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Guide To Great Choices For Fishing In Connecticut

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All about fishing in the Constitution State

  • Bantam Lake, CT
  • Bashan Lake, CT
  • Beach Pond, CT
  • Candlewood Lake, CT
  • Gardner Lake, CT
  • Highland Lake, CT
  • Lake Lillinonah, CT
  • Lake McDonough, CT
  • Lake Zoar, CT
  • Mansfield Hollow Lake, CT
  • Mashapaug Lake, CT
  • Moodus Reservoir, CT
  • Pachaug Pond, CT
  • Quaddick Reservoir, CT
  • Saugatuck Reservoir, CT
  • Waramaug Lake, CT
  • Washining Lake, CT
  • Wononskopomuc Lake, CT

Fishing Boats For Rent In Connecticut

This state is dotted with lakes, ponds, streams and rivers offering all types of fishing venues. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, white catfish, black crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, yellow perch, stripers, chain pickerel and northern pike in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams. Many of these species can be taken while ice fishing in winter.

Major Connecticut Lakes & Species

Connecticut major lakes and fish chart

Lake & Fish Chart

This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments.

For a detailed list of primary fish species in CT, plus state fish records, see the list below.

Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.

Alexander Lake is a 215-acre lake in northeast Connecticut, 3 miles southeast of Pomfret.

Amos Lake is a 110-acre lake, located in the southeast corner of the state at Preston.

Bantam Lake is a 950-acre lake, located in the northwest corner of the state at Mantam.

Bashan Lake is a 270-acre lake located in the south-central section of the state 4 miles northeast of East Haddam.

Beach Pond is a 390-acre lake on the Connecticut-Rhode Island border at Voluntown, CT

Black Pond is a 75-acre pond located in the northeast corner of the state, 5 miles east of Union.

Candlewood Lake is a 5,400-acre lake on the middle-western edge of the state, 2 miles west of New Milford.

Cedar Lake is a 75-acre lake located in the south-central section of the state Chester.

Colebrook River Lake is a 820-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state, 2 miles north of Riverton.

Crystal Lake is a 180-acre lake in the north-central 3 miles east of Ellington.

Gardner Lake is a 430-acre lake located in the southeast corner of the state 2 miles northeast of Salem.

Green Falls Pond aka Green Falls Reservoir is a 50-acre pond located in the southeast corner of the state 4 miles southeast of Voluntown.

Highland Lake is a 450-acre lake located in the northern part of the state, west of center at Winchester.

Lake Beseck aka Beseck Lake is a 120-acre lake located in the center of the state at Middlefield.

Lake Lillinonah is a 1,900-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state nearby Newtown.

Lake McDonough aka Barkhamsted Lake is a 390-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state at Hartland.

Lake Quassapaug is a 300-acre lake in the west-central section of the state, at Middlebury.

Lake Saltonstall is a 420-acre lake located along the lower border of the state at East Haven.

Lake Zoar is a 910-acre lake in the southwest corner of the state between Southbury and Sandy Hook.

Lower Bolton Lake is a 180-acre lake located in the northern-central part of the state at Bolton.

Mansfield Hollow Lake is a 440-acre lake located in the northern-central part of the state at Mansfield.

Mashapaug Lake is a 300-acre lake located in the northeast portion of the state at the MA/CT border, 2 miles north of Union.

Middle Bolton Lake is a 120-acre lake located in the northern-central part of the state at Bolton.

Moodus Reservoir is a 480-acre (Upper 360 + Lower 120) lake located in the central-southern part of the state, 2 miles east of Moodus.

Mudge Pond is a 210-acre pond located in the northwest corner of the state at Sharon, CT along the New York-Connecticut border.

Pachaug Pond is an 840-acre lake located in the southeast corner of the state at Griswold.

Pine Acres Lake is a 130-acre lake located in the central-northern part of the state at Hampton.

Pinewood Lake is a 150-acre lake in southwest Connecticut, at Trumbull.

Quaddick Reservoir is a 408-acre lake in northeast Connecticut, 3 miles east of Thompson.

Quinebaug Pond is a 80-acre pond located in the central-northern part of the state at Killingly.

Rogers Lake is a 260-acre lake located in the southeast corner of the state between Lyme and Old Lyme.

Saugatuck Reservoir is an 860-acre lake located on the southwestern corner of the state, 2 miles south of Redding.

Shenipsit Lake aka The Snip is a 520-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Rockville.

Squantz Pond is a 280-acre pond located on the western edge of the state, on the NY/CT border, 3 miles north of Fairfield.

Tyler Lake is a 180-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state 2 miles west of Goshen, CT along the New York-Connecticut border.

Waramaug Lake is a 650-acre lake located in the northwest corner of the state, 2 miles south of Warren.

Washinee Lake (West Twin Lake) is a 290-acre lake located in the far northwest corner of the state 3 miles west of North Cannan.

Washining Lake (East Twin Lake) is a 570-acre lake located in the far northwest corner of the state 3 miles west of North Cannan.

West Hill Pond is a 260-acre lake located in the northwest corner of the state, 2 miles south of Winchester.

West Thompson Lake is a 200-acre lake located in the far northeast corner of the state, 2 miles north of Putnam.

Winchester Lake is a 250-acre lake located in the far northeast corner of the state at Winchester.

Wononscopomuc Lake is a 350-acre lake located in the far northwest corner of the state at Lakeville.

Fish Species & State Records in Connecticut

Bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

World record: 22 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 12 lbs 14 oz

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

World record: 11 lbs 15 oz

State Record: 7 lbs 12 oz

Catfish

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

World record: 58 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 29 lbs 6 oz

White Catfish

White catfish

World record: 22 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 12 lbs 12 oz

Crappie

Black Crappie

Black crappie/calico bass

World record: 6 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 4 lbs 0 oz

Walleye

Walleye

Walleye

World record: 25 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 15 lbs 4 oz

Trout

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

World record: 42 lbs 2 oz

State Record: 14 lbs 10 oz

Brook Trout

Brook trout

World record: 14 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 9 lbs 3 oz

Brown Trout

Brown trout

World record: 40 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 19 lbs 0 oz

Lake Trout

Lake trout

World record: 72 lbs 0 oz

State Record: 29 lbs 13 oz

Panfish

Bluegill

Bluegill

World record: 4 lbs 12 oz

State Record: 2 lbs 4 oz

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Pumpkinseed sunfish

World record: 2 lbs 4 oz

State Record: 1 lbs 3 oz

Rock Bass

Rock bass

World record: 3.0 lbs

State Record: 1 lbs 3 oz

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

World record: 4 lbs 3 oz

State Record: 2 lbs 13 oz

Striped bass

Striped Bass

Striper

Saltwater world record: 81 lbs 15 oz*

State Record: 81 lbs 15 oz*

Other species

Bowfin

Bowfin

World record: 21 lbs 8 oz

State Record: 9 lbs 0 oz

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

World record: 9 lbs 6 oz

State Record: 8 lbs 9 oz

Northern Pike

Northern pike

World record: 55 lbs 1 oz

State Record: 29 lbs 0 oz

Click the images and links above for species details.

Robert Pochesci and his
7lbs 7 oz brown trout.

Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Connecticut and other boating information.

There is a section dedicated to fishing activities for kids. It is devoted to information about kids fishing with stories, fish photos and tips for where and how to take a kid fishing locally.

State of CT Fishing Information

For fishing regulations and information on fishing in Connecticut, visit the website of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

Apply for a Connecticut Fishing License here.

Bass fishing book

Fish for big bass

Excellent largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing opportunities are available here.

 

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