Tighe Carmody Reservoir in Hampshire County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Tighe Carmody Reservoir falls in Hampshire County, part of Massachusetts. It stands 489 feet above sea level. It measures some 356 acres, and wind has room to build across it. With 4.1 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. Of the waters listed here in Hampshire County, this is the largest. Southampton lies 2.7 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Springfield, 13 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Tighe Carmody Reservoir

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Reported across Hampshire County: brook trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed, tessellated darter and white sucker. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. The shape of Tighe Carmody Reservoir decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about early April and return around late December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. On Tighe Carmody Reservoir the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Alder Pond, 1.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Tighe Carmody Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.