Fishing at Nickerson

Nickerson State Park has 8 freshwater kettle ponds, and 4 of them are stocked with trout: Cliff, Flax, Little Cliff and Higgins ponds. MassWildlife stocks Cliff, Flax and Little Cliff in both spring and fall, and Higgins in spring. Bass, yellow perch, chain pickerel and sunfish live in the ponds too. Anyone 15 or older needs a Massachusetts freshwater fishing license.

Fishing License

Massachusetts requires a recreational freshwater fishing license for anyone age 15 or older. Fees depend on residency, age, and whether you buy a three-day or annual license. The simplest way to buy one, and to read the current regulations, is MassFishHunt, the state's online license system.

Trout Stocking

DCR describes four of Nickerson's ponds as stocked year-round with trout. MassWildlife, which does the stocking, lists Cliff, Flax and Little Cliff ponds for both spring and fall and Higgins Pond for spring. The Brewster Ponds Coalition says the park's stocked ponds get brook, brown, rainbow and tiger trout.

MassWildlife posts where it has stocked each day during the season. Check its trout stocking report before a trip.

Where to Fish, Pond by Pond

Cliff Pond

The biggest and deepest pond: 204 acres and 88 feet at its deepest. It has a boat ramp, and DCR allows motors up to 10 horsepower. Fisherman's Landing, off Nook Road, is one of the loop trail's trailheads. More on the Cliff Pond page.

Flax Pond

48 acres and 75 feet deep, electric motors only. The Brewster Ponds Coalition says trout often feed in fairly shallow water in spring and fall and can be caught from almost anywhere on the shore. In midsummer they drop to 25 to 36 feet, where a boat or canoe helps. See Flax Pond.

Little Cliff Pond

33 acres and 37 feet deep. A paved ramp takes car-top boats and light trailered craft, electric motors only. DCR's 1.7-mile loop trail circles the pond.

Higgins Pond

25 acres and 66 feet deep, electric motors only. ReserveAmerica describes it as a catch-and-release pond, and the Brewster Ponds Coalition says it was the first pond in Massachusetts reclaimed for trout management and that fly fishers usually do best here. More on the ponds page.

Other Fish in the Ponds

The Brewster Ponds Coalition lists largemouth and smallmouth bass, brown bullhead, yellow perch, pumpkinseed, golden shiner, white sucker, chain pickerel, American eel and banded killifish in Nickerson's ponds. For a beginner, its advice is simple: a light rod, six-pound line, a small hook with a worm and a bobber about two feet up, fished near water lilies, will usually catch sunfish or perch.

Ice Fishing

The park's older brochure says the ponds occasionally freeze in winter and draw ice fishermen and skaters. Average January lows near the park are in the mid-20s (see weather), so solid ice isn't guaranteed. Judge it yourself and stay off unless you know it's safe.

Boats and Gear

• Cliff Pond: motors up to 10 horsepower.
• Electric motors: allowed on Flax Pond and the other ponds.
• Clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer and gear between ponds, and never move live fish or bait from one water body to another.
• Use the boat ramps instead of dragging boats over the sand, which causes erosion.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: shore fishing for stocked trout in spring and fall, kids' first fish on sunfish and perch, and fly fishing at Higgins.
• Maybe skip if: you want to run a big outboard (10 hp is the limit on Cliff Pond). Check current MassWildlife rules before keeping trout from Higgins, which ReserveAmerica describes as catch and release.

Day-use parking fees apply in season. Our parking page has the fees and directions, and DCR's park page lists current restrictions.