Pow Wow River in Massachusetts

Trip Overview

I started my canoe/fishing trip on newton road at the pumping station. This is where they stock fish in April if the water is not too high. No fish biting here, although it usually is a good place to practice fly fishing on the small stocked trout.

Just around the bend is a small dam you have to either go over with a kayak or get up on land and portage about 3 feet to the side of the dam and get back in horizontally - real easy when the water is high. Another sharp turn and there is a deep pool along someone's back yard that holds many fish but none biting today. This is where traveling Canadian geese hang out.

From there the river winds through the forest to enjoy deer, beavers, many different birds including woodpeckers, grackles, warblers, cedar waxwings, orioles, cardinals, kingfishers, herons, hawks, and many songs or birds I could not identify.

after a while I had to portage (again not far) around a huge tree and then push the canoe under a smaller one as I climbed over. In between these trees is a small pool where the yellow perch are very hungry.

Still winding through the forest, I started to see trees cut by our friendly beaver. Weeks before I saw him swimming near here. I was very surprised how red/orange his fur was.

Then I made it out into the pasture run -- This is where the big ones are. Good chances of seeing herons hawks and red-winged blackbirds. After realizing how late it was getting, I decided to pick up the pace. I landed a very large bass trolling a rapala lure with red hooks.

The river then flows around the hill of Whitehall road on your right and gets a little darker with over hanging trees -- landed another large bass here. Somewhere in here I crossed into South Hampton, NH and past Andy Capp's house. Then I passed under a bridge to enjoy the neighbor's horses at the shore. Around a 180 degree loop and this is where Lake Gardner starts. My wife and son picked me up here.

All in all a great 4 hours on the water. Most of this time was fishing. Probably about an hour trip if you are just paddling. Don't forget: bug spray! sunscreen, check for ticks, lots of deer in the area.

Accommodations:

Parking for 3 or four cars at Newton Road, or 20 cars at Tuxbury Pond

Fees:

no

Directions:

From town hall head out Friend Street, after about half mile it turns to Lion's Mouth Road, after the marsh area take right on Newton Road.
Put in at the bridge a quarter mile up the road, or take your next left and park a quarter mile on right at Tuxbury Pond. put in here, but last time I did this run there were many trees to climb over or under... not sure if they cut them yet.

Resources:

google earth