Fishing Keyes Pond in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Keyes Pond is listed under Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Tidal water begins 27 miles from here. The water covers some 36 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.0 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The closest town, Westford, is 2.7 miles distant. It is 7.5 miles to Lowell, the nearest city. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Keyes Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Across Middlesex County, recorded fish include bluegill, pumpkinseed, chain pickerel, yellow perch and common carp. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Keyes Pond where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 23°F to 70°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to late December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Plan any trip to Keyes Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Parking is at Slifer Trailhead parking, some half a mile off. This sits inside Slifer Land, so read the reserve notices first. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Long Sought-for Pond is 0.7 miles distant. Confirm access to Keyes Pond locally before you travel.