Pretty much as soon as Tristan was born, my then wife and I signed up for a membership at Winding Trails in Farmington, Connecticut. About seven years later, we finally were accepted and got to enjoy it!
While I was quite familiar with the place from my own childhood, I’d never really fished there. Instead, I spent most of my summers on the beach or swimming in the clear water while begging Mom for some cash for the candy machine. That was all well and good for my childhood, but it wasn’t going to cut it for Tristan’s, so we quickly took our Gheenoe out to explore the place!
What Species are in Winding Trails?
So far Tristan and I have caught sunfish, bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in Dunning Lake at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT. It is known that the lake is stocked with some sort of trout (probably browns or rainbow) but we have yet to catch one.
There are more largemouth bass in this lake than I’ve seen in my entire life. However, they’re almost all small. I don’t mean “keeper small” either. I mean 6-8″. Sunfish on the other hand can get huge. There’s clearly something going on with the bass management in this lake. I’m not sure it’s the way I’d do things, but on the other hand, this is probably the most outstanding place you can take a kid fishing in Connecticut just because they can catch fish after fish after fish. Looks like I’ll have to update that post soon!
Not all the bass are small. We tied into this whopper fishing from shore near where all the canoes are tied up. However, this is pretty much the only fish we’ve encountered over a few trips that was greater than 12″!
Where to Fish at Winding Trails?
Granted I haven’t explored the lake in its entirety yet, but here’s an overview of some spots I’ve tried out. Note that the boat launch is in the corner of the peninsula by point 1.
- In point 1 you’ll find the water is fairly deep and there’s a submerged weed bed that is fine to fish around (there is no section of this lake that is matted over – they do a great job of controlling that). Many smaller largemouth bass are in this area.
- The shoreline of Box 2 has more bass than you can count but they’re all very small.
- There is a cut in the corner of Box 3. This is where we caught a tiny smallmouth bass.
- Point 4 is where we caught the bass up at the beginning of this blog that was fairly large.
Is There a Boat Launch at Winding Trails?
There is a small boat launch right across from the main office at Winding Trails. It is wide enough to accommodate a bass boat. The road it is on gets quite busy during the day and it is angled as such that you’re going to want to drive a bit past it and then turn around as though you’re leaving the park to launch your boat. Unfortunately the water here is very shallow. While it has been consistent all summer, it can be difficult to launch even the Gheenoe! You might need to get your feet wet to launch something much larger if you don’t have roller trailers.
Also note that there is no courtesy dock at the launch site, and parking can get taken up quickly during the day. This is definitely a place you want to hit up early before all the members show up.
What is the Water Like at Winding Trails?
The water is extremely clean and clear. You can easily see straight to the bottom in water I’d estimate at 10′ deep. They do a good job of treating the lake to make sure they don’t get algae blooms or other issues. This does create an issue though where on occasion, you’ll pull up and the lake will be closed, so it’s good to call ahead a few days early and just see what their plans are for treatment.
What are the Fishing Rules and Boating Rules at Winding Trails?
Winding Trails has fair fishing and boating regulations. Summarized, they are as follows:
Boating Rules
- Electric motors only (but you can bring in a bass boat with a gas motor – you just can’t use it).
- Any boat powered by an electric motor needs to be registered with the State of Connecticut and you must possess a Safe Boater’s Certificate.
- You can only launch at the boat launch across from the Main Office building.
- You can’t bring your boat into the swimming areas.
- Care must be taken to ensure you don’t bring invasive species into these pristine waters. Make sure to wash your boat if you’ve used it elsewhere before bringing it to Dunning Lake.
Fishing Rules
- Members 16 or older need to have a valid fishing license. Kids younger than that don’t.
- Posted fishing limits (3 trout or bass per day) must be respected.
- Bass have a protective slot limit of 12″ – 16″ long and must be released. You can only keep on bass over 16″ each day.
- You cannot fish from the beach.
How do I Become a Member at Winding Trails?
In short, drop whatever you’re doing at this very moment and go apply. Then, wait seven years (hey, they’ll let you keep track in real time!). Honestly, if you have any intentions whatsoever of having children, you should sign up for a membership the instant you move into Farmington.
As I explore the lake more, I’ll add to this journal, but at least this should give you some idea of the basics.
Thanks all,
John Paxton
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