Best chain pickerel lakes in Massachusetts
231 Massachusetts waters hold chain pickerel, 229 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The eastern esox — a lie-in-wait weed-bed assassin that bites all year, including through the ice.
- Wachusett Reservoir — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Lake Quinsigamond — 85 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Colebrook River Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Sudbury Reservoir — 55 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Otis Reservoir — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Congamond Lakes — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Quaboag Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Long Pond (Lakeville) — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Hamilton Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Congamond Lakes South Pond — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Mashpee Pond — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Cochituate North Basin — 65 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Watershops Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Long Pond (Plymouth) — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Pontoosuc Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- South Watuppa Pond — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Whitehall Reservoir — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Congomond Lakes (Middle basin ) — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Littleville Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- White Island Pond W.B. — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Webster Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Singletary Pond — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Boon — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Wallum Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Agawam Mill Pond — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
…plus 206 more Massachusetts waters holding chain pickerel.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Massachusetts waters with public access data
When to fish chain pickerel in Massachusetts
- Spring 2–10 ft — Early spawner: post-spawn fish prowl warming, weedy bays and eat everything that moves.
- Summer 3–15 ft — Classic ambush game: weed edges, pad fields and dock shade — flashy, steady retrieves.
- Fall 4–15 ft — Feeding hard around the last green weeds as water cools.
- Winter 5–18 ft — One of ice fishing's most reliable biters — shiners on tip-ups over weed flats.
Also in Massachusetts: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best tautog (blackfish) lakes · best atlantic mackerel lakes · best atlantic cod lakes
Chain Pickerel elsewhere: Québec · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · New Brunswick · Connecticut · Vermont · Nova Scotia · New Jersey · Delaware · Rhode Island