Lake Harwinton in Northwest Hills Planning Region: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Northwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut, this is Lake Harwinton. Height above sea level is 873 feet. Roughly 42 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. About 1.6 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. It is high ground by Connecticut standards. For a base, Northwest Harwinton sits 0.4 miles out. Further out sit Torrington (2.4 miles) and West Torrington (4 miles). One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Lake Harwinton

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name bluegill, brown trout, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and black crappie. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Lake Harwinton before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 23°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about late December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Harwinton.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. This lies within protected land, so the rules will be stricter than usual. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. For a change of water, Kelly Pond is 1.1 miles distant. Confirm access to Lake Harwinton locally before you travel.