Guide To Popular Panfish & Perch Fishing Options In Connecticut

All about fishing for panfish in CT lakes and ponds.

Throughout the state of Connecticut you can find waters with populations of sunfish, including bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass and yellow perch. Ice fishing for perch and sunfish are an ideal way to introduce kids to fishing.

Panfish & Perch Lakes

You'll find populations of sunfish and bluegills in most lakes in CT including Alexander Lake, Amos Lake, Bantam Lake, Bashan Lake, Beach Pond, Black Pond, Candlewood Lake, Cedar Lake, Colebrook River Lake, Crystal Lake, Gardner Lake, Green Falls Pond, Highland Lake, Lake Beseck, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Marie, Lake McDonough, Lake Quassapaug, Lake Saltonstall, Lake Zoar, Lower Bolton Lake, Mansfield Hollow Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Middle Bolton Lake, Moodus Reservoir, Mudge Pond, Pachaug Pond, Pine Acres Lake, Pinewood Lake, Quaddick Reservoir, Quinebaug Pond, Rogers Lake, Saugatuck Reservoir, Shenipsit Lake, Squantz Pond, Tyler Lake, Waramaug Lake, Washinee Lake, Washining Lake, West Hill Pond, West Thompson Lake, Winchester Lake and Wononscopomuc Lake.

Top Producing Panfish Lures & Bait

Check out the top producing lures and bait for bluegill, redear sunfish, rock bass and warmouth, as well as other smaller sunfish. Click here for the best lures for white bass, yellow bass, white perch and yellow perch.

Click the images and links above for species details.

Connecticut State Record Sunfish

The state record bluegill was caught from a private pond.

The state record pumpkinseed sunfish came out of Lake Marie.

The state record rockbass (tie) one was caught in Colebrook Reservoir, one from Shenipsit Lake.

The state record white perch was caught out of Crystal Lake.

The state record yellow perch was caught from Black Pond.

Panfish are prolific spawners and repopulate the waters as fast as they are harvested. A common problem with panfish fishing is that the waters are under-fished causing panfish to overpopulate. As a result they tend to stay small in size due to lack of food source.

The term "panfish" comprises many species, each called by a variety of names. The bluegill tops the list and is the most common.

One or more species of sunfish or perch populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes throughout Connecticut, and around the world for that matter. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, insects, tadpoles, crustaceans and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves, for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.

Bluegill Fishing Basics Video

The core principles shown in this video will work for most sunfish, perch and other panfish.

Sunfish information in other states.