Higgins Pond, Wellfleet

Higgins pond in Wellfleet is well known for it's trout fishing in the spring and the fall but what's spoken about very little are the largemouth bass that inhabit its 60 foot depths. The pond itself is very small, completely spherical, and very clear. Unlike many kettle ponds on the cape, the water itself is not very acidic so it is able to hold a large number of fish.  Higgins is connected to Gull Pond and Williams via two sleuceways created by Native American tribes years ago. Both passages fluctuate in depth but canoe and kayak passage is very manageable. The west shore of the pond is deeper than the east and has abundant lilly pads in addition to several felled logs and an area of marshy grass. The pond then wraps around the the passage to Williams where the water is no more than four feet and tall grasses reside. The bottom is soft but not mucky with an abundant supply of white perch and baitfish. This is the usual direction of the wind so fishing can be a nuisance without a small electric motor on a windy day. The east facing side of the pond has large areas of lilly pads separated by the sandy beaches of a few waterfront homes. I have been fortunate to stay at one of these houses and it have provided the perfect setting for three amazing summers.
The only game fish besides the trout is the Largemouth bass and oh is it abundant. On a summer or fall day, fishing in the evening can be mesmorizing with the use of the correct bait. I have been fishing this pond since I was eight and my tactics have not changed in several years. Just like I wrote for Morses pond, the floating weedless worm is deadly when dragged over the light cover on the westerly end of the pond. Coupled with a frog imitation soft plastic that is left to sit on the pads, the combination is hours of fun. One night this summer, my brother and I found ourselves spoiled with hits from 18-21 inch bass that literally leapt out of the water to snack on our gary yamamoto worms. We sadly only landed one but this number may have been more if we hadn't run out of them.
The second largest bass I have seen up close was also from this pond. Three years ago I was using a small buzzbait when an enormous bass took it under. Being a little less experienced and much too excited, I kept the rod tip down much too long and two feet from the boat he shook the hook as he leapt out of the water. It was in my estimate about 6-7 and 22-24 inches. The buzzbait itself was tiny compared to the most popular models.
Another favorite strategy of mine is to simply troll around the pond. I have a fishing canoe rigged up with an electric motor so I'm able to cruise around the pond trailing behind me a jig head with a minnow body or a large agila spinner. Although I have lost a fishing rod using this technique, I've also landed a twenty inch bass and several 8-12 inch white perch which put up surprisingly good fights.
This pond is an all around great place to visit. Access points are down a road off of the road traveling to Gull Pond. Good Luck