← Massachusetts fishing maps

Best smallmouth bass lakes in Massachusetts

87 Massachusetts waters list smallmouth bass (official records or labelled estimates), 83 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. Current- and rock-loving fighter. Lives around gravel, boulders and hard-bottom structure.

1. Wachusett Reservoir — 110 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
2. Lake Quinsigamond — 85 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Colebrook River Reservoir — 130 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Sudbury Reservoir — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
5. Otis Reservoir — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Congamond Lakes — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
7. Hamilton Reservoir — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Mashpee Pond — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Long Pond (Plymouth) — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. Pontoosuc Lake — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. South Watuppa Pond — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. White Island Pond W.B. — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
13. Webster Lake — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
14. Singletary Pond — 35 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Wallum Lake — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Agawam Mill Pond — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Massapoag Lake — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
18. Long Pond (Plymouth) — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Lake Attitash — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Long Pond (Rutland) — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Cliff Pond — 90 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Onota Lake — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Ashland Reservoir — 48 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Halfway Pond — 12 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Sheep Pond — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 62 more Massachusetts waters holding smallmouth bass.

Find the closest smallmouth bass waters to you →

When to fish smallmouth bass in Massachusetts

• Spring 3–12 ft — Gravel and rock flats near deep water; spawning happens on hard bottom.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Offshore rock humps and deep points; smallmouth suspend near bait.
• Fall 8–25 ft — Feeding hard for winter — long tapering points and rocky drops.
• Winter 20–45 ft — Deep, vertical presentations near rocky wintering holes.

Also in Massachusetts: best largemouth 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 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

Smallmouth Bass elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Montana · Wyoming · Washington · New Brunswick · Indiana · North Dakota · Texas · Iowa · Ohio · Connecticut · Nebraska · California · Missouri · Vermont · Oklahoma · South Dakota · Utah · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · Nova Scotia · New Mexico · Kansas · West Virginia · Idaho · New Jersey · Kentucky · Oregon · North Carolina · Tennessee · Nevada · Virginia · Rhode Island · Manitoba · Pennsylvania · Maryland · Arkansas