Hanks Hill Pond near Storrs: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Hanks Hill Pond is a Capitol Planning Region water, Connecticut side. The surface lies 469 feet up. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. On size it sits at the modest end of our Capitol Planning Region list. You are 1.5 miles from Storrs. It is 24 miles to Hartford, the nearest city. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Hanks Hill Pond

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Capitol Planning Region include bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and chain pickerel. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Anyone new to Hanks Hill Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 70°F and January at 25°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to late December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Hanks Hill Pond fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. The water borders Philip Drive Open Space, so reserve rules are likely to apply. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Tift Pond at 1 mile is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Hanks Hill Pond before loading the car.