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Candlewood Lake is Connecticut's largest lake, spanning 5,420 acres across five towns in Fairfield and Litchfield counties. With over 60 miles of scenic shoreline and depths up to 85 feet, it serves as a powerhouse recreational haven for powerboating, sailing, and nationally recognized smallmouth and largemouth bass tournaments.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 10, 11:09 AM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (89/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (98/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 91/100 across these hours. Wind 1 mph from the southwest. Dusk hours (19:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 58° | 60° | 62° | 64° | 63° | 63° | 62° | 58° | 54° | 51° | 50° | 48° | 47° | 46° | 45° | 45° | 45° | 45° | 45° | 45° | 45° | 46° | 50° | 53° |
| Wind (kts) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Direction | N | N | N | N | N | N | NE | NW | SW | SE | — | — | — | — | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 11 AM EDT | 58°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 44% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 12 PM EDT | 60°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 68% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 1 PM EDT | 62°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 7 mph | 0% | 60% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 2 PM EDT | 64°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 55% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 3 PM EDT | 63°F | 2 mph N (0°) | 5 mph | 0% | 54% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 4 PM EDT | 63°F | 2 mph N (0°) | 4 mph | 0% | 52% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 5 PM EDT | 62°F | 1 mph NE (45°) | 4 mph | 0% | 61% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 6 PM EDT | 58°F | 1 mph NW (315°) | 2 mph | 0% | 62% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 PM EDT | 54°F | 1 mph SW (225°) | 2 mph | 0% | 49% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 8 PM EDT | 51°F | 1 mph SE (135°) | 2 mph | 0% | 40% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 9 PM EDT | 50°F | Calm | 2 mph | 0% | 40% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 10 PM EDT | 48°F | Calm | 2 mph | 0% | 44% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 11 PM EDT | 47°F | Calm | 2 mph | 0% | 36% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 12 AM EDT | 46°F | Calm | 2 mph | 0% | 36% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 1 AM EDT | 45°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 2 mph | 0% | 49% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 2 AM EDT | 45°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 4 mph | 0% | 53% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 3 AM EDT | 45°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 4 mph | 0% | 54% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 4 AM EDT | 45°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 4 mph | 0% | 63% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 5 AM EDT | 45°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 0% | 76% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 6 AM EDT | 45°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 6 mph | 0% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 7 AM EDT | 45°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 6 mph | 0% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 8 AM EDT | 46°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 7 mph | 4% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 9 AM EDT | 50°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 4% | 75% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 10 AM EDT | 53°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 4% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 11 AM EDT | 56°F | 7 mph E (90°) | 14 mph | 10% | 91% | Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Today October 10, 2026 | Tonight October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 64° | 45° | 61° | 54° | 68° | 52° | 68° | 50° | 62° | 43° | 61° | 45° | 61° | 46° |
| Wind | N 3 mph | E 2 mph | E 2 to 7 mph | NE 9 mph | N 8 mph | NW 1 to 5 mph | SW 1 to 8 mph | W 7 to 13 mph | N 8 to 13 mph | NW 7 mph | NW 6 mph | NE 5 mph | SE 5 to 8 mph | SW 6 to 9 mph |
| Gusts | 8 mph | 5 mph | 15 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 10 mph | 15 mph | 18 mph | 20 mph | 14 mph | 12 mph | 9 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 87% | 94% | 48% | 6% | 53% | 53% | 16% | 8% | 8% | 20% | 39% | 39% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Candlewood Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (87/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (98/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. Gusts to 8 mph. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (72/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 5 mph, making the breeze puffy. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (97/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the north. Gusts to 8 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of FirstLight Power / Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA). Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Candlewood Lake is a popular freshwater reservoir located in CT, providing great recreation for boaters, kayakers, and outdoor travelers. With public access points distributed along the water's edge, launching a boat or paddleboard is straightforward and convenient. Facilities and day-use grounds are administered by FirstLight Power / Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA).
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by FirstLight Power / Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA). Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Yellow Perch. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Candlewood Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 10, 11:09 AM EDT