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252-acre reservoir near Hartland. CT DEEP survey water. The lake tops out around 90 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
West Branch Reservoir maps at 252 acres behind 3.1 miles of shoreline. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 8% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.4 mi with a 0.3-mi widest point. Northwest Hills County claims this one. Howells Pond sits 2 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
When the water first warms, brook trout slide up into 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 13 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Come spring, look for rainbow trout tight to the bank in 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 13 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (23 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 3 to 25 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 25 to 60 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and early morning. Throw a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Secondary point (23 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Summer yellow perch concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 13 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (14 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring smallmouth bass on West Branch Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 9 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts rock bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 12 to 30 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for summer rock bass. Plan around the evening in the warm months. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (9 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 12 to 30 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
West Branch Reservoir also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
7 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 89 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19 | 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 West Branch Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Connecticut fishing regulations →
West Branch Reservoir is about 90 ft (27 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 brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead on West Branch Reservoir.
Main-lake point is the top-rated area: a point in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook 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, West Branch Reservoir was most recently stocked Mar 19 with trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on West Branch Reservoir 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.
Howells Pond 2 mi · Colebrook River Reservoir 3 mi, CT/MA · Lost Pond 5 mi · Highland Lake 7 mi · McDonough Lake 8 mi · West Hill Pond 8 mi · Winchester Lake 9 mi · Wood Creek Pond 9 mi · Park Pond 9 mi · Burr Pond 10 mi · York Lake 11 mi, MA · Otis Reservoir 11 mi, MA
See how West Branch Reservoir stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Connecticut · best bluegill lakes in Connecticut · best rainbow trout lakes in Connecticut · best yellow perch lakes in Connecticut
More water nearby: Northwest Hills County fishing maps (28 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.