Lake Garfield is situated in the Southern Berkshires of Massachusetts in the town of Monterey. It is 16 minutes from Great Barrington and 16 minutes from Lee and the MassPike. The town beach is 2 minutes from the center of Monterey off the Tyringham Road.
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Contour Map (pdf)
© Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
Fish Populations
The following fish species were found during MassWildlife surveys: Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Chain Pickerel, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, White Sucker, Golden Shiner, and Brown Bullhead. Additionally, Lake Garfield is stocked with trout each spring.
Fishing
Lake Garfield occasionally produces a good size bass or Chain Pickerel, but in general, gamefish are average to below average in size and abundance. However, angling for white perch and stocked trout can be exceptional during spring. Jigging for Yellow Perch through the ice in winter can also be productive. Lake Garfield can get very busy during the summer as boating and swimming are very popular here. Lake Garfield has produced Chain Pickerel, Sunfish, and Rainbow Trout that meet minimum sizes for recognition by the Freshwater Sportfishing Awards Program.
Lake Garfield Watershed-Based Plan (pdf)
A watershed-based plan is a holistic and adaptive document that provides guidance to local resource managers such as watershed and lake associations, local municipalities, resource owners and stakeholders for the assessment and management of resources within a geographically defined area – the watershed. VIEW FULL PLAN
General Information
Lake Garfield is a 275-acre Great Pond that is located about a half mile north of the center of Monterey off Route 23. Average depth is 16 feet with a maximum depth of 35 feet. The water is transparent to 11 feet and the bottom is a mixture of boulders, clay and mud. Aquatic vegetation is abundant to a depth of about 8 feet, particularly in the inlet and outlet coves. The shoreline is moderately developed with approximately 75 dwellings.
Recreational Access
There is a small cement boat ramp (73°12'35.06"W 42°11'23.40"N) and grass parking lot owned and managed by the town of Monterey at the western end of the lake off Tyringham Road. Public access to the shores of Lake Garfield is extremely limited. Please contact the town of Monterey for additional information and/or restrictions pertaining to public access and the launching of a boat at Lake Garfield.