Notch Reservoir Fishing near North Adams, Massachusetts

• Overview

  The Berkshire County end of Massachusetts holds Notch Reservoir. The bank is 1,240 feet above sea level. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It sits higher than most water we list in Massachusetts. The nearest town is North Adams, 2.4 miles away. Albany sits 32 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Notch Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Across Berkshire County, recorded fish include brown trout, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass, brook trout and bluegill. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Anyone new to Notch Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 19°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Anyone fishing Notch Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Leave the car at Notch Gate, about half a mile from the bank. Notch Reservoir covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Mount Williams Reservoir, 1.4 miles away. Check the position at Notch Reservoir before loading the car.