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Best channel catfish lakes in Connecticut

27 Connecticut waters hold channel catfish, 27 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

1. Lake Lillinonah — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Pachaug Pond — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
3. Lake Zoar — 64 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
4. Lake Saltonstall — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie
5. Mansfield Hollow Reservoir — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
6. Hopeville Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill
7. Keeney Cove — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
8. Stillwater Pond — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Silver Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
10. Bolton Lake, Lower — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
11. Batterson Park Pond — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
12. Uncas Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
13. Burr Pond — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
14. Pataconk Reservoir — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
15. Chapman Pond — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie
16. Quinebaug Lake — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
17. Quonnipaug Lake — 42 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
18. Lake Kenosia — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill
19. Cedar Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Bluegill
20. Crescent Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
21. Crow Point Cove — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
22. Wethersfield Cove — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
23. Lake Wintergreen — 28 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
24. Maltby Lake #1 — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
25. Wrights Cove — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill

…plus 2 more Connecticut waters holding channel catfish.

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When to fish channel catfish in Connecticut

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

Also in Connecticut: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best landlocked salmon lakes · best chain pickerel lakes · best rock bass lakes · best white perch lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

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