Cummings Meadow Reservoir near Jaffrey: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Cummings Meadow Reservoir falls in Cheshire County, part of New Hampshire. It sits at 1,230 feet above sea level. The water covers some 47 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. There is roughly 1.1 miles of shoreline here, which is a short walk end to end. The town to know is Jaffrey, 3.9 miles out. It is 35 miles to Manchester, the nearest city. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Cummings Meadow Reservoir

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Fish documented in Cheshire County include rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and rainbow smelt. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Cummings Meadow Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 19°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. The season on Cummings Meadow Reservoir rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Part of this sits inside or beside Perry Forest II, so read the notices. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Perkins Pond at 2.4 miles is the sensible second choice. For Cummings Meadow Reservoir, the notice at the access point is the final word.