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Best pumpkinseed lakes in Connecticut

113 Connecticut waters hold pumpkinseed, 113 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. The brilliant little sunfish of weedy northern bays — a snail-crunching shallow-water resident that outnumbers bluegill across the east and Canada.

1. Lake Housatonic — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
2. Rainbow Reservoir — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Colebrook River Reservoir — 130 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Lake Saltonstall — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Aspinook Pond — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Congamond Lakes — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
7. McDonough Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
8. Saugatuck Reservoir — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Hopeville Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Moodus Reservoir, Upper — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. West Twin Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
12. Salmon Cove — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. West Thompson Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. West Branch Reservoir — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Winchester Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Keeney Cove — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Moodus Reservoir, Lower — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Lake Hayward — 33 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Alexander Lake — 48 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Quaddick Reservoir, Middle — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Wonoscoponuc Lake — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
22. Pine Acres Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, PumpkinseedWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Eagleville Lake — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
24. Long Pond — 66 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Powers Lake — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 88 more Connecticut waters holding pumpkinseed.

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When to fish pumpkinseed in Connecticut

• Spring 1–8 ft — Spawning colonies carpet warm, protected bays — small baits dropped on the beds get instant attention.
• Summer 2–10 ft — Docks, pads and weed flats — pumpkinseeds hold tighter to vegetation than bluegill and love snails and nymphs.
• Fall 4–14 ft — Schools tighten on the last green weeds — find healthy cabbage near a drop and the school is there.
• Winter 6–18 ft — A staple ice panfish — soft-bottom flats just outside the deepest green weeds; downsize and watch for lift bites.

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 channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass 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 brown bullhead lakes · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes · best bluefish lakes · best black sea bass lakes · best tautog (blackfish) lakes

Pumpkinseed elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Michigan · Maine · New Hampshire · New York · Montana · Massachusetts · Wyoming · Rhode Island