Fishing at Long Pond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Long Pond lies in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Elevation runs to 896 feet. Around 115 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. On our Berkshire County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Housatonic, 2 miles out. For a city, Albany is 35 miles off. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Long Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Fish documented in Berkshire County include brown trout, pumpkinseed and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Long Pond a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 21°F to 69°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Long Pond follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Pfeiffer Arboretum at Long Pond covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Round Pond, 1 mile out. Confirm before you fish Long Pond.