Lake Quinsigamond

Lake Quinsigamond, 800 acres on the Worcester-Shrewsbury line, is a city lake with a big-fish reputation. Lately it's become a carp destination: MassWildlife says interest took off after a state-record carp of more than 46 pounds was caught here. It's also stocked with trout every spring and fall and with pike or tiger muskies when they're available, and it has good bass and panfish.

When to fish

• Spring and fall: MassWildlife calls the trout fishing excellent after each stocking.
• Summer: bass, pike, pickerel and carp in the shallower southern end. The lake is very busy in warm weather, with rowing on the north basin.

Where to fish

• The north basin for trout: deep (it averages 36 feet and reaches 90) and cool. MassWildlife warns anglers to stay clear of the rowing lanes, whose grid of racing buoys is held in place by submerged guide wires.
• The middle of the lake and Flint Pond: MassWildlife's picks for largemouth, pickerel, pike and carp. Flint Pond, off Route 20, is big and shallow and joins the south basin through a culvert you can drive a boat through.
• Panfish: anywhere on the lake.

Getting there

Shrewsbury runs a two-lane concrete ramp off North Quinsigamond Avenue on the north basin (parking fee on summer weekends and holidays), a small shore and cartop area at Gauch Park, and a ramp on Flint Pond off Route 20 for reaching the south basin. On the west shore, DCR's Quinsigamond State Park has shore fishing and cartop launching at Regatta Point and Lake Park, with a daily parking fee and accessible fishing. There's a PFAS consumption advisory for the lake's fish. You need a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license, and small lead sinkers and lead jigs are banned in fresh water.