FISHING AT ROSELAND LAKE, WOODSTOCK CT

 

Roseland Lake is a 96 acre natural lake in Woodstock CT. It is fed from the north by Muddy Brook, Mill Brook and one other other unnamed stream, and drains into the smaller Sheppard's Pond, which then flows into the Little River and then into the Quinebaug. Read more about the lake.

NETTING FISH IS PROHIBITED ON ROSELAND LAKE.

largemouth bassState of CT fishing regulations apply. Refer to the CT Angler's Guide. Fishing licenses are required, and CT DEEP enforcement staff do periodically check the lake. Catch and release is encouraged,e specially for larger "trophy-sized" fish, at least until July of each year. This motivates other fisherman, keeps a large predator active, and reduces the potential of eating a fish that could have accumulated harmful chemicals. Only keep legal sized fish - the limit for bass is 12" and up.

Selective harvesting of panfish (bluegill, pumpkinseed, yellow and white perch and calico bass) is ENCOURAGED. They are prolific spawners and can quickly overtake a lake. They are short-lived, and low on the food chain, so they tend not to accumulate harmful chemicals in their body. Selectively removing small panfish (and small legal bass) from the population IMPROVES growth rates, which can actually help increase the numbers of larger fish eventually produced in the lake.

The lake is reportedly good for black crappie, fair for largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch and sunfish. The limit for crappies is ten.

Local legend has it that an elderly woman caught a nine pound largemouth bass from Roseland Lake, but most bass are in the one to three pound range.

The pond is stocked by the CT DEEP each spring with 900 catchable size brown and rainbow trout. Trout do not hold over due to limited depth.

Ice fishing for pan fish on Roseland Lake is popular. The lake generally freezes solid (an exception being the winter of 2012-2013.)

Access is courtesy of Roseland Park, which is open from sunrise to sunset, and has an unimproved boat ramp. There is access for power and non-power boats. Electric motors are preferred. As there are no known aquatic invasive species on the lake, it is CRITICAL that angler's take care not to introduce them.

Directions: From Putnam CT, take Route 171 west for 2.5 miles, right on Roseland Park Road, park is on the right.

There is shore fishing, and a fishing dock was added in the summer of 2015. The 2015/2016 CT Angler's Guide incorrectly states there is a fee for access through Roseland Park, and that there is a boat livery - this is not the case.

According to the CT Angler's Guide, the bolded fish listed below are the most common species, underlined fish provide the best fishing). Note that State of CT regulations apply. Hair algae concentrations in summer months can be quite annoying. Take note of dates when the lake is treated with copper sulfate (to kill algae) if you plan to eat fish caught on Roseland Lake.

FISH FOUND IN ROSELAND LAKE - see excerpt from 2015 CT Angler's Guide for drawings and ID tips.

  • American Eel, Anguila rostrata
  • Black Crappie (Calico Bass), Pomoxis nigromaculatus
  • Brown Bullhead, Ictalurus nebulosus
  • Brown Trout (stocked, does not overwinter) (Common Brook Trout), Salvelinus fontinalis
  • Calico Bass (Black Crappie), Pomoxis nigromaculatus
  • Chain Pickerel, Esox niger
  • Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio
  • Largemouth Bass (Black Bass), Micropterus salmoides
  • Rainbow Trout (stocked, does not overwinter), Oncorhynchus mykiss
  • Smallmouth bass (uncommon, reported in 2015)
  • Sunfish: Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus), Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus). Note that all Lepomis species in CT may interbreed.
  • White Catfish, Ameiurus catus (seen in 2004 DEEP electrofishing)
  • Yellow Bullhead (Yellow Catfish) Ameiurus natalis
  • Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens

Note: If you see other fish species in Roseland Lake, please contact the webmaster.

  • Other non-game species found in 2003 or 2004 electrofishing studies conducted by the CT DEEP include:
    • Fallfish
    • Golden Shiner
    • Banded Killifish
    • White Sucker

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