Fishing Lake McDonough

AKA: Barkhamsted Lake

Popular Fish Species
Lake McDonough Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Amenities
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Lake McDonough, CT

Popular Fish Species Lake McDonough, CT

Lake McDonough Popular Fish - Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass Fishing

Lake McDonough is a popular bass fishing lake. Weekend anglers find the fishing to be a bit slow at times, yet much better at other times. Fishing for bass can be quite rewarding, with an occasional bass over 4 pounds being caught. Anglers can also catch smallmouth bass, which reside here in decent numbers. Bass often move shallow and become aggressive when they are in a feeding mood. Use shallow crankbaits around rip rap. Around grass, use worms, jigs, topwater and spinnerbaits. In deeper water, drop shot rigs, big worms, jigs and spoons are good options. In winter, spend your time fishing deeper structure where the bass spend much of their time.

Lake McDonough Popular Fish - Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch Fishing

Yellow perch tend to spawn in the April to May timeframe, and the spawn has been strong for years at Lake McDonough. As a result, the lake continues to maintain a very healthy population of yellow perch, which have been a mainstay in the fishery for decades. Yellow perch are great table fare, and are a food source for many predator fish in the lake. Fishing for yellow perch is simple, their primary diet consists of minnows and other small fish, insects and worms. Yellow perch tend to gather in small groups and hang out on relatively deep structure, near cover and/or drop-offs. Use a small hook and sinker. Bait a small hook with minnows, worms or small jigs using 6 to 10 pound line.

Lake McDonough Popular Fish - Chain Pickerel

Chain Pickerel Fishing

Chain pickerel prefer to weedy areas of lakes and rivers. They ambush baitfish and sunfish which requires cover for them to hide within. Submerged aquatic vegetation, brush, fallen tree limbs, or structures such as rock piles, bridge pilings, rip-rap, or debris. Lake McDonough has a very healthy population of these toothy critters, many approaching 30 inches and exceeding 5 pounds. Unlike many freshwater fish species, chain pickerel do not school up. They tend to be loners. Once you catch one, find other, spots with similar cover and depth to fish. Flashy spoons, live minnows, and bait-imitating crankbaits all work well. For added excitement, try fishing topwater lures over vegetation areas. Topwater lures that mimic wounded baitfish are very tempting to these predators.

Lake McDonough Fishing Video

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, yellow perch and chain pickerel at Lake McDonough in Connecticut.

An ideal lake for fishing from the bank, Lake McDonough aka Barkhamsted Lake is a 390-acre lake in the northwest corner of the state at Hartland. The lake has about 9 miles of shoreline, and sections in many areas around the lake are accessible to fish from shore. It is nestled within the scenic surroundings of the Nepaug State Forest, offers anglers excellent choices for fishing.

One of the popular fish species found in Lake McDonough is trout. The lake is stocked with both rainbow trout and brown trout. In addition to trout, Lake McDonough is also home to other fish species such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch.

Boats are limited to 10 mph maximum which makes this an ideal body of water for kayaks, canoes and row boats. The Lake McDonough Boathouse offers rowboat rentals and has a boat launch ramp open to the public for a fee. Bass, trout, sunfish and perch are all plentiful here as fishing pressure is low due to the speed limit.

Primary fish species residing in Lake McDonough

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Lake McDonough Amenities

Marina: NO
Boat Rental: YES
Boat Launch Ramp: YES
Campgrounds: NEARBY
RV Hookups: NEARBY
Lodging: NEARBY
Convenience Store: NEARBY
Bait & Tackle: YES
Restaurant: YES

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

Lake McDonough Boat Launch Ramp
Located in the northeast section of the lake, off Reservoir Road, this is a six-lane, concrete ramp with docks and paved parking.