CTFishTalk.com: Winchester Lake 7/22 - Connecticut Lake Reports ( CT Lake Reports ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

Went out early with my friend and his 9 year old son. We got on the water by 5:30am. Right off the boat launch I had a hit on a charetresue double bladed spinnerbaitt, but lost it. My friends son had a bite but lost it too. Two bites in about 5 minutes we were going to have a great day.

Wrong. We went a couple hours without a bite.Finally my friend got a small pickeral on a beetle spin. Then his son was throwing a white spinnerbait and quickly got two decent bass.

They went and caught a sunfish to use as bait for catfish as that is something they like to fish for. After catching one we moved on. They had decided to not bring an anchor so sitting in one place with all the wind was not going to happen.

So we worked the shoreline and finally I got my first fish, about a 1poundish bass. That would be the biggest of the day for us. I caught it on an unweighted green watermelon Yum Dinger, 5".

Things slowed again and we worked our way back to the dam. I had a Rapala Original, I believe F-9, three trebbles, so whatever size that is, silveer and black. I casted let it sit, twitched a couple times and then would retrieve it steadliy back to the boat. On one of my casts I see my line going off to the starboard side of the boat. As it moves into shallower and clearer water I see it is a nice sized pike, which would be my first. I can now cross that off my list.

Once again the bite slowed and we resorted to trolling. We caught a few bass but most were pretty small. By the end of the day my friend and his son started using the live worms they brought, and caght some bluegill, pumpkinseed, what I think was a redbreast sunfish but I honestly cannot tell the difference bewteen and bluegill and redbreast. Lastly my friends son caught his first pickeral.

All in all we boated some fish, but really had to work for it. With the cooler weather and the partly cloudy conditions I had thought we would have done even better. I threw a spinnerbait, crankbaits, swimbaits, etc, all with no real sucess.
I'm too lazy to post pictures through a service so I'll post them on the CTFishtalk.com Facebook page. If someone wants to add them that would be great.

PECo · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 5203 Location: Avon, CT

If I were to head back to Winchester Lake, soon, I'd spend some time fishing the bottom and in the shallow stump field on the north end of the lake. DirtyDawg10 (aka Derek) and I couldn't really do that in the pitch blackness when we were there. I snagged a stump with a spinnerbait only once that night and was reminded that I absolutely hate dealing with snags in the dark.
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Don't forget to wear sunscreen and don't litter!

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

Yeah we hit the stump area, but got not even a bite. I figured with the wind I would have caught a couple there on the spinnerbait.

Lax101 · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 16

i went there the same day from about 6 to 11 am. only one small bass in the stump field. fished the small island kinda near and hooked another small bass but it unhooked itself about 10 ft from the boat, both were 12 inches or less so nothing special.

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

Yeah, very weird day. One I thought would have been much better.

SeaDog1 · Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 2629

Hi,

There are big fish in Winchester Lake.

BUT ! Winchester is known as a very stingy lake.
Why? ... Everyone is still trying to figure that out Exclamation

SeaDog1

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

Well I for one would like an answer! lol

hoppy · Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 393 Location: congamuck

in my opinion winchester just doesnt have the bass population as other lakes say like congamond or highland. They are in there no dought but the numbers of mid-range fish 2-4lbers is lacking hugely. add to the fact its not a huge place and is relatively shallow compared to other places, throw in pike to the equation and there you go...........the perfect ingredients for the bassiest looking but stingiest lake in the state. If your willing to pick through all the little fish you can be hugely rewarded with a big bass from there. tough place for sure. a tough time. nice scenerey up there and all but ill drive to congamond first anyday.

jomonkey527 · Joined: 22 Oct 2010 Posts: 225

A guy we talk to after coming off the water said we should try Highland. He said there was pike in there too, but I did not see that in the Angler's Guide.

jjbassfishn · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Northwestern CT.

I've caught pickeral in highland, But never pike.

Winchester can be very tough, But there are some brutes in there!
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PB LMB 9.3LBS Winchester Lake
PB SMB 5.8LBS Colebrook Res.
PB Pike 3.85LBS Winchester Lake

Can't catch em sittin on the sofa! Wink

bdiggy · Joined: 15 Aug 2011 Posts: 245 Location: Thomaston, CT

Yeah.....I've caught 2 beasts out of Winchester in the last 3 seasons, but it's enough to keep me going back! 2 out of 3 trips out there usually kick my butt......

jjbassfishn · Joined: 17 Jun 2012 Posts: 209 Location: Northwestern CT.

I have spent many a days catching dinks. But every once in a while woo-hoo hang on! Wink

I love the place in the fall season. Fishin is still tough, But the beauty of the lake just makes it all worth it. Spring is usually the better time for me right up till June.
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PB LMB 9.3LBS Winchester Lake
PB SMB 5.8LBS Colebrook Res.
PB Pike 3.85LBS Winchester Lake

Can't catch em sittin on the sofa! Wink