Town(s):
Plymouth MA
County:
Plymouth
Size:
62
acres
Average Depth:
12
feet
Maximum Depth:
30
feet
Boating Allowed:
Kayaks, Canoes, Sail Boats, Gas Engines Prohibited
Swimming:
Unknown
Fresh Pond is a 62-acre (250,000 m2) pond in the Manomet section of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The average depth is 12 feet (3.7 m) and the maximum depth is 30 feet (9.1 m). The southern shore of the pond is located in the Churchill Landing neighborhood, south of Manomet's business district and Manomet Bluffs, west of Fisherman's Landing, north of Cedar Bushes and Shallow Pond, and east of Beaver Dam Pond. Route 3A runs along the southeastern shore of the pond to its most southeastern point where it shoots away at a sharp curve known as the Brown Bear Curve, named after a defunct motel along the shore at that curve. A public beach, boat ramp, and a Native American burial site are located on the western shore of the pond on Bartlett Road, which has two intersections with Route 3A. The closer intersection is south of the Brown Bear Curve, while the other intersection is one mile (1.6 km) north, north of Manomet's business district. The pond is hydrologically associated with a cranberry bog operation located to the west of the pond. An unnamed brook (locally called "Hell's River" by some) heads west through the cranberry bog and ultimately leading to Beaver Dam Brook is the outflow of the pond.
Vegetation Growth:
Unknown
Non-native Species:
Fishing Comments:
A July 1946 survey captured yellow perch, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, banded killifish, pumpkinseed and bluegill. Other species noted during a July, 1961 survey were brown bullhead, golden shiner and American eel. Fresh Pond has been annually stocked in the spring with trout since 1961. The fish population was sampled in June of 1981 when 10 species were observed. In order of sampling abundance, they were yellow perch, American eel, pumpkinseed, brook trout, banded killifish, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout and white perch. Due to concerns about acid rain impact on the ponds buffering capacity, 20 tons of limestone were added in 1983.
Fish Populations: The fish population was most recently sampled in June of 2001 when 12 species were observed. Listed in order of sampling abundance, they were yellow perch, pumpkinseed, bluegill, largemouth bass, banded killifish, chain pickerel, brown trout, brown bullhead, rainbow trout, white perch, smallmouth bass and American eel.
Fishing: Fresh Pond is stocked each spring with rainbow, brook and/or brown trout. The pond does not have a large amount of
summer trout habitat and the trout fishery is generally limited to the spring. This pond might be a good place to try during March
through May for those anglers seeking less crowded conditions than occurs in other more popular and more heavily stocked trout
ponds in the Plymouth area. This relatively infertile pond would not be expected to provide high concentrations of panfish or good
growth rates for gamefish but did offer some decent largemouth bass and yellow perch during the 20012 fish survey. Other
nearby ponds in Manomet include Bartlett Pond, Long Island Pond and Island Pond.
Boat Access:
Primarily Car-top boats & Canoes
Ramp Comments:
Fresh Pond is located in the Manomet section of Plymouth and access is located off Bartlett Road, roughly a mile south of its
connection with Route 3 A. The town of Plymouth provides a steep, unpaved ramp suitable for canoes and cartop boats.
A nearby parking lot at the town beach can accommodate numerous vehicles. The pond can also be accessed off Route 3A through a drainage easement.
Parking Spaces:
Less than 10
Shoreline Development:
25-50%
