William J Ulbrich Reservoir Fishing near Wallingford Center, Connecticut

• Overview

  Out in South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, sits William J Ulbrich Reservoir. The sea is 12 miles distant. The water covers some 153 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 2.8 miles in total. Supplies mean a trip to Wallingford Center, 3.9 miles off. It is 14 miles to New Haven, the nearest city. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on William J Ulbrich Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for South Central Connecticut Planning Region list bluegill, American eel and pumpkinseed. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Read William J Ulbrich Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 27°F in January to roughly 72°F in July. Temperature moves within a narrow band, and so does the fishing. It should never be assumed safe, whatever the month says. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. It sets the rhythm of the year at William J Ulbrich Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. A protected area covers this ground, which usually means restrictions on access. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Spring Brook Reservoir is 0.7 miles distant. Signs at William J Ulbrich Reservoir carry more weight than any list.