Fishing at Plantain Pond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Plantain Pond falls in Berkshire County, part of Massachusetts. The bank is 1,729 feet above sea level. It measures about 62 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 1.4 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is high ground by Massachusetts standards. Some 5.3 miles away sits Sheffield, the nearest settlement. Waterbury sits 41 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Plantain Pond

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Reported across Berkshire County: brown trout, pumpkinseed and largemouth bass. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Plantain Pond gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 67°F in July and bottom out at 20°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Plantain Pond around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. Camp Hi-Rock covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Lee Pond is 0.9 miles off. None of that is settled for Plantain Pond in what we hold.