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24-acre lake near Vernon. The lake tops out around 6 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
On the chart, Bolton Lake, Upper draws 24 acres inside 0.9 miles of shoreline. Its 1.3 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.4 mi. You'll find it in Capitol County. For a second option, Bolton Lake, Middle lies 1 mi southwest.
Spring yellow perch on Bolton Lake, Upper hold shallow, usually 2 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 5 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Break off the point (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, pumpkinseed slide up into 1 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come winter. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 1 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: brown bullhead in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 2 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for brown bullhead in winter. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk & night | open water | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
Early season chain pickerel use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 3 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless spoon + trailer or a buzzbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (3 ft) | Weedless spoon + trailer, Buzzbait |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jerkbait along weed edges, Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | dawn | Break off the point (3 ft) | Jigging spoon (through ice) |
4 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 5 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Connecticut DEEP — State Boat Launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Connecticut waters are set by the Connecticut DEEP — and special regulations can apply to Bolton Lake, Upper specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Bolton Lake, Upper is about 6 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, chain pickerel on Bolton Lake, Upper.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Bolton Lake, Upper is regulated by the Connecticut DEEP. Check the official Connecticut regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bolton Lake, Middle 1 mi · Bolton Lake, Lower 2 mi · Bolton Notch Pond 3 mi · Shenipsit Lake 4 mi · Coventry Lake 6 mi · Willimantic River 7 mi · Eagleville Lake 7 mi · Jurovaty Pond 8 mi · Crystal Lake 8 mi · Holbrook Pond 10 mi · Mono Pond 12 mi · Keeney Cove 13 mi
See how Bolton Lake, Upper stacks up: best bluegill lakes in Connecticut · best yellow perch lakes in Connecticut · best chain pickerel lakes in Connecticut · best pumpkinseed lakes in Connecticut
More water nearby: Capitol County fishing maps (22 charts). Browse all Connecticut fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.