Barkhamsted Reservoir near Granville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Out in Northwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut, sits Barkhamsted Reservoir. The setting is pine and birch. At some 3.5 sq miles it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Nothing else we list in Northwest Hills Planning Region covers more water. For a base, Granville sits 5.3 miles out. Further out sit North Granby (5.8 miles) and Barkhamsted (6.2 miles). The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Barkhamsted Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. County-wide records name bluegill, brown trout, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Barkhamsted Reservoir should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in January and 68°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That shapes the year on Barkhamsted Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. A toilet block sits half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Emmons Pond is 1.3 miles off. None of that is settled for Barkhamsted Reservoir in what we hold.