Long Pond Fishing Guide, Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Long Pond belongs to Essex County, Massachusetts. The setting is rolling hill. Small at around 6 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Start from Melrose, 1.5 miles down the road. Saugus is 1.5 miles away, with Malden at 2.6 miles. Others worth noting: Towners Pond 0.6 miles off, Swains Pond out at 0.7 miles, Ell Pond 1.5 miles off, Griswold Pond out at 1.5 miles and Spring Pond 1.8 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Long Pond

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Essex County records list alewife, bluegill, striped bass, pumpkinseed and rainbow trout among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The near bank of Long Pond is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 27°F in January to roughly 73°F in July. The year turns gently, without extremes at either end. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Plan around that when you fish Long Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. A picnic site half a mile off makes this workable with family in tow. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Towners Pond at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Long Pond may have changed since it was mapped.