Walden Pond

Walden Pond, Thoreau's famous kettle pond in Concord, is also a big-trout pond. It's 100 feet deep and very clear, and its cold, oxygenated water lets stocked trout survive and grow large; MassWildlife lists it as a best bet for trophy brook, brown and rainbow trout and says several big trout are caught every year. The whole shoreline is protected state reservation with a trail all the way around.

When to fish

• Spring and fall: MassWildlife stocks trout in both seasons, and most anglers catch that year's fish.
• Summer: the pond is packed with swimmers and paddlers, and the parking lot often closes when it fills. Go early or late in the day.
• Boat season: DCR opens the boat ramp from April 1 to December 1, weather permitting.

Where to fish

• Anywhere along the shore: the trail around the pond reaches the entire shoreline, and there are almost no weeds.
• Deep water: the pond averages 39 feet and reaches about 100, and that's where the holdover trout live.

Getting there

Walden Pond State Reservation is off Route 126 in Concord, just southeast of Route 2. Parking is in the large DCR lot (with a daily fee year-round), which closes when the park hits capacity; DCR posts closures on its park alerts page. DCR's gravel ramp off Route 126 takes light trailered boats, with room for about 10 cars; gas motors aren't allowed. There's a mercury and PFAS consumption advisory for the pond's fish, strictest for bass. You need a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license, and small lead sinkers and lead jigs are banned in fresh water.