Fishing Porter Reservoir in Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut

• Overview

  Look for Porter Reservoir in Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut. The surface lies 433 feet up. At 8 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The town to know is Manchester, 1.9 miles out. For a city, Hartford is 11 miles off. Also worth knowing: Howard Reservoir roughly 0.6 miles, Case Pond some 0.8 miles off, Case Pond Upper roughly 1 mile, Salter Pond some 1.7 miles off and Risley Reservoir roughly 1.8 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Porter Reservoir

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. County-wide records name bluegill, pumpkinseed and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Porter Reservoir to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 71°F and January near 25°F on the long-run figures. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late March. From about late March to around late December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It sets the rhythm of the year at Porter Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Public data records a boat ramp half a mile out. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Howard Reservoir sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Porter Reservoir for certain.