Brooks Pond (Massachusetts)
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| Brooks Pond | |
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| Coordinates | |
| Lake type | Pond |
| Primary outflows | 5.5 ft³/sec (0.156 m³/sec) |
| Catchment area | 190 acres |
| Max length | ≈2.2 mi (3.54 km) |
| Max width | ≈1.6 mi (2.57 km) |
| Surface area | ≈3.5 mi² (9.06 km²) |
| Average depth | 12 ft (3.66 m) |
| Max depth | 20 ft (6.09 m) |
| Shore length1 | ≈4 mi (6.44 km) |
| Surface elevation | 665 ft (202.7 m) MSL |
| Settlements | North Brookfield Oakham Spencer |
| 1 Shore length is an imprecise measure which may not be standardized for this article. | |
Brooks Pond is a Massachusetts water body bordered by the towns of North Brookfield, Oakham, and Spencer. It forms the headwaters of the Five Mile River, which is part of the Chicopee River Watershed.
[edit] Information
Brooks Pond is a shallow pond. The water is often brown in color and gets quite warm in the summertime. There is much recreational activity on this pond, including ice fishing in the wintertime. Brooks Pond is near a watershed boundary where waters to its north and west are part of the Ware River watershed and waters to its south and east are part of the Quaboag River watershed. Situated in a heavily forested area, there are many summerhouses and some full time residences on its shores.
Brooks Pond is a privately owned pond that allows public access for the time being. Recreational fishing, boating (only electric motors allowed) and swimming are available to the public with access through a small gravel beach with carry-in boat access. There is limited parking in a small lot across the road from the beach. No parking is allowed along the road on either side.
There is a movement among pond residents to close the pond to non-residents due to overcrowding, trespassing on the shoreline and islands, use outside posted hours, excessive noise, objectional language and trash.
[edit] Fishing
Brooks Pond offers good fishing for many warm water fish. A survey conducted in 1994 showed thirteen species including Large and Small-mouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Brown and Yellow Bullhead, Golden Shiner, and Sucker.
Brooks Pond is a shallow, warm water pond that is not a natural habitat for small-mouth bass. In many years of fishing I've not know any angler to catch one. Over-fishing, most notably within the last ten years, has resulted in fewer and smaller specimens of all species.
