Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
41-acre lake in Essex County, Massachusetts. The lake tops out around 30 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Forest Lake (Methuen) draws 41 acres inside 1 miles of shoreline. Its 1.1 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. About 64% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Call it 0.4 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Essex County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: HARRIS POND (HILLSBOROUGH), 1 mi northwest of here.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season yellow perch use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 9 to 30 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for common carp in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (29 ft) |
Spring brown trout on Forest Lake (Methuen) hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 30 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 29 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (29 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brook trout in 2 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 3 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 29 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (29 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Forest Lake (Methuen) also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 3 structure features on Forest Lake (Methuen); the deepest is Deep basin at about 29 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the MassWildlife — and special regulations can apply to Forest Lake (Methuen) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Forest Lake (Methuen) is about 30 ft (9 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, common carp, brown trout, brook trout, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Forest Lake (Methuen).
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Forest Lake (Methuen) is regulated by the MassWildlife. Check the official Massachusetts regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
HARRIS POND (HILLSBOROUGH) 1 mi, NH · Little Island Pond 2 mi, NH · World End Pond 3 mi, NH · Canobie Lake 5 mi, NH · Millville Lake 5 mi, NH · Cobbetts Pond, Stn 1 5 mi, NH · Gumpas Pond 6 mi, NH · Shadow Lake 6 mi, NH · Captain Pond 7 mi, NH · Long Pond 7 mi, NH/MA · Arlington Mill Reservoir 7 mi, NH · Crystal Lake 7 mi
See how Forest Lake (Methuen) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best bluegill lakes in Massachusetts · best yellow perch lakes in Massachusetts · best common carp lakes in Massachusetts
More water nearby: Essex County fishing maps (14 charts). Browse all Massachusetts fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.