Book Your Fishing Charter in Assonet, MA

If you’re looking for a quick day trip or a tiny village to escape to, consider adding Assonet to your New England itinerary. This village is one of two in Freetown, a town in the southeastern region of Massachusetts, sitting on the banks of the Assonet River. Its unique name has two meanings in the local Wampanoag language: “place of rocks” and “song of praise”.

Once a prominent fishing port in the state known for its trout, today Assonet is a quaint little village known for its well-preserved historic district and for occupying a third of the lush Freetown-Fall River State Forest. This forest is part of the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve and has miles of hiking trails and other active outdoor facilities.

Apart from sitting on the banks of the Assonet River, the village itself has many streams and brooks flowing through it and is surrounded by many rich bodies of water, making it a secret haven for anglers in New England and beyond.

Assonet, MA Fishing: Peaceful Fishing Spots in a Serene Village

The Assonet River is your first point of agenda if you want to cast a line in the village. The major Taunton River tributary flows through the center of the village and can be accessed at Hathaway Park. This park has a paved ramp that will allow you to fish in the brackish water part of the river. It is known for its white perch and striped bass. Head further out on a small boat or canoe and go upriver where you can target largemouth bass. Other species awaiting the curious angler at the Assonet River are brook trout, brown trout, calico bass, bluefish, winter flounder, and bluegill.

The Freetown-Fall River State Forest is another big destination where you can fish a number of productive spots. The first that deserves your attention is the Copicut Reservoir, where anglers are allowed to fish on the shore. The water body provides plenty of largemouth and smallmouth bass as well as chain pickerel and yellow perch. Other water bodies within the forest that allow fishing include Terry Brook, Doctor’s Mill Pond, Ledge Pond, and Rattlesnake Brook. Rattlesnake Brook and Ledge Pond, in particular, are both stocked with brook trout in the spring.

From Assonet, you can easily access Fall River and the many water bodies surrounding it. One way to access the river is via the South Watuppa Pond, a thousand-acre pond with a public access boat ramp. Ten miles of the pond’s shoreline is accessible to fishermen on foot. It is regularly stocked with tiger muskellunge and attracts many largemouth and smallmouth bass, white and yellow perch, bluegill, brown bullhead, and black crappie. Cook Pond, on the other hand, is a smaller pond on the Fall River and has a small handicap-accessible pier. It is a great place for largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and white perch and is also stocked with tiger muskellunge.

Enjoy a Calm Escape in Assonet

1. Explore the Assonet Village Historic District

See the many structures that give Assonet village its historical significance. These structures include the Freetown Town Hall, the Guilford H. Hathaway Library, the North Church, and the South Church, all of which were built in the 1800s. 

2. Hike, Bike, and Marvel at Nature at the Freetown-Fall River State Forest

This vast state forest boasts miles of trails that can either be hiked or biked and are marked for your convenience. In winter, some of the hiking trails become skiing spots, while the unpaved roads can become snowmobile trails.