Fishing Eastern Connecticut: The Quiet Corner's Best Waters

Natchaug State Forest Waters

Natchaug State Forest (Chaplin, Hampton, Eastford) is one of the largest state forests in Connecticut and contains several quality fishing destinations.

**Bigelow Brook**: One of Connecticut's best brook trout streams. Flows through the forest and receives DEEP stocking in spring, but also holds wild brookies in its upper headwater tributaries. Best fished with ultralight gear in the 4-6 lb range with small spinners or worms. Early May through June and again in September-October are peak seasons.

**Natchaug River**: The river that drains Natchaug State Forest is a medium-sized stream with stocked trout in spring and resident smallmouth bass through summer. The section through the forest is accessible via forest trails and offers wade fishing in moderate current. Spinnerbaits and natural bait work equally well.

**Brown Thompson Reservoir** (Quaddick Reservoir, Thompson area): A quality panfish and largemouth lake in the Quaddick State Park area. Public access, decent bass fishing, and good yellow perch from shore. Worth a spring or fall visit.

Pachaug State Forest: CT's Fishing Wilderness

Pachaug State Forest (Voluntown, Griswold, Exeter) is the largest state forest in Connecticut at over 27,000 acres. It contains more water than any other forested area in the state.

**Pachaug Pond**: A medium-sized lake within the forest with good largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and yellow perch fishing. The back coves and weed areas hold bass throughout the warm season. Public boat launch.

**Beach Pond**: On the CT-RI border, Beach Pond is excellent for largemouth bass and chain pickerel. The extensive shallow coves on the Connecticut side hold pre-spawn bass in May. A popular destination that still sees less pressure than western CT lakes.

**Hopeville Pond**: Within Hopeville Pond State Park, this small lake offers excellent yellow perch fishing from shore and a boat launch. Spring perch fishing here can be exceptional — schools of 10-12 inch perch in shallow water respond well to small jigs and worms under a float.

**Hell Hollow Pond**: A remote pond within Pachaug State Forest accessible by foot or off-road vehicle on forest roads. Excellent largemouth bass fishing with minimal pressure. The remote character rewards anglers willing to hike — fish see very few lures.

Salmon River and Corridor

The Salmon River corridor (Colchester, Hebron, East Haddam) offers excellent fishing across several species.

**Salmon River**: One of Connecticut's better trout streams outside the Farmington system. The Salmon River State Forest section holds stocked and wild trout. The lower section near East Haddam has smallmouth bass in summer. The river receives spring stocking from DEEP and fishes well through June.

**Lake Moodus Reservoir**: The centerpiece of Machimoodus State Park, this reservoir offers good bass, pickerel, and perch fishing. The lake has extensive weed cover and rocky structure that suits largemouth and pickerel particularly well. Accessible via the state park boat launch.

**Day Pond State Park (Colchester)**: A small, quiet pond within the state park with public fishing access. Good for panfish and small bass. Family-friendly and low-key. Good early morning panfish fishing in spring and early summer.

Quinebaug River: Smallmouth and Trout

The Quinebaug River flows through several eastern CT towns (Putnam, Killingly, Thompson) and provides consistent fishing for multiple species.

**Trout section (upper Quinebaug)**: DEEP stocks the upper Quinebaug above the Connecticut Yankee area in spring. Holdover fish from previous years supplement stocked populations. Accessible at multiple points in Putnam and the Thompson area.

**Smallmouth bass (middle and lower sections)**: The Quinebaug through Killingly and Brooklyn holds resident smallmouth bass, particularly in the faster, rocky sections. A 7-foot medium spinning rod with a 3-4 inch tube jig is an effective summer Quinebaug smallmouth presentation.

**Kennedy Pond (Putnam)**: A quiet town pond with good largemouth and pickerel fishing. Worth a visit during spring when bass move shallow. Shore accessible at the town boat launch.

Planning a Quiet Corner Fishing Trip

The Quiet Corner's fishing advantages — low pressure, diverse options, extensive public land — are best utilized with some planning.

**Water company access**: Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) and South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (SCCRWA) land in eastern CT is open to fishing with free permits. These large tracts include some of the best wild brook trout water in the state. Get permits from their respective websites (it takes 5 minutes online).

**Maps and access resources**: CT DEEP's fishing access map (available at ct.gov/deep) shows all public access points for freshwater fishing in the state. The Quiet Corner has numerous boat launches, fishing piers, and shore access points marked. Download the CT DEEP fishing map app for offline access.

**Local bait shops**: Eastern CT has several independent tackle shops that provide local knowledge invaluable for finding fish in unfamiliar waters. A quick visit or phone call to a local shop in Plainfield, Putnam, or Griswold will often yield specific current conditions that no internet resource provides.

**Best seasons in eastern CT**: Spring (April-June) for trout and pre-spawn bass. Early summer (June-July) for schoolie bass and panfish. Fall (September-October) for large bass, pickerel, and perch feeding before winter.

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