Pontoosuc Lake

Pontoosuc Lake, 511 acres on the north side of Pittsfield, is the Berkshires' pike lake. MassWildlife says its biggest claim to fame is a steady run of large northern pike, which reproduce here naturally, along with tiger muskies in years when they're stocked. Bass, pickerel, perch, crappie and a growing carp fishery keep it busy the rest of the year.

When to fish

• Winter: most of the lake's pike are caught through the ice.
• Spring: MassWildlife stocks trout, and carp show themselves in the shallows during their spawn.
• Summer: largemouth bass get heavy pressure; with much of the weed growth removed, there's less cover for them than there used to be.
• Fall: a second trout stocking. The lake is drawn down every fall and winter, so depths change; go slow if you're boating.

Where to fish

• The south end: mostly gravel bottom, with the main ramp and Pontoosuc Lake Park for shore fishing.
• Open water: the lake averages 15 feet and bottoms out at about 40.
• Trophy fish: MassWildlife's records list Pontoosuc for pike, pickerel, largemouth, crappie, white and yellow perch, sunfish, bullhead and carp.

Getting there

The City of Pittsfield runs a double concrete ramp with parking for about 30 trailers off Hancock Road at the south end, next to Pontoosuc Lake Park. A gravel ramp for light trailered boats is off Narragansett Avenue on the northwest shore, with only a few parking spaces. The shore is densely built up and the lake is busy year-round, so check with the city for fees and rules. The state health department has a mercury and PFAS advisory for Pontoosuc fish, strictest for largemouth bass, so check it before you keep any. You need a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license, and small lead sinkers and lead jigs are banned in fresh water.