Reservoir Number One in Worcester County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Worcester County entry here is Reservoir Number One, in Massachusetts. The ground round it is mixed forest. It covers about 9 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Massachusetts listings. Nearest place of any size is Athol, 2.4 miles away. Then Phillipston, 3.4 miles, and Baldwinville, 6.1 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Reservoir Number One

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Across Worcester County, recorded fish include bluegill, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow bullhead. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The shape of Reservoir Number One decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 20°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Expect Reservoir Number One to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Phillipston Reservoir at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Reservoir Number One should be assumed from this page alone.