Pork Barrel Pond, Massachusetts: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Hampden County end of Massachusetts holds Pork Barrel Pond. Height above sea level is 646 feet. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Hampden County standards. The nearest town is Holland, 2.3 miles away. For a city, Worcester is 21 miles off. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Pork Barrel Pond

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Hampden County cover bluegill, white sucker and pumpkinseed. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. At Pork Barrel Pond the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 23°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. On average, early April opens the water and late December closes it again. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Pork Barrel Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. A nature reserve borders this water, which usually brings restrictions. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is Green Pond, 0.2 miles out. Confirm access to Pork Barrel Pond locally before you travel.