Gates Pond near Dover: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Gates Pond is one of the Windham County waters in Vermont. Land around it is pine and birch. The water covers some 30 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Start from Dover, 8.6 miles down the road. The big place round here is Albany, 50 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Gates Pond

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Windham County records list brook trout, white sucker, brown trout, brown bullhead and Atlantic salmon among the fish reported. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Gates Pond gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Gates Pond runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Laurel Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm access to Gates Pond locally before you travel.