Stumpy Pond Fishing near Oxford, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Stumpy Pond lies in Worcester County, Massachusetts. This is rolling bush country. At 6 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Worcester County list. 2 miles away sits Oxford, the nearest town. Then Auburn, 4.2 miles, and Charlton, 4.7 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Stumpy Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Worcester County include bluegill, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and yellow bullhead. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Stumpy Pond the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 23°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly late December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Stumpy Pond regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Failing this one, try Carbuncle Pond, 0.8 miles away. For Stumpy Pond, the notice at the access point is the final word.