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

• Overview

  The Northwest Hills Planning Region entry here is Washinee Lake, in Connecticut. The land about it is lake country bush. At some 288 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. There is roughly 4.3 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. On our Northwest Hills Planning Region list it sits near the top for size. For supplies, Canaan is 3.3 miles out. Sheffield follows at 6.7 miles, then New Marlborough at 11 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Washinee Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Northwest Hills Planning Region list bluegill, brown trout, largemouth bass and pumpkinseed. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Treat Washinee Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. It holds true on Washinee Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Mary Alice White Easement covers ground next to the water; its rules will apply on that side. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Washining Lake, 0.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Where Washinee Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.