Fishing at Ortolani Reservoir, Plymouth County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Plymouth County, Massachusetts, is where Ortolani Reservoir sits. Beyond the shoreline you have open valley. This is a pocket water of some 12 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The town to know is White Island Shores, 1.6 miles out. For a city, New Bedford is 17 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Ortolani Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Records held for Plymouth County cover tessellated darter, striped bass and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Read Ortolani Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 71°F and January near 29°F on the long-run figures. The year gives four workable seasons without severe ends. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. At Ortolani Reservoir the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The nearest car park we can see is 0.9 miles out, so expect a walk with your gear. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Glen Charlie Pond, 0.7 miles out. None of that is settled for Ortolani Reservoir in what we hold.