Fishing Mason Pond in Grafton County, New Hampshire

• Overview

  Mason Pond sits within Grafton County in New Hampshire. The surface lies 1,316 feet up. At roughly 15 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Orford at 4.8 miles is the nearest place to stop. Lyme is 5.7 miles away, with Haverhill at 12 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Mason Pond

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Grafton County: rainbow trout, brook trout and smallmouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Mason Pond before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 16°F in January and 66°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Mason Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. The water borders Mountain View Farm, so reserve rules are likely to apply. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Lily Pond at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Mason Pond may have changed since it was mapped.