Fishing in
Massachusetts
5,959 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
Cape Cod and the Massachusetts coastline see heavy striped bass runs every spring and fall, drawing surfcasters and boat anglers to the same beaches for generations. Inland, the Quabbin Reservoir holds lake trout and landlocked salmon in a watershed otherwise closed to most recreation.
Massachusetts holds 5,959 fishable waters on the books. MassWildlife has logged 1,104 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Quabbin Reservoir at 24,043 acres.
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When does Massachusetts stock?
Stocking peaks in April, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout170 waters
- Brown Trout128 waters
- Brook Trout97 waters
- Tiger Trout9 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Onota LakeBrown TroutMay 28, 2026
- Quacumquasit PondBrown TroutMay 27, 2026
- Ashland ReservoirRainbow TroutMay 27, 2026
- Quabbin ReservoirRainbow TroutMay 26, 2026
- Lake MattawaBrown TroutMay 26, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Westfield River37× stocked
- Deerfield River21× stocked
- Ware River21× stocked
- Long Pond14× stocked
- Quaboag River13× stocked
- West Branch Westfield River12× stocked
- West River12× stocked
- Quacumquasit Pond10× stocked
- Charles River10× stocked
- Cliff Pond9× stocked
Biggest waters
- Quabbin Reservoir24,043 ac
- Wachusett Reservoir3,967 ac
- Assawompset Pond2,652 ac
- Long Pond1,782 ac
- Watuppa Pond1,758 ac
- South Watuppa Pond1,473 ac
- Lake Chaubunagungamaug1,279 ac
- Great Quittacas Pond1,145 ac
Major rivers
- Merrimack Riverorder 8 · ~8,614 cfs
- Back Riverorder 8 · ~5 cfs
- Concord Riverorder 7 · ~831 cfs
- Deerfield Riverorder 6 · ~1,563 cfs
- Chicopee Riverorder 6 · ~1,216 cfs
- Westfield Riverorder 6 · ~1,088 cfs
- Taunton Riverorder 6 · ~888 cfs
- Ware Riverorder 6 · ~741 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Worcester (982) · Plymouth (808) · Barnstable (670) · Middlesex (613) · Essex (488) · Berkshire (476) · Franklin (402) · Hampden (374) · Norfolk (346) · Bristol (278) · Hampshire (237) · Dukes (153) · Nantucket (81) · Suffolk (51)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Massachusetts's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
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Massachusetts fishing — FAQ
Where does Massachusetts stock fish?+
MassWildlife logged 1,104 stockings across Massachusetts in the last year, led by rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout and tiger trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Massachusetts stock fish?+
Stocking in Massachusetts peaks in April, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Massachusetts?+
Yes — Massachusetts requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Massachusetts?+
Massachusetts has 5,959 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.