Fishing Lake Cochichewick in Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Lake Cochichewick sits in Essex County, out in Massachusetts. The ground round it is rolling bush. About 575 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. There is roughly 5.7 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. Nothing else we list in Essex County covers more water. 1.9 miles away sits North Andover, the nearest town. It is 12 miles to Lowell, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Cochichewick

  It is listed as an impoundment in national data, which explains the shape of the basin. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Essex County cover alewife, bluegill and striped bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lake Cochichewick the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 25°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near late December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Lake Cochichewick rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public land surrounds it, and access follows the standard rules. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public data flags this water as closed to fishing. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Mill Pond Stevens Pond is 1.2 miles distant. Ask locally about Lake Cochichewick if anything is unclear.