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192-acre lake near East Haddam. CT DEEP survey water. The lake tops out around 33 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's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 192 acres, worked by 2.9 miles of shoreline. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 77% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 1.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. Lower Connecticut River Valley County claims this one. If the bite dies, Moodus Reservoir, Upper is 4 mi to the west.
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 33 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 33 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 32 ft, rated prime for summer brown trout. Time it for after dark and early morning. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 10 to 33 ft | night & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 33 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 10 to 33 ft. Top water on the chart: Back-bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (32 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 33 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (3 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 33 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 32 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (32 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Lake Hayward also holds pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), 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.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Lake Hayward; the deepest is Deep basin at about 32 ft.
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 Lake Hayward specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
Lake Hayward is about 33 ft (10 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 brown trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, chain pickerel on Lake Hayward.
Back-bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brown trout, the summer bite is best in after dark and 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 Lake Hayward 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.
Moodus Reservoir, Upper 4 mi · Babcock Pond 4 mi · Bashan Lake 4 mi · Moodus Reservoir, Lower 5 mi · Pickerel Lake 5 mi · Gardner Lake 5 mi · Horse Pond 6 mi · Red Cedar Lake 6 mi · Salmon River 7 mi · Salmon Cove 8 mi · Chapman Pond 8 mi · Williams Pond 8 mi
See how Lake Hayward stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best smallmouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best crappie lakes in Connecticut · best bluegill lakes in Connecticut
More water nearby: Lower Connecticut River Valley County fishing maps (21 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.