Hawkes Pond Fishing Guide, Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Hawkes Pond is set in Essex County, Massachusetts. It lies 69 feet above sea level. At about 68 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. There is roughly 1.6 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. Few waters listed in Essex County are bigger. Nearest town is Wakefield, 2.7 miles off. Cambridge sits 9.9 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Hawkes Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Public occurrence data for Essex County names alewife, bluegill, striped bass and pumpkinseed. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Hawkes Pond light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 72°F and January near 26°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. Hard water here is never dependable, so check for yourself before stepping out. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan any trip to Hawkes Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. Part of this sits inside or beside Near Hawkes Pond, so read the notices. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Walden Pond, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Hawkes Pond before loading the car.