Massachusetts anglers can expect good catches of bass from shore or boat using spinnerbaits, topwater plugs or plastics. Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Massachusetts offers tremendous freshwater fishing opportunities, with hundreds of public access lakes, ponds, and reservoirs waiting to be tested.

There are hundreds of little-known ponds where Bay State anglers can find some great bass-fishing action this month. The following five ponds offer good spring bass fishing without some of the heavy angling traffic you'll find on the bigger "name" lakes in the state.

JOHNS POND
Mashpee
Cape Cod is known for its deep kettle trout ponds. However, there are several warmwater ponds that offer good bass action.

Johns Pond is a 243-acre natural kettle pond with an average depth of 23 feet and a maximum depth of 65 feet in the northern end. Visibility is very good to 18 feet, and aquatic vegetation is limited to the cove areas at the pond's southern end. The bottom is mostly sand, although there are some areas of rubble and gravel. The shoreline is 50 percent developed with homes and beaches.

There are two outlets. The first is the Childs River on the south end, unique in that it flows underground for about 100 yards after leaving the pond. The second is the Quashnet River, located to the north, which is a popular fishing river and one of the few naturally sustaining brook trout rivers on the Cape. Sea-run alewives make their way up the Childs and Quashnet rivers from Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound, providing a ready source of forage for the pond's big bass.

According to Steve Hurley, Southeast District biologist for MassWildlife, Johns Pond is an excellent, heavily fished water that has good populations of smallmouth and largemouth bass.

A good spot to fish is near the sunken hump, in about 10 feet of water southwest of the boat ramp in the pond's southern section.

Other species here include yellow perch, white perch and brown bullhead.

Shore fishing is available at the town beach. This access is best suited for the visiting spring angler because a town sticker is required for the summer. About 400 yards to the east, there is a good stretch of land that provides good shore access.

A paved boat ramp in the northwest corner of the pond off Hooppole Road is suitable for launching light-trailered boats and canoes. Parking is available for six to 10 vehicles. The access area is cramped and oddly shaped, so large trailers may find it difficult to navigate.

To get there, take Route 28 south from the Bourne Bridge heading east on Route 151. Turn left onto Ashumet Road (past the intersection of Route 151 and Sandwich Road), which leads to Hooppole Road. The ramp is on the right, off Hooppole Road.

For travel information, log onto www.allcapecod.com.

BUFFUMVILLE LAKE
Charlton/Oxford
The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed this 200-acre impoundment in the Buffumville Recreation Area. This is a long, thin warmwater lake that is 3 1/2 miles long and less than a half-mile wide, and was built for flood control. The water level fluctuates in spring and fall. Oxford Road bisects the reservoir into north and south basins.