Fishing Lake Cochituate

AKA: Cochituate Reservoir

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Lake Cochituate Fishing Video
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Lake Cochituate, MA

Popular Fish Species Lake Cochituate, MA

Lake Cochituate Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Lake Cochituate continues to deliver great catches of largemouth bass, as it has for several years now. Thorough fisheries management by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game has maintained a quality bass fishery providing both quantity and quality for anglers. Recent results by locals, and bass fishing tournament participants, attest to the fact that fishing for largemouth bass has been quite rewarding lately. A significant number of larger bass also roam these waters, so there is always the potential for catching a lunker. Bass often move shallow and become fairly aggressive when they are in a feeding mood. If you find them shallow, and they seem disinterested in your presentations, try slowing down and use smaller, lighter baits. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, big worms, jigs and spoons are three good options. In winter, spend your time fishing Lake Cochituate on deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time. Fishing for largemouth bass can range from fair to very good here, year round.

Lake Cochituate Popular Fish - Black Crappie

Black Crappie Fishing

Lake Cochituate holds a plentiful population of black crappie, and they are running in good sizes this year. Crappie fishing is easy and requires simple, basic gear. Any fishing pole, reasonably small line and crappie jigs or small hooks baited with live bait, creates the ideal setup. Add a bobber and you can set the depth you prefer the bait to maintain. The best time to catch crappie tends to be at dawn and dusk. Live bait and small jigs are the most common method for crappie here. Because crappie always like cover and structure, so locate brush and vegetation. Using a fish finder can help locate schools of crappie, which tend to stack vertically around cover. In spring and fall focus on the 8 to 12 foot range. As the crappie move deep in summer and winter, follow points out deep, as well as find ledges near channels in deeper water.

Lake Cochituate Popular Fish - Chain Pickerel

Chain Pickerel Fishing

Chain pickerel prefer to weedy areas of lakes and rivers. They ambush baitfish and sunfish which requires cover for them to hide within. Submerged aquatic vegetation, brush, fallen tree limbs, or structures such as rock piles, bridge pilings, rip-rap, or debris. Lake Cochituate has a very healthy population of these toothy critters, many approaching 30 inches and exceeding 5 pounds. Unlike many freshwater fish species, chain pickerel do not school up. They tend to be loners. Once you catch one, find other, spots with similar cover and depth to fish. Flashy spoons, live minnows, and bait-imitating crankbaits all work well. For added excitement, try fishing topwater lures over vegetation areas. Topwater lures that mimic wounded baitfish are very tempting to these predators.

Lake Cochituate Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, black crappie, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, northern pike and tiger muskie at Lake Cochituate in Massachusetts.

Lake Cochituate, located in Natick, Massachusetts, is a popular destination for fishing enthusiasts. This picturesque lake covers over 600 acres and offers anglers a diverse range of fish species to target.

One popular fish species foundhere is largemouth bass. Another popular species is yellow perch. Lake Cochituate also supports populations of other fish species, including black crappie, white perch, and sunfish.

Check with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health before consuming the fish here, as often there are high levels of PCBs. Generally speaking, this is an ideal catch-and-release lake. There are no campgrounds or marinas here, and most services are scattered throughout the town of Cochituate.

Primary fish species residing in Lake Cochituate

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Lake Cochituate Amenities

Marina: NO
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: NO
RV Hookups: NO
Lodging: NEARBY
Convenience Store: NEARBY
Bait & Tackle: NEARBY
Restaurant: YES

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

Boating in Boston
Rentals: Kayaks and canoes
617 299-3392

Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Cochituate State Park Boat Launch Ramp
Located mid lake, west side, off Commonwealth Road, this is a multi-lane, concrete ramp with paved parking.