Howard Reservoir Fishing Guide, Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut

• Overview

  The Capitol Planning Region entry here is Howard Reservoir, in Connecticut. It sits in lake country bush. Small at around 21 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Manchester is the closest place, 2.4 miles off. Rockville is 6.7 miles away, with East Hartford at 7 miles. This one is safely inside the county line. The approach is plain, and a car park is not always part of it.

• Where to Fish on Howard Reservoir

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. County-wide records name bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow perch and chain pickerel. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Howard Reservoir the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 25°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late March. The water is typically free of ice between late March and late December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. On Howard Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Porter Reservoir at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Howard Reservoir for certain.