Horse Meadows Reservoir in Middlesex County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Massachusetts, Horse Meadows Reservoir belongs to Middlesex County. The setting is rolling bush on every side. Boxborough sits 1.2 miles from the bank. Then Harvard, 1.7 miles, and Stow, 4.5 miles. Others close at hand: Eldridge Pond out at 1.5 miles, Elizabeth Brook Reservoir at about 1.7 miles, Bare Hill Pond out at 2.4 miles, Lower Delaney Pond at about 3.4 miles and Old Millpond out at 3.4 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Horse Meadows Reservoir

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Open biodiversity records for Middlesex County list bluegill, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Horse Meadows Reservoir responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 24°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly late December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan around that when you fish Horse Meadows Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. Eastern Greenway (North) runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Eldridge Pond is 1.5 miles off. Treat access at Horse Meadows Reservoir as something to verify.