Fishing Pleasant Pond in Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  The Essex County entry here is Pleasant Pond, in Massachusetts. It sits 4.9 miles in from the sea. 0.7 miles away sits Wenham, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Boston, 19 miles away. Round about: Cedar Pond 0.8 miles off, Wenham Lake out at 1.6 miles, Pintail Pond 1.8 miles off, Cutler Pond out at 1.9 miles and Rockery Pond 2 miles off. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pleasant Pond

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The tide is the timetable on this water; two hours either side of the change usually fish hardest. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Essex County list Atlantic cod, alewife, bluegill, striped bass and pumpkinseed. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Pleasant Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 26°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Pleasant Pond runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The car has to stay 0.9 miles away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. The water borders Pleasant Pond R-O-W, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Cedar Pond, 0.8 miles away. What applies at Pleasant Pond may have changed since it was mapped.