McIntosh Pond in Windsor County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Windsor County end of Vermont holds McIntosh Pond. The ground around here is lake country bush. Supplies mean a trip to Randolph, 11 miles off. Chelsea is 12 miles away, with Hanover at 13 miles. In the same area: 3 miles out stands Tunbridge Trout Pond, Standing Pond out at 3.3 miles, 4.3 miles out stands Crescent Lake, C C C Pond out at 4.9 miles and 6.4 miles out stands Ansel Pond. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on McIntosh Pond

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Public occurrence data for Windsor County names brook trout, rainbow trout, white sucker and brown trout. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. McIntosh Pond fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 16°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. That shapes the year on McIntosh Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Tunbridge Trout Pond at 3 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for McIntosh Pond in what we hold.