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740-acre reservoir in Hampden County, Massachusetts. The lake tops out around 20 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
On the chart, Hamilton Reservoir draws 740 acres inside 5.7 miles of shoreline. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 98% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.7 mi with a 0.6-mi widest point. The water lies in Hampden County. For a second option, Leadmine Pond lies 2 mi northeast.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 20 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Stevens Brook inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Stevens Brook inflow (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Fall crappie concentrate at Old creek channel, a prime-rated creek channel around 10 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring yellow perch on Hamilton Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. The chart's best answer is Back-bay flat — weed flat, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (19 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common carp in 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 15 ft before dropping to 6 to 20 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for common carp in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (19 ft) |
Hamilton Reservoir also holds chain pickerel (3 to 15 ft in summer), white perch (6 to 20 ft in summer), 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 6 structure features on Hamilton Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 19 ft.
Access data: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife — Public Water Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9 | Eastern Brook Trout | — | — |
| Apr 3 | Rainbow Trout | — | — |
| Apr 3 | Brown Trout | — | — |
Source: MassWildlife trout-stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Massachusetts waters are set by the MassWildlife — and special regulations can apply to Hamilton Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Massachusetts fishing regulations →
Hamilton Reservoir is about 20 ft (6 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, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, yellow perch, common carp, chain pickerel, white perch, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on Hamilton Reservoir.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Yes — per MassWildlife trout-stocking report records, Hamilton Reservoir was most recently stocked Apr 9 with eastern brook trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Hamilton Reservoir 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.
Leadmine Pond 2 mi · Holland Pond 2 mi · Mashapaug Lake 2 mi, CT · Breakneck Pond 3 mi, CT · Bigelow Pond 4 mi, CT · East Brimfield Lake 4 mi · Long Pond (Sturbridge) 5 mi · Little Alum Pond 6 mi · Morey Pond 6 mi, CT · Big Alum Pond 7 mi · Black Pond 7 mi, CT · Walker Pond 8 mi
See how Hamilton Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best smallmouth bass lakes in Massachusetts · best crappie lakes in Massachusetts · best bluegill lakes in Massachusetts
More water nearby: Hampden County fishing maps (18 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.