Willis Pond, Massachusetts: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Willis Pond is one of the Bristol County listings for Massachusetts. The ground around here is farm and woodlot. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Bristol County are larger. Taunton at 2.5 miles is the nearest place to stop. It is 16 miles to Providence, the nearest city. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Willis Pond

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Open biodiversity records for Bristol County list bluegill, tessellated darter, pumpkinseed and swamp darter. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. At Willis Pond the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 72°F and January at 27°F. In milder years the surface never sets. In milder years the edges alone go, and the middle never sets. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. On Willis Pond that shapes the whole year. After a storm, the water clears from the edges inwards.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. There are toilets half a mile off. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Lake Sabbatia at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. For Willis Pond in particular, ask before you travel.