Candlewood Lake Frequently Asked Questions

There is access to Candlewood Lake for boating at Latins Cove in Danbury and The Candlewood Lake Boat Launch at Squantz Pond in New Fairfield. There are 5 town beaches on Candlewood Lake for the town residents, you need a pass to access, non-residents can also have access with a pass. The beach passes can be purchased at the beach gate in Danbury or at the Parks and Recreation in the other towns.

The "440 Line" is elevation mark, 440' above sea level, where First Light property ends. When you own a waterfront property on the lake, you property ends at "the 440 line" and it becomes First Light property.

The bottom of Candlewood Lake is replete with much farm equipment, covered bridges, old roads, old cars and a few crashed airplanes.

Chicken Rock is one of the most popular spots on Candlewood Lake. It is a 25 foot high rock on Green Island that people love to jump off of.

Chicken Rock is 25 feet high.

Ellen Cavallo-Buccitti is one of top Candlewood Lake Realtors. Visit www.CandlewoodLakeRealEstate.com to find your dream lake home, or contact her at 203-733-3969. Ellen is on top of the Candlewood Lake listings!

The current water temperature of Candlewood Lake is ˚. Candlewood Lake Life has a temperature probe installed at Echo Bay Marina and is updated multiple times per day.

Candlewood Lake is 8.4 sq. miles, covering 5420 acres. It is 11 miles long and 2 miles wide with 60 miles of shoreline.

Candlewood Lake covers 5,420 acres.

Candlewood Lake boasts 60 miles of beautiful shoreline.

There are 12 islands on Candlewood Lake:

• Green Island
• Cedar Island
• Rock Island
• Deer Island
• Oak Island
• Skeleton Island
• Sand Island
• Shipwreck Island
• Thistle Island
• Pine Island
• City Island
• Banger Islands

The average depth of Candlewood Lake is 40 feet, and at its deepest points it can measure as much as 90 feet.

64 in the 5 towns surrounding Candlewood Lake.

• Brookfield: 7
• Danbury: 21
• New Milford: 17
• New Fairfield: 6
• Sherman: 7

Approx. 1600 homes border the 60 miles of shoreline around Candlewood Lake.

The purpose for creating the lake was to create hydro-electric power. Hydro-electric power is created by pumping water from the Housatonic River into Candlewood Lake and then letting it run back down to the Housatonic. Water is released from candlewood through a turbine at a hydro-electric dam located south of the Rocky River Junction with the Housatonic in New Milford, CT.

Candlewood Lake was created by Connecticut Light and Power. The purpose for creating the lake was to create hydro-electric power.

Construction of Candlewood Lake started in 1926, took 26 months, and was completed in 1928 by Connecticut Light and Power.

First Light Power owns Candlewood Lake.

There were many towns and farms that had to be moved or demolished for the Candlewood Lake project. The village of Jeruselum was one of the towns that was moved in order to make Candlewood Lake. Many of the large structures and farm equipment were left behind before they flooded the lake. Many of these structures can be seen when diving in Candlewood Lake.

Candlewood Lake has 4,300 motorized boats that use the water, and of those, 110 are longer than 26 feet.

Candlewood Lake is restricted to boats under 26' unless special authorization is granted by the state DEEP. Authorization to operate will be given to oversized boats that have historically been used on Candlewood Lake. Owners of oversized boats who wish to continue to use them on Candlewood Lake will need to apply to the DEEP for an authorization decal for their boat, which will remain on the boat for life. That authorization remains with the boat, regardless of the owner. Marine dealers located in one of the five municipalities surrounding Candlewood Lake who have oversized boats in stock or on order may also apply for authorization decals for those boats. Commercial and governmental boats are exempt from this regulation.

There are two public boat launches on Candlewood Lake:
• Latins Cove, located at 8 Forty Acre Mountain Road, Danbury, CT.

• Squantz Cove, located at 120 Old Town Park Road, New Fairfield, CT.

Get your boating license easily online in 8 hours at CurrentBoating.com!

The speed limit on Candlewood is 45 mph during the day and 25 mph at night (1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise).

Candlewood East Marina

Echo Bay Marina

Brookfield Bay Marina

Candlewood Lake has 7 Marinas for people to dock their boats:

• Brookfield Bay Marina
• Candlewood East Marina
• Echo Bay Marina
• Chatterton Point Marina
• Nina Marina
• Gerard's Waters Edge Marina
• Pocono Point Marina

You can rent boats at either Echo Bay Marina in Brookfield or Gerards Waters Edge Marina in New Milford.

Candlewood Lake has the following fish:

• Largemouth Bass
• Smallmouth Bass
• Crappie
• Walleye
• Rainbow Trout
• Brown Trout
• Blue Gill
• Pumpkin Seed
• Rock Bass
• White Perch
• Chain Pickeral
• Yellow Perch
• Carp
• Catfish

To View Candlewood Lake Life's Fishing Guide Click Here!

As part of the CT DEEP Trout Management Program, Candlewood Lake is stocked with Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Pumpkinseed, Common Carp, Brown Bullhead, Bluegill, White Catfish, Calico Bass (Black Crappie), White Perch, Yellow Perch, Chain Pickerel, Sunfish, Walleye, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trout.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Enviornmental Protection stocks Candlewood Lake as part of the CT DEEP Trout Management program.

A fishing license can be obtained online at the DEEP Website or can be purchased locally from Connecticut Bait & Tackle.