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Quabbin Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Massachusetts’ wilderness water supply: Quabbin holds lake trout, salmon and smallmouth in 39 square miles nobody lives on.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
77 / 78 F
Wind
WNW 9 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Quabbin Reservoir lines up a genuinely fishable day across the board. Today brings a mixed sky, wind WNW around 9 mph, rising pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 78. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Smallmouth bassExcellent

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Lake troutGood

Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Yellow perchGood

Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 73 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp77 F
High / Low78 / 62 F
WindWNW 9-16 mph
Pressure1008.6 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain43% cloud, 9%
Sunrise / Sunset06:18 / 19:18
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Showers, 78/62 F, wind 10 mph, rain 9%

Fair or better. A 10 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Quabbin Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Lake trout illustration

Lake trout

Best: ice-out and fall turnover

The char of the deep: 40-year-old predators patrolling the cold basins of glacial lakes, from the Finger Lakes to the Rockies. Transition depths: work 40-80 ft structure edges with white tubes and flutter spoons. Early mornings can find fish surprisingly high over deep water chasing bait.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Yellow perch illustration

Yellow perch

Good most of the year

The great lakes and northern panfish staple. Schools tight to bottom; where you catch one there are fifty. Drifting flats and weed edges with small jigs tipped with bait.

When to come: the Quabbin Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Lake trout
Smallmouth bass
Northern pike
Yellow perch
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Quabbin Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 76 F, wind to 6 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 71 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 66 F, wind to 9 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Massachusetts requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Massachusetts license. DCR Quabbin rules govern access, boats, motors and closures: read current regulations before visiting, as the season and permitted areas change.

Access

Designated DCR boat launch areas (Gates 8, 31, 43) with rental boats; shore fishing at posted gates during the open season.

About this water

A 39-square-mile drinking water reservoir in Franklin, Hampshire and Worcester counties, Massachusetts, completed 1939.

Fishing Quabbin Reservoir: the full guide

A drowned valley

Quabbin Reservoir covers 39 square miles of central Massachusetts, created in the 1930s when four towns were flooded to supply Boston with water. The result is a wilderness in the middle of a crowded state: 120 miles of undeveloped shoreline, water 150 feet deep, and a coldwater fishery of lake trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow and brown trout, plus outstanding smallmouth bass.

Coldwater fishing

Lake trout and landlocked salmon are the marquee species: after ice-out they cruise near the surface where trolling streamers and stickbaits reaches them, then drop to 50-100 feet through summer for downrigger and lead-core anglers. Rainbow and brown trout are stocked and add variety. Fall brings salmon shallower again, and the whole fishery benefits from the reservoir’s clean, cold water.

Smallmouth and the rules

Smallmouth bass fishing is genuinely excellent: rocky points, submerged structure and the old roadbeds hold fish, largely unpressured. But Quabbin comes with strict rules: access is controlled by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, boats are rented or inspected, motors are restricted, and large areas are closed to protect the water supply. Read the current rules carefully before planning.

Access and the season

Fishing is permitted in a defined season, typically spring through fall, from designated boat launch areas (Gates 8, 31 and 43) with rental boats and strict inspection of private craft. Shore fishing is allowed along designated gates. No swimming, no body contact with the water, and no access outside the posted season: the rules protect Boston’s drinking water and are enforced.

Common questions

Can I bring my own boat?

Only under strict inspection rules, with motor restrictions: many anglers use the rental boats provided at the launch areas.

When is it open?

A defined season, typically spring through fall: dates and permitted areas change, so check the current DCR rules.

Why so many rules?

It supplies Boston’s drinking water: the restrictions protect water quality and have preserved a remarkable wilderness fishery.

Is fishing good at Quabbin Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Swift River5 miStillwater River28 miWebster Lake32 miDeerfield River34 miFarmington River42 miMansfield Hollow Lake42 mi
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