CTFishTalk.com: Bait fish in CT? - Connecticut Lake Fishing ( CT Lake Fishing ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

basscaster · Joined: 26 Sep 2018 Posts: 8

I really never paid much attention to the type of bait fish in my local ponds and lakes. I should have a better handle on this beyond buying bluegill colored square bills. It's a guessing game when I'm buying tackle. What bait fish will be the most common forage in lakes/ponds in new haven county?

Also as I have been paying more attention to this I have seen active schools of baitfish on the surface in open water with their fins cresting the surface at my 2 local ponds and often see them being hunted by bass but have no idea what they are as they scatter from my kayak when i get remotely close. One of the lakes is a trout I'm pretty sure and definitely catfish stocking reservoir but the other is not managed at all and I see similar schools on the surface.

Any insight would be great.

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

Surface schooling fish are often white perch. Sometimes, they don’t seem to eat anything at all, but try a small crankbait.

The most common forage for bass in our lakes and ponds, by far, is crayfish. That’s what you find when you clean out your livewell after a tourney.

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ChaoSki · Joined: 23 Jun 2014 Posts: 169

I find this to be the most effective way to fish in CT rivers...heck anywhere.

Catch the smallest sunnies/or cray fish possible > work your way up the food chain.

There has been # of times I pulled a really nice size Pike on a sunny....or small perch....they love them.

You can also start with Minnows which IMO is highest % bait.

With plastics your % drops significantly.....