Best northern pike lakes in Massachusetts
13 Massachusetts waters list northern pike (official records or labelled estimates), 12 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.
- Quaboag Pond — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Congamond Lakes South Pond — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Cochituate North Basin — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Pontoosuc Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Buel — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Cochituate South Basin — 65 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Onota Lake — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- South Pond — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Lake Cochituate Midddle Basin — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Holland Pond — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 4 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Cheshire Reservoir (North Basin) — 12 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Indian Lake — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Quaboag River — 6 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
Find the closest northern pike waters to you →
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 northern pike in Massachusetts
- Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
- Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
- Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
- Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.
Also in Massachusetts: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass 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 chain pickerel lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best winter flounder lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best scup (porgy) lakes · best tautog (blackfish) lakes · best atlantic mackerel lakes · best atlantic cod lakes
Northern Pike elsewhere: Ontario · Sweden · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Finland · Michigan · Germany · United Kingdom · Norway · Maine · New Hampshire · Lithuania · New York · Montana · Saskatchewan · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Estonia · Alberta · Connecticut · Nebraska · Netherlands · Vermont · Alaska · South Dakota · Colorado · Illinois · New Mexico · New Jersey · Denmark · Manitoba