Fishing Laurel Lake In Lee Massachusetts

Laurel Lake is located in the Berkshires on the Lee / Lenox border just off of Route 20. The 170 acre water body has a maximum depth of approximately 53 feet and can be fished from the shore and by boat. Ice fishing on Laurel Lake is very popular in the winter months and as such, many local organizations choose to hold their ice fishing tournaments on the lake. I’ve been fishing this lake for most of my life and thought that I would share some fishing tips for Laurel Lake with you.

Species Of Fish Found In Laurel Lake

Laurel Lake was first surveyed in 1982 and according to the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries & Wildlife the following species of fish were present in Laurel Lake;

• Largemouth Bass
• Chain Pickerel
• White Perch
• Yellow Perch
• Rockbass
• Bluegill
• Pumpkinseed
• Black Crappie
• Smallmouth Bass
• Carp
• Brown Bullhead
• Rainbow Smelt
• Golden Shiner

Laurel lake is also stocked each spring and fall with rainbow trout, brown trout, tiger trout, and landlocked salmon by the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries & Wildlife.

Fishing Laurel Lake From Shore

Hundreds of Berkshire County fishermen head to the shores of Laurel Lake in the spring and fall in order to catch stocked trout. There are three main shoreline fishing spots at Laurel Lake that are accessible to the public; The boat ramp which is located on Route 20, the “backside of the lake” which is located on Laurel Lake Rd in Lenox, Ma, and the dam which is located on Lake Rd. in Lee, MA.

The most common lures used to catch trout from the shore of Laurel Lake are the Thomas Buoyant, Rooster Tail, and the Eppinger Dardevle. Local anglers will also fish Berkley Powerbait and trout worms off the lake bottom in the early spring and fall as there are less weeds in the lake at this time.

It is very difficult to catch trout from the shore of Laurel Lake in the summer months due to the amount of weeds that grow on the lake bottom. Many local anglers will therefore switchover to bass fishing which is best done at the backside of Laurel Lake, away from boat traffic. I have caught many large mouth bass and pickerel at this location using soft plastic baits such as the Yum Money Craw and Zoom 6 in. Lizards. Floating Rapalas have also worked extremely well for me.

Laurel Lake is a great lake to take your kids fishing as they will almost always be guaranteed to catch panfish using live worms and a simple bobber rig.

Fishing Laurel Lake By Boat

Fishing Laurel Lake by boat offers anglers a distinct advantage in the summer months as they can troll for trout that have migrated to deeper waters. Anglers will also of course have greater access to the many weed beds found in Laurel Lake in order to pursue monster bass and pickerel. You can use a Luhr Jensen Dipsy Diver
in lieu of a downrigger to troll for trout in Laurel Lake. Trout tend to run between 20 and 25 feet deep in Laurel Lake during the summer months.

Ice Fishing In Laurel Lake

I haven’t gone ice fishing on Laurel Lake in many years, so I may have to rely on your comments for more accurate information on this subject matter. Having said that, I seem to recall catching bass and pickerel using ice fishing tip-ups baited with medium sized shiners.

Recommended Fishing Lures For Laurel Lake

Sources

MassWildlife Western District Pond Maps – Laurel Lake, February, 1998