New Hampshire’s fishing is getting hot as water temperatures have cooled and settled into more springtime fishing. Anglers throughout the state are doing quite well with trout. Those fly fishermen are seeing great mayfly hatches. On the coast, the striper action has gotten good as linesiders follow the herring. Get fishing — now’s the time!
In New Hampshire’s North Country, NH’s Fish & Game is reporting that the temperatures have dropped and levels have risen to a much more typical spring appearance.
Trout fishermen have been granted a few more weeks of opportunity and hatchery trucks keep on rolling. Cedar Pond in Milan has been fishing better that anyone can remember in June. Similar reports have come in from Mirror Lake in Whitefield.
In the lakes area, the mayflies have assaulted the area, particularly the hexagenia. This is a HUGE mayfly that make fish of all sizes go absolutely nuts!
The Fish & Game department is reporting a big increase in mayfly cases floating on Lake Winnisquam the past few days. These large mayflies sometimes alter the “bite” for landlocked salmon, as they seem to switch, and actually prefer these invertebrates to their standard fare of young-of-the-year smelt.
For those that fly fish, this is an exciting time. Trout ponds come alive just at dusk with trout leaping out of the water for these mayfly giants! Any large (size 10 or 12) Wulff type dry fly will work; just try to match the color. Tying flies with a deer hair thorax is often the best way to get fish to hit. These are typically cream-yellow in color.
At dawn (or slightly before), try casting dry flies on the big lakes near obvious surface activity.
In the Upper Valley, the Fish and Game Division is reporting that the cool air temperatures combined with continued trout stocking in Southwestern NH will provide for some great trout fishing in the next week. Recently stocked trout in the lakes and ponds are tending to stay relatively shallow for at least a few days after being stocked resulting in some fast action for anglers trolling spoons or flies.
Some hot spots to try include Forest Lake (Winchester), Swanzey Lake (Swanzey), Lake Winnepocket (Webster), and Granite Lake (Stoddard/Nelson). If you are interested in fishing for trout in rivers, try the S.B. Ashuelot along RT 12 (fly-fishing only section) in Troy/Swanzey and the lower Ashuelot River in Winchester along RT 119.
In Southeast NH, the division is reporting that they have recently been able to complement the traditional stocking numbers with bonus rainbow trout into Bow, Massabesic, Pleasant, and Suncook lakes. Although these fish vary in size (just under a pound up to about four ponds), they are in good condition and should extend the season a bit longer.
The American shad transfers from the Essex Dam in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to the Merrimack River in Boscawen are continuing, but the shad run appears to be slowing down quickly. Additionally, we’ve been busy mapping occupied habitat of the state-threatened bridle shiner in Lake Winnipesaukee.
Given that their numbers and distribution have significantly declined range wide as well as in New Hampshire, we are being very attentive to any potential threat to them. We’ve learned that bridle shiners show a strong affinity to variable milfoil in Lake Winnipesaukee, particularly in the Moultonborough area.
In the salty region, the division is reporting that they are in store for some beautiful weather and there is no better time to try your luck on the seacoast! The striped bass that followed the river herring run up New Hampshire rivers are now milling around along the coast and the anglers have followed.
If you are looking for a different fishing experience, try night fishing! Striped bass anglers have been very successful fishing the coastal bridges during late-night incoming tides, so check those tide tables.
Not a night owl? No need to go off-shore for a great day of fishing, mackerel are still readily available in the river mouth and just outside the harbors and winter flounder are practically jumping into boats in Rye Harbor. Reports of bluefish making their way up the coast of Massachusetts have started coming in, so it won’t be long now!
