Lake Attitash
Encyclopedia
Lake Attitash is a lake
located on the border of Merrimac, Massachusetts
and Amesbury, Massachusetts
, and constitutes at least a portion of Amesbury's water supply
.
There are beach
es both on the Amesbury and Merrimac shore
s. Merrimac's beach is known as Indian Head Park. The lake was formerly known as "Kimball's Pond".
The lake is popular with seasonal tourists, as well as residents. It is normally safe
for swimming. Boat
s are allowed on the lake.
This shallow, 360 acres (1.5 km²) enlarged natural great pond has a maximum depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) and an average depth of 11 feet (3.4 m). The shoreline is extensively developed; roads and cottages, two or three rows deep in places, virtually ring the entire lake. There are literally hundreds of boats of all types and sizes.
The only significant weed beds are located in the inlet and outlet coves.
Public access for boating has been created by the Massachusetts Office of Fishing and Boating Access (formerly known as the Public Access Board) by constructing a parking lot and launching ramp. The parking lot can accommodate nearly two dozen vehicles.
INFO BELOW IS FROM 1993
The last fisheries survey – conducted in 1978 – located nine of the 11 species known to be present in this water. Largemouth bass
and chain pickerel
are common and appear at least moderately fished. Pumpkinseed
s dominate the fishery, although white perch
and brown bullhead
are very common.
Northern pike
were stocked here in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1988, and will continue to be stocked in the future.
Although Attitash is a good largemouth bass and chain pickerel water, it is primarily known as one of the best northern pike waters in the Northeast District. Pike in excess of 20 pounds have been reported from here.
The heavy recreational use this lake supports during the summer months basically precludes fishing. However, bass and panfish anglers enjoy good action during the spring and fall months, and ice fishermen avidly pursue the pike resource in winter. Fishing pressure is particularly high during the winter. Various local tournaments often bring out crowds of ice fishermen on weekends.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located on the border of Merrimac, Massachusetts
Merrimac, Massachusetts
Merrimac is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and on the southeastern border of New Hampshire, approximately northeast of Boston and west of the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated along the north bank of the Merrimack River in the Merrimack Valley. The population was 6,504 in 2008...
and Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Though it officially became a city in 1996, its formal name remains "The Town of Amesbury." In 1890, 9798 people lived in Amesbury; in 1900, 9473; in 1910, 9894; in 1920, 10,036; and in 1940, 10,862. The population was 16,283 at...
, and constitutes at least a portion of Amesbury's water supply
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
.
There are beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es both on the Amesbury and Merrimac shore
Shore
A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,...
s. Merrimac's beach is known as Indian Head Park. The lake was formerly known as "Kimball's Pond".
The lake is popular with seasonal tourists, as well as residents. It is normally safe
Safe
A safe is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or damage. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door may be cast from metal or formed out of plastic through blow molding...
for swimming. Boat
Boat
A boat is a watercraft of any size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is a...
s are allowed on the lake.
This shallow, 360 acres (1.5 km²) enlarged natural great pond has a maximum depth of 30 feet (9.1 m) and an average depth of 11 feet (3.4 m). The shoreline is extensively developed; roads and cottages, two or three rows deep in places, virtually ring the entire lake. There are literally hundreds of boats of all types and sizes.
The only significant weed beds are located in the inlet and outlet coves.
Public access for boating has been created by the Massachusetts Office of Fishing and Boating Access (formerly known as the Public Access Board) by constructing a parking lot and launching ramp. The parking lot can accommodate nearly two dozen vehicles.
INFO BELOW IS FROM 1993
The last fisheries survey – conducted in 1978 – located nine of the 11 species known to be present in this water. Largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
and chain pickerel
Chain pickerel
The chain pickerel, Esox niger , is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel and the american pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes.-Range:...
are common and appear at least moderately fished. Pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
s dominate the fishery, although white perch
White perch
The white perch, Morone americana, is not a true perch but is, rather, a fish of the temperate bass family, Moronidae, notable as a food and game fish in eastern North America.The name "white perch" is sometimes erroneously applied to the white crappie....
and brown bullhead
Brown bullhead
The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, is a fish of the Ictaluridae family that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead and yellow bullhead...
are very common.
Northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
were stocked here in 1979, 1985, 1986 and 1988, and will continue to be stocked in the future.
Although Attitash is a good largemouth bass and chain pickerel water, it is primarily known as one of the best northern pike waters in the Northeast District. Pike in excess of 20 pounds have been reported from here.
The heavy recreational use this lake supports during the summer months basically precludes fishing. However, bass and panfish anglers enjoy good action during the spring and fall months, and ice fishermen avidly pursue the pike resource in winter. Fishing pressure is particularly high during the winter. Various local tournaments often bring out crowds of ice fishermen on weekends.