Two days, 4 stops on 4 public waters, all within 75 minutes of Hartford. Each stop below has its drive time, its access point and the fish recorded there.
Day 1
Morning: Long Island Sound
Start the day on Long Island Sound, launching from the ramp below.
Long Island Sound is a 56-minute drive from downtown Hartford. Launch at Guilford Town Marina, the public ramp on Long Island Sound closest to downtown (≈ 34.2 mi). Public access on Long Island Sound: 17 boat ramps and 21 piers. Surveyed depths reach 383 ft. Recorded here: Atlantic Menhaden, Scup, Mummichog, and Bluefish.
From Guilford Town Marina to Coventry Lake Boat Launch: 89 min by road (52.6 mi).
Evening: Wangumbaug Lake
End the day on Wangumbaug Lake.
Wangumbaug Lake is a 29-minute drive from downtown Hartford. Launch at Coventry Lake Boat Launch, the public ramp on Wangumbaug Lake closest to downtown (≈ 18.7 mi). Public access on Wangumbaug Lake: 2 boat ramps. Surveyed depths reach 36 ft. Recorded here: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout, and Walleye.
Day 2
Morning: Mansfield Hollow Lake
Start the day on Mansfield Hollow Lake, launching from the ramp below.
Mansfield Hollow Lake is a 41-minute drive from downtown Hartford. Launch at Mansfield Hollow Dam Boat Launch, the public ramp on Mansfield Hollow Lake closest to downtown (≈ 25.7 mi). Public access on Mansfield Hollow Lake: 1 boat ramp. Surveyed depths reach 21 ft. Recorded here: Bluegill, Northern Pike, Banded Killifish, and Pumpkinseed.
From Mansfield Hollow Dam Boat Launch to Canoe & kayak launch — Lake Zoar: 103 min by road (72.2 mi).
Evening: Lake Zoar
End the day on Lake Zoar.
Lake Zoar is a 53-minute drive from downtown Hartford. Canoe & kayak launch — Lake Zoar: boat ramp on Lake Zoar, ≈ 36.9 mi from downtown. Public access on Lake Zoar: 2 boat ramps. Surveyed depths reach 64 ft. Recorded here: Smallmouth Bass, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, and Brook Silverside.
When the fish bite here
By our bite calendar, Bay Anchovy and Rainbow Trout are at peak around Hartford in November.
FreshwaterSlowBluegill
Lepomis macrochirus
Centrarchidae
12 in4 lb6 yr795 watersGame fish
FreshwaterSlowWalleye
Sander vitreus
Percidae
30 in18 lb10 yr758 watersGame fish
SaltwaterPeakBay Anchovy
Anchoa mitchilli
Engraulidae
6 in0.5 lb3 yr4 waters
FreshwaterPeakRainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Salmonidae
30 in20 lb7 yr265 watersGame fish
SaltwaterSlowAtlantic Mackerel
Scomber scombrus
Scombridae
30 in5 lb10 yr1 waterGame fish
FreshwaterSlowBanded Killifish
Fundulus diaphanus
Fundulidae
4 in0.3 lb3 yr46 waters
