Best yellow perch lakes in Connecticut
127 Connecticut waters hold yellow perch, 127 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 premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.
- Candlewood Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- Lake Housatonic — 24 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
- Pachaug Pond — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Rainbow Reservoir — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Colebrook River Reservoir — 130 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
- Waramaug Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow TroutWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Bashan Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Lake Saltonstall — 110 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
- Aspinook Pond — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Congamond Lakes — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Highland Lake — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- McDonough Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Saugatuck Reservoir — 100 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
- Congamond Lakes South Pond — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Gardner Lake — 36 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Beach Pond — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Hopeville Pond — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Moodus Reservoir, Upper — 9 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
- Squantz Pond — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
- West Twin Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
- Salmon Cove — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Congomond Lakes (Middle basin ) — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Yellow Perch, Chain PickerelWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Mashapaug Lake — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- West Thompson Reservoir — 30 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
- West Branch Reservoir — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
…plus 102 more Connecticut waters holding yellow perch.
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Connecticut waters with public access data
When to fish yellow perch in Connecticut
- Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
- Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
- Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
- Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.
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