Old Man McMullen Pond near Canaan: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Old Man McMullen Pond is one of the Northwest Hills Planning Region listings for Connecticut. It lies 1,519 feet above sea level. About 17 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Connecticut listings. Nearest town is Canaan, 6.3 miles off. Waterbury sits 29 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Old Man McMullen Pond

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Northwest Hills Planning Region, recorded fish include bluegill, brown trout, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed and black crappie. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Old Man McMullen Pond the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 21°F in January and 68°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Old Man McMullen Pond the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Part of this sits inside or beside Great Mountain Forest, so read the notices. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Crissey Pond at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Old Man McMullen Pond in what we hold.