this sits inside or beside Red Rocks Conservation Area, so read the notices. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Dykes Pond sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Haskell Pond is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.