Squantz Pond

Squantz Pond is a 270-acre lake just off Candlewood Lake, and its state park is one of the few public stretches of shoreline in the area. Its cool, well-oxygenated water gets both trout and walleye from DEEP, and along with Lake Saltonstall it has produced most of Connecticut's trophy walleye awards.

When to fish

• March: as a Trout Management Lake, Squantz stays open to trout fishing in March.
• Mid-May through June: DEEP's peak time for holdover trout in its Trout Management Lakes.
• Fall: DEEP stocks trout here (the pond is on the fall 2026 stocking list).
• Year-round: walleye are kept going by DEEP's fall fingerling stockings, which started here in 1993.
• Summer rule: from Memorial Day through Labor Day, fishing isn't allowed behind the park's shoreline fence.

Where to fish

• The state park shoreline and fishing platform: the park's shore access, outside the fenced summer area.
• By canoe or boat: the park suggests trolling along from a canoe.
• Carp: Squantz is a Trophy Carp Water, and the park notes that big common carp are here.

How to fish it

DEEP's advice for its Trout Management Lakes: troll slowly early in the season, then switch to lead-core line or downriggers once the trout go deep in summer. From shore, big trout come closer at night where night fishing is allowed, and brown trout move shallow to spawn from October to December, though they bite less then.

Getting there

Squantz Pond State Park is off Route 39 in New Fairfield. Parking is free for Connecticut-registered cars, and out-of-state vehicles pay a fee. Before Memorial Day and after Labor Day you reach the park on foot through the boat launch lot. The year-round state launch in the park takes trailers but limits motor size. The pond drops with Candlewood's winter drawdown (after November 1 in 2026). Squantz has its own trout, walleye and carp rules; check the Connecticut Freshwater Fishing Guide.