Fishing at Upper Banjo Pond, Essex County, Massachusetts

• Overview

  Within Essex County, Massachusetts, you have Upper Banjo Pond. Salt water lies 0.6 miles off. At roughly 10 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Start from Gloucester, 1.6 miles down the road. Beyond it, Manchester-by-the-Sea at 4.5 miles and Essex at 4.7 miles. Water in the same corner: Lower Banjo Pond 0.2 miles off, Fernwood Lake out at 0.3 miles, Wallace Pond 0.8 miles off, Buswell Pond out at 1 mile and Mill Pond 1.6 miles off. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Upper Banjo Pond

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Fish documented in Essex County include Atlantic cod, alewife and bluegill. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Take Upper Banjo Pond a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 27°F. Most months fish reasonably, given the right weather. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Upper Banjo Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. A marina half a mile from here covers launching and moorings. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, Lower Banjo Pond at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm access to Upper Banjo Pond locally before you travel.