Onota Lake is a 653 acre great pond that is located in the City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Onota Lake has a maximum depth of approximately 72 feet and is about 21 feet deep on average. Onota lake is one of the most popular lakes in the Berkshires due to its central location and ease of access.
Species of fish found in Onota Lake
The following species of fish have been observed during MassWildlife surveys;
- Northern Pike
- Largemouth Bass
- Smallmouth Bass
- Chain Pickerel
- Yellow Perch
- White Perch
- Bluegill
- Pumpkinseed
- Redbreast Sunfish
- Black Crappie
- Rock Bass
- Brown Bullhead
- White Sucker
- Common Carp
- Golden Shiner
- Banded Killifish
- Bluntnose Minnow
- Spottail Shiner
- Common Shiner
- Rainbow Smelt
Onota Lake is stocked with trout each spring and fall, and believe it or not; there were even rumors floating around of an alligator being spotted in Onota Lake. Fortunately however, these rumors turned out to be nothing more than a croc…
Fishing Onota Lake from shore
Shore fishing is possible at Onota Lake from the following locations; the pier that is located near the boat ramp, from the shores of Burbank Park, and from the causeway on Dan Casey Memorial Drive. The fishing pier extends approximately 75 feet out into the lake. This allows anglers to cast into 45 foot deep water, thus making it possible to catch trout from the shores of Onota Lake all summer long! If you choose to fish for trout from the pier at Onota Lake, be sure to use a fairly heavy spoon lure such as a 1 ounce Thomas Buoyant. I’ve also had good luck using a 1 ounce Rooster Tail. You need a heavier lure in order to cast far enough off of the pier so that you can reach the deeper water. You can also of course use Berkley PowerBait, just be sure to leave approximately 2 feet of line between the sinker and your baited hook. Again, you’ll want to be able to cast your line pretty far out into the water so be sure to use a heavy enough sinker.
You can also catch trout at Onota Lake from the shores of Burbank Park and from the causeway on Dan Casey Memorial Drive in the spring and fall. Again, I would recommend using Berkley PowerBait or even trout worms. I typically recommend fishing Berkley PowerBait off of the bottom, but the shores of Burbank Park are very rocky and your line is likely to get snagged. You might try suspending your bait using a light sinker with a bobber instead. I’m going to recommend that you use a smaller spoon lure, Rooster Tail, or even a Panther Martin if you’re fishing from the shores of Burbank Park in order to avoid having the lure sink too quickly which could result in your line getting snagged on a rock on the bottom of the lake.
In the summer months you can catch bass, pickerel, and panfish from the shores of Burbank Park and from the causeway on Dan Casey Memorial drive. You can draw bass and pickerel out of the vegetative growth by using a floating Rapala or rubber worm such as Berkley’s Power Worm. The Power Worms are some of the best rubber worms that I have ever used for catching bass.
Fishing Onota Lake by boat
The boat ramp at Onota Lake is very large and can be used to launch just about any size boat that is appropriate for lake use. The boat ramp is located on Lakeway Drive in Pittsfield, MA just off of Valentine Road. Mass WildLife has a lake map that you can reference if you are unfamiliar with boating in Onota Lake. It’s also possible to rent a boat for use on Onota Lake from Onota Boat Livery.
More information about Onota Lake
Onota Lake is truly a gem of the Berkshires. Swimmers and picnickers flock to the shores of Burbank Park in the summer months. There are walking trails and a paved walkway with nearby benches from which you can enjoy gorgeous views of the lake. You can even experience live music on Wednesday nights in July and August from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM by attending Live on the Lake. This concert event is free to attend and is brought to you by Live 95.9 and Greylock Federal Credit Union. For more information about Onota Lake, please visit the Lake Onota Preservation Association website.
If you’re just visiting the Berkshires you’ll also want to take the opportunity to checkout downtown Pittsfield. There are very few cities where it is literally possible to do a little shopping, watch a baseball game, go to a museum, see a play, enjoy a gourmet meal, and spend time at a lake all in one day!