Littleville Lake Fishing Spot

• County: Hampden - Chester MA
• Acreage: 275
• Public Fishing: Yes
• Mean Depth: 34'
• Max Depth: 86'
• Elevation: 517'
• Website: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/habitat/maps/ponds/pdf/dfwlitvi.pdf
• Last Modified By: carpmaster on 02/16/10 12:33 PM
• Ask about Littleville Lake in our Fishing Forums

This deep, 275-acre flood control lake is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers. It was created by damming the Middle Branch of the Westfield River. Maximum depth is 86 feet; average depth is 34 feet. This is a coldwater lake, which has good water quality and a transparency of 17 feet. The rocky bottom is fairly barren, and aquatic vegetation is scarce, limited to a few coves at the south end of the lake. Route 20 lies about two miles to the south and west of the reservoir, Route 112 about 1.5 miles to the south and east. The access area on the northwestern end of the lake can be reached by taking Bromley Road north from Huntington center; the southeastern access is off Goss Hill Road, which runs north from the village of Norwich Bridge. Since the lake is owned and managed by the Corps of Engineers, it is open to the public, but certain restrictions are always in effect. Shore fishing is restricted to small areas of the southeast and northwest shores, but a large public boat ramp more than offsets the limited shore access. There are restrictions on types of boats and there is a 10 horsepower limit on motors. In addition, the consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited, and the ramps are open only during certain hours. The extensive regulations basically preclude conflicting recreational uses of the lake. Fish Populations: A fisheries survey conducted in 1980 found seven species present: yellow perch, rainbow trout, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, golden shiner and white sucker. The lake is also known to contain a population of rainbow smelt, and like the stocked rainbow trout picked up in the survey, stocked brown trout are also known to inhabit the lake throughout the year.

The cold, relatively sterile water in this lake limits the fishing opportunities pretty much to trout. The yellow perch, though the dominant species in the reservoir, are of small average size, as are the other panfish. The bass fishery is also limited in terms of quantity and quality, since bass don’t grow well under these conditions. Littleville Reservoir presents anglers with an excellent trout fishery, however. Trout are stocked every spring and fall, attracting considerable numbers of anglers. The best action is from mid- April through mid-June, but fall fishing is also good and the fishing pressure is much lighter during that season. The majority of the fishermen here are interested in stocked rainbows, but there is also a noteworthy population of holdover brown trout present, and these are well worth targeting with light lines and specialized gear. Ice fishermen sometimes take the browns during the winter.

Littleville Lake has been stocked with tagged trout. If you happen to be one of the rare anglers that catch one of them, make sure you contact Timothy Daley Jr. at (413)625-9544.

Littleville Lake is located in Huntington, MA in Hampden County. It was created by the US Army Corps of Engineers when the Middle Branch of the Westfield River was dammed to control flooding.