Chester Reservoir in Windsor County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Chester Reservoir sits in Windsor County, out in Vermont. The water sits 646 feet up. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The town to know is Chester, 2.1 miles out. The big place round here is Manchester, 62 miles distant. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork. Yearly totals run near 46 inches, with February the driest stretch.

• Where to Fish on Chester Reservoir

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Reported across Windsor County: brook trout, rainbow trout, white sucker, brown trout and longnose sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Chester Reservoir light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 68°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It holds true on Chester Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Chester Reservoir at 1.6 miles is the sensible second choice. None of that is settled for Chester Reservoir in what we hold.