Upper Millpond near Essex Village: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Upper Millpond is set in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. It sits 1.9 miles in from the sea. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. It lies lower than most water we list in Connecticut. Essex Village is the closest town at 4.3 miles. Then Old Saybrook Center, 5 miles, and Old Saybrook, 5.2 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Upper Millpond

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region list bluegill, bowfin, white perch, alewife and American eel. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Anyone new to Upper Millpond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 71°F and January at 28°F. Neither winter nor summer shuts things down for long. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Upper Millpond fishes to that pattern most years. The hour either side of first light is rarely wasted.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Part of this sits inside or beside Hoffman-Matthiessen-DeGerenday Preserve, so read the notices. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Black Hall Pond is 0.5 miles off. Ask locally about Upper Millpond if anything is unclear.