New Hampshire’s Department of Fish & Game recently reported good fishing all over the state, from the North through to the south and throughout the coast. Trout action remains consistent despite rising temperatures, and the bass and crappie action is picking up in some places. On the coast, the cod fishing action remains solid but it has moved a little further offshore.
The Department of Fish & Game reported that fishing in northern New Hampshire couldn’t get more exciting. Opportunity abounds as trout ponds are still cool and bass ponds are starting to warm up. Fish are still being stocked, insects are hatching and fish are feeding aggressively.
Rivers and streams in northern New Hampshire are still at very healthy levels. Nash Stream has been fishing very well and some great brook trout have been caught. Anglers trolling flies have been reporting success at Dummer Pond and Cedar Pond. Bass fishermen have also been reporting high catch rates at Umbagog Lake.
In the Lakes region of the state, the Department is reporting that a recent electroshocking survey on Lake Winnisquam turned up some impressive largemouth bass and black crappie. They say that if you concentrate on those waters south of Mosquito Bridge, you will be treated to a great warmwater fishery.
If you stop and think about habitat for these species, it all boils down to where the vegetation is found. Large nutrient-poor lakes depend on the many tributaries that flow into them to provide the life- and nutrient-giving opportunity.
More often than not, these brooks are turbid, because they carry silt loads from upstream areas. Flooded marshlands found along these brook courses are the nursery areas for yellow and white perch, largemouth bass, black crappie and chain pickerel, not to mention the three sunfish species found in our lakes (bluegill, pumpkinseed and redbreast sunfish). The division also discovered that the numerous docks nearly always held fish underneath, and don’t forget fishing the dive platforms.
Department Fisheries Biologist Don Miller once snorkeled near a large dive platform on Winnipesaukee that was surrounded by acres of sandy bottom. It was amazing to see the number of smallmouth bass that were holding in the shade and overhead cover provided by the platform. It was akin to a pecking order, largest bass near the top, with smaller fish in the lower depths. Try scouting for these areas on any of our large lakes, you will be amazed.
In the Upper Valley, the Department reported that summer has finally arrived, with warmer temperatures throughout the state. On Monday they were doing field work at Sand Pond in Marlow/Lempster and Newell Pond in Alstead where the water temps were still in the low 70s.
Trout fishermen should take advantage of these water temps before things really warm up and trout get deeper and harder to catch. Fishermen that they talked to at these locations reported catching decent numbers of good-size brook trout and browns. Other suggested trout waters to try include the Connecticut River, Contoocook River, French Pond, and Mt. William Pond.
><> Southeast NH/Merrimack Valley
I had an excellent Father’s Day fishing trip on Pawtuckaway Lake this past weekend. My father, my four-year-old son and I launched a boat at the Fundy Cover ramp on the north end of the lake. We kept it simple, fishing with worms among the vegetation in the shallow coves. Yellow perch were biting each time we dropped our bait in the water. Biting fish are very helpful for holding the attention of a four-year-old in a canoe. There were many other people on the water, in everything from kayaks to bass boats. I overheard one person who said that he had already released more than 11 bass so far that morning. – Matt Carpenter, Regional Fisheries Biologist
><> Seacoast Area
Well, we all knew it was inevitable. After a long season and some huge cod, the mudhole has dried up for the summer. The good news is that there is some excellent groundfishing further out on Jeffrey’s Ledge, you won’t be catching those jaw-dropping lunkers but average-sized cod, haddock and pollock are out there in plenty. If your boat is not up for the trip, there are five skilled and knowledgeable headboat companies in our great state that are eager to take you right to the fish. We’ve still been seeing coolers filled with mackerel and the winter flounder fishing down in Hampton is picking up.
An idea for all of those anglers with small ones itching to do something fun this summer: Take a trip over to the Seacoast Science Center to check out their display tanks. Show the kids what fish they might be able to catch, then walk on down to the jetty at Odiorne Point or travel across the harbor to Fort Stark to try their hand at fishing. With forts, beaches and fishing there is lots to keep those short attention spans occupied, hopefully long enough for you to get in a good day of fishing!
