If you’re looking for a game fish spot with a variety of species, Lake McDonough is the place to go. Anglers can enjoy the chance to catch largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, bluegill, yellow perch, chain pickerel, and pumpkinseed sunfish. The most abundant species include bass, trout, sunfish, and perch. The lake is perfect for both shore and boat fishing.
Lake McDonough is a quick drive from Hartford. It is a 390-acre lake with 9 miles of shoreline. The lake is a peaceful getaway surrounded by pine trees. Baitcasting, fly fishing, and spinning are all techniques used at the lake from the shore or while fishing from your boat. Brown, rainbow, and brook trout are stocked in the spring, and the best fishing times are early mornings.
Shore fishing is permitted from April through November from sunrise to 9 PM. Fishing is not allowed from the docks, but there is a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier on the south end of the lake.
Boats are allowed from April to Labor Day. The Lake McDonough Boathouse has rowboats for rent and a boat launch. Pay a small fee and enter the water at the boat launch area any time after 10 AM and be off the water by 730 PM. The speed limit on the lake is 10 miles per hour.
