BROCKTON — Whether you’re an experienced angler looking to top your biggest catch or looking for something fun to do with your kids, Southeastern Massachusetts offers plenty of freshwater lakes and ponds perfect for fishing.
Spend the day on a boat, canoe or kayak, or pick a shady spot along the shore and catch one of the many freshwater species Massachusetts offers, including trout, salmon, pike, pickerel, perch, walleye, bass, sunfish, catfish, bullheads, suckers and more.
Unfortunately, due to chemical pollutants in the water, many of the fish contained in these bodies of water are not edible. However, you can check out this comprehensive Freshwater Fish Consumption Advisory List provided by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to see whether your catches are safe to eat.
Before you fish, check out the freshwater fishing rules and regulations on the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife website and make sure to buy a fishing license on MassFishHunt.
Grab a fishing rod, hooks, and bait and head to one of these 14 fishing spots in the Brockton and Taunton areas for some outdoor fun.
This 86-acre pond located west of Route 183 on the Stoughton/Easton town line contains largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, black crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, golden shiner and American Eel, according to past MassWildlife surveys. There is plenty of parking at town beach on Highland St., but boaters must carry their boat across the beach and to the water.
Trout are the main attraction at this 149-acre pond known by locals as Sandy Pond. Every spring and fall, the pond is stocked with brook, brown and rainbow trout. Yellow perch, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, golden shiner, banded killifish and white sucker have also been found in past MassWildlife surveys. A gravel ramp suitable for trailered boats and a small parking area can be found off Gunning Point Rd.
Despite its name, Billington Sea is actually a large 295-acre pond that is fed primarily by groundwater and cranberry bog outlets. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, white perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, white sucker, banded killifish, golden shiner, and sea-run alewife that run up from Plymouth Bay through Town Brook have been found in past MassWildlife surveys. Nearby Little Pond, located just north of Billington Sea, is a small, 43-acre pond that contains largemouth bass, white perch, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass and golden shiners. Boat access to both ponds is provided by dirt ramps in Morton Park. An admission fee is required by those without resident parking permits from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are also no motorized boats allowed during this time.
SUMMER TREAT: Top 5 ice cream shops in the Brockton area, according to Yelp
This 97-acre pond located in Ames Norwell State Park is about two miles northwest from the center of Abington. The pond is an ideal habitat for chain pickerel and largemouth bass, according to MassWildlife. Access for non-motorized craft is available next to the dam at the pond’s southern end in Ames Nowell State Park. You can also fish from the shore and from the well-kept trails around the pond.
Spread out over 700 forested acres in Brockton and Avon, this park contains Waldo Lake, Upper Porter Pond, Lower Porter Pond, Thirty Acre Pond and Cross Pond — off of which are great for fishing. Bluegill, black crappie, pumpkinseed and yellow perch have all been observed at D.W. Field Park, according to community members on iNaturalist. Gates to the park open to vehicles at 10:00 a.m., Monday to Friday and at 12:00 p.m. on weekends, and close again at dusk. There’s plenty of parking throughout the park.
While the Hockomock Swamp is best known for being a paranormal hotspot, it’s also the largest vegetated freshwater wetland system in Massachusetts — containing access points to multiple bodies of waters in several municipalities. With 16,950-acres of wetlands, there’s plenty of spots for fishing, boating, canoeing and swimming. Here’s the bodies of water that are fully or partially contained in the Hockomock Swamp area:
- Rivers: Hockomock River (Bridgewater, West Bridgewater); Snake River (Norton, Taunton); Town River (Bridgewater, West Bridgewater)
- Lakes, Ponds: Gushee Pond (Raynham); Hewitts Pond (Raynham); Lake Nippenicket (Bridgewater, Raynham); Nunkets Pond (Bridgewater, Raynham)
- Wetlands: Hockomock Swamp (Bridgewater, Easton, Norton, Raynham, Taunton, West Bridgewater); Dead Swamp (Raynham); Titicut Swamp (Bridgewater, Raynham); Little Cedar Swamp (Easton)
- Brooks, Creeks: Black Brook (Easton); Coweesset Brook, West Meadow Brook, Onemile Brook (West Bridgewater)
A dirt parking lot and access point is located off Route 106 (West Center St.) in Easton.
ENJOYING NATURE: 5 places to ride your bike in and around Brockton
Called the “crown jewel of Abington”, this 38-acre artificial pond was created in the 1700’s and has been used by nature lovers ever since. Fishing along the pond’s 1.74 mile shoreline is readily available and small, non-motorized boats and canoes can be launched from Island Grove Park. Largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, black crappie, golden shiner and common carp were found in the pond in 1982, according to MassWildlife, and a trial stocking of rainbow trout was made in 2009.
Due to its easy access and adjacent town park, this 13-acre pond is the perfect place to fish with smaller children. The pond contains largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, chain pickerel, golden shiner, brown bullhead and black crappie, according to a 2003 MassWildlife survey. There is a boat ramp and town park off North Main St.
With an abundance of largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie, as well as chain pickerel, and Brown bullhead, Lake Nippenicket is a popular fishing spot year-round, according to MassWildlife. This 220-acre lake forms the headwaters of the Town River and is located a half mile west of Route 24. Boat access is available off a paved boat ramp located at the Lakeside Dr. entrance, which also has plenty of parking spaces. Canoe and shore fishing access is also available on the western side of the lake off Chase Rd.
NATURE LOVERS: Four Brockton-area hiking spots to explore
This 248-acre lake, located off Bay St. north of Taunton center, contains largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, white perch, black crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, golden shiner, banded killifish, tessellated darter and American eel, according to past MassWildlife surveys. A boat ramp and adjacent parking area is located off Bay Street. Shoreline fishing is also accessed from the boat ramp.
Long Pond is the largest natural pond in Massachusetts, covering 1,780 acres. Largemouth bass, bluegill, chain pickerel, yellow perch, white perch, pumpkinseed, white sucker, alewife, blueback herring, brown bullhead, golden shiner, tessellated darter and lake chubsucker were all found during past MassWildlife surveys of the pond. A concrete boat ramp and parking area is located off Route 18 (Middleboro Rd.) in Freetown on the southeast corner of the pond.
This shallow 203-acre pond is located about a half mile south of Route 128 and a half mile east of Route 138. Ponkapoag is known to support populations of largemouth bass, chain pickerel, bluegill, pumpkinseed, black crappie, golden shiner and redfin pickerel, according to past MassWildlife surveys. There is no formal public access, but there is street-side parking off Ponkapoag Trail in Milton.
At this a 42-acre shallow warmwater pond, located two miles north of Taunton Center and just west of Route 138, anglers can find bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, chain pickerel, golden shiner, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, white perch, American eel and black crappie, according to a 2000 MassWildlife survey. A dirt access road is located at the end of Waverly St.
This 194-acre warm water pond located one mile north of the Route 28 and Route 25 rotary has an abundance of yellow perch, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass, golden shiner, brown bullhead, chain pickerel, white perch, bluegill, white sucker and redfin pickerel, according to a 1980 MassWildlife survey. An unpaved launch area suitable for car top boats and canoes is accessible off Towerview Dr.
