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13-acre pond near Salem. The lake tops out around 15 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Horse Pond draws 13 acres inside 0.6 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. You'll find it in Southeastern Connecticut County. The nearest mapped water is Gardner Lake, 4 mi to the north.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 15 ft, and they winter in 3 to 15 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 15 ft, winter 2 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 15 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 6 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for winter bluegill. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Spring pumpkinseed on Horse Pond hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. They move out to 2 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 15 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | open water | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Horse Pond also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), chain pickerel (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 3 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 15 ft.
Access data: Connecticut DEEP — State Boat Launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27 | Trout | — | — |
Source: CT DEEP trout-stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Connecticut waters are set by the Connecticut DEEP — and special regulations can apply to Horse Pond specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Horse Pond is about 15 ft (5 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 rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, chain pickerel on Horse Pond.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 15 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 rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per CT DEEP trout-stocking report records, Horse Pond was most recently stocked Apr 27 with trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Horse Pond 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.
Gardner Lake 4 mi · Powers Lake 5 mi · Lake Hayward 6 mi · Norwich Pond 6 mi · Pataganset Lake 6 mi · Red Cedar Lake 7 mi · Uncas Lake 7 mi · Rogers Lake 8 mi · Hamburg Cove 8 mi · Moodus Reservoir, Upper 8 mi · Bashan Lake 8 mi · Gorton Pond 9 mi
See how Horse Pond stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best bluegill lakes in Connecticut · best rainbow trout lakes in Connecticut · best yellow perch lakes in Connecticut
More water nearby: Southeastern Connecticut County fishing maps (23 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.