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Go Fishing
with Four Seasons |
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The following
are extracts of information gleaned from the bible of freshwater
fishing in New England and Internet sources.
 
I have spoken with several specialist fishing shops in the area
about the supply of guides and the hire of tackle. I will supply
details, upon booking of your accommodation, of the nearest fishing
shop and the services that they provide, which may include a
professional guide, boat, instruction, all fishing gear, bait,
fishing licences, for either a full or half day.
Rates and services will vary between areas, you can expect to
pay between $225.00 and $275.00 per day for up to 2 anglers (this
will decrease with larger parties).
The fishing season generally runs from 1st April to the end of
October. There are restrictions of catch and size of fish. Rods
can be hired from $25 per day and licences will cost $18.50 (3
days) and $23.50
(7 days). These guidelines are for New Hampshire, species of
fish are similar for both Vermont and Maine. (Guide prices only) |
| Some of the good
fishing locations close to our houses and B & Bs: |
| 1. The
White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine include the many cold
water rivers and lakes around the Mount Washington Valley and
Western Maine centred around Albany NH and Bethel ME |
| 2. The
Lakes Region NH including Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam and Sunapee
centred around Moultonborough, Waterville Valley and East Andover (B & B) |
| 3. The
Upper Connecticut River on the border of NH and VT centred around Franconia NH (B & B), Lyndonville VT (B & B) and Ludlow VT |
| 4. The
Batten Kill River and Connecticut River in Vermont centred around
Arlington (B & B), Ludlow and West Dover |
POPULAR
FISH SPECIES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
|
COLDWATER SPECIES |
Brook
Trout
Also called 'squaretail' or 'speckled trout', the brook trout
requires well-oxygenated cold water, 68 degrees or less. It can
be found in meadow brooks, rivers, streams and ponds. The brookie
is easily caught with flies or small spinners. Earthworms are
the most effective live bait.
Due to the low levels of nutrients in the water bodies housing
brookies, they are short-lived and rarely exceed 6 inches in
length. Sixty remote ponds are stocked with fingerling brook
trout and are managed for put-grow-and-take. It is possible to
catch a 4 pound trout in some of these ponds, due to the light
fishing pressure they receive. |
Rainbow
Trout
The rainbow trout thrives best in cold water, but can withstand
temperatures up to 77 degrees if the water is well aerated. This
species is well adapted to lakes and streams. Any trout fishing
method can be used to catch rainbows. Spinners, flies, small
spoons and bait are effective. The usual size of rainbows found
in streams and ponds is between 6 and 12 inches and less than
one pound. In larger lakes, however, 3-5 pound rainbows can be
caught. |
Brown
Trout
Temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees are best for brown trout.
They are found in deep, quiet pools or in the lower sections
of streams that are slower moving and usually warmer.
In New Hampshire, brown trout are usually between 7 and 14 inches
and weigh less than one pound. However, it is not uncommon to
find fish that weigh between 2 and 4 pounds. After reaching about
12 inches, they feed almost solely on baitfish during twilight
and night time hours. Live bait, spinners and flies fished at
dusk are equally effective on brown trout. |
Landlocked
Salmon
The landlocked salmon was originally an ocean fish that became
trapped in inland lakes. They are stocked in larger lakes, and
prefer water temperatures in the mid 50s. During summer, landlocked
salmon are usually found 40 feet below the surface, where it's
cold.
Early spring and late September are the best times to catch salmon.
In the spring, they follow smelt when these bait fish spawn.
During the day, salmon cruise the shallow water of the lake near
stream mouths. In the fall, salmon swim upstream to spawn. Salmon
can be caught on streamer flies trolled close behind a boat at
a rapid pace. Trolled spoons, wobblers and sewn-on bait are also
excellent. |
Lake
Trout
The lake trout is prized as a game fish, mainly because of its
size and power. Fish weighing between 3 and 6 pounds are caught
regularly, and individuals as large as 10 pounds are not uncommon.
The ideal temperature for lake trout is near 50 degrees, so they're
usually found on or near the bottom of the water body.
Winter ice fishing on New Hampshire's big lakes centres around
bobhouse colonies. Jigging with lures or cut sucker bait are
effective ways of catching lakers through the ice. In early spring,
just after 'ice out', they are generally taken by trolling near
the surface with spoons or wobblers and natural bait, such as
shiners or suckers. In summer, troll deep with wire or lead-core
lines or downriggers, with sewn-on bait or spoons. |
Whitefish
Two species of whitefish, or shad, are found in a few New Hampshire
lakes: the lake whitefish and round whitefish. The lake whitefish
typically inhabits deep, clear, cold lakes. The round whitefish
does well in cold lakes, but in shallower water.
Lake whitefish can be taken almost any time of year, though most
fishing is done through the ice. Summer or winter, the usual
method is by baiting the location with chum (cut-up fish) several
days before fishing, then bobbing a light sinker and small hook
baited with a piece of cut-up fish near the bottom. During ice
out, lake whitefish may be taken with flies at the surface. |
WARMWATER SPECIES |
Smallmouth
Bass
All bass are spring spawners, with nest-building occurring in
mid-May when the water temperatures are in the high 50s and
low 60s. Spawning smallmouths are found in areas with gravel
and boulder bottoms. In the summer, they will stay in deeper
water than largemouths because they like the cooler temperatures.
Look for smallmouths along rocks near drop-offs. On summer nights,
smallmouths will head to shallow water looking for crayfish.
Several methods may be used to take smallmouths, including fly
casting with floating bugs, and trolling or casting with a plug
or spinner. The most common and successful method is still-fishing
with live bait, such as worms, minnows, hellgrammites and crayfish.
Fall brings them back into shallower water, which awakens a drive
to eat and put on weight for the winter. |
Largemouth
Bass
Largemouth bass thrive best in warm, shallow, mud-bottomed lakes,
ponds or streams with plenty of weeds. It is a solitary fish.
Most of its time is spent lurking among aquatic vegetation, beneath
an overhanging branch or under a brush-covered bank, waiting
for prey to swim by. Its diet consists of frogs and bait fish,
though almost anything can become a meal: snakes, mice, snails
and worms.
Not as spectacular a fighter as the smallmouth, the largemouth
is best caught by fishing the open places among lily pads, around
sunken logs or stumps or along a stream bank. Surface poppers
and plastic worm lures probably take most bass, but live minnows
and crayfish, artificial flies and streamers, and trolled lures
will all work. |
Pickerel
Any quiet, shallow water with a mud bottom, an abundance of aquatic
vegetation and food fishes is ideal for the chain, or Eastern,
pickerel. Their optimum water temperature is apparently 80
to 90 degrees. Pickerel like to hide in weeds waiting for a
meal to swim by.
The chain pickerel is a voracious carnivore. Its diet includes
golden shiners, brown bullheads, yellow perch and sunfish. The
pickerel's popularity peaks during the winter, when considerable
numbers are taken with ease through the ice. Most ice anglers
fish with a 'tip-up' device, using a live minnow. Pickerel fishing
in open water is also profitable. Trolling, still fishing with
a live minnow or frog, or spincasting with plugs, spinners or
spoons all produce good results. |
Horned
Pout
The horned pout, also known as 'brown bullhead', is found chiefly
in small lakes, ponds and the sluggish parts of streams and rivers.
It also inhabits large lakes, where it is most abundant in sheltered
bays.
A horned pout prefers a mud bottom, but does well with or without
vegetative growth. It is a hardy fish and can survive extreme
conditions that cause other fish to perish, such as water temperatures
of 90 degrees and oxygen levels as low as one part per million.
The horned pout can be caught by any angler, skilled or unskilled,
using almost any type of tackle. Earthworms are probably the most
common bait. Live minnows, crayfish, corn kernels, hellgrammites
and dough balls are also good, if fished near the bottom. Fishing
in the evening, at night or early morning hours is usually best. |
White
Perch
The white perch is a determined fighter when hooked, and is one
of our tastier and more popular panfishes. It is an easy fish
to catch and will accept almost any kind of bait: worms, live minnows,
pork rind, artificial flies, and spoons. White perch fishing
is best at dusk, when schools of feeding fish tend to move into
shallow water near shore. This fish, unfortunately, often becomes
overcrowded and stunted in fresh water. Handle these fish with
care; the spines on the back are sharp. |
Northern
Pike
The northern pike is a fast-growing, voracious predator that
is highly prized as a sport fish. They can only be found in a
few select water bodies in the state.
A northern pike, like the pickerel, eats other fish. As the pike
gets bigger, other animals, such as frogs, ducklings, and even
small muskrats, are also consumed. Although the northern pike
prefers cooler waters than the pickerel, both fish are usually
found in quiet, shallow, weedy areas. Northern pike are generally
fished in the same manner as chain pickerel. |
Walleye
Both lakes and streams serve as walleye habitat. It thrives best
in clean water and prefers areas with a firm bottom, such as
gravel or bedrock. It is a nocturnal fish, moving onto sandbars
or rocky shoals at night to feed and remaining in deeper water
during the day.
Walleye are found only in select New Hampshire water bodies,
and are prized by successful anglers. Fishing methods include
still fishing with live minnows or by trolling or casting almost
any artificial lure, spoon, spinner or minnow and spinner combination.
The most productive fishing is generally in the evening and early
morning. |
Black
Crappie
Introduced recently to New Hampshire, black crappies are found
in few bodies of water, mostly in the southern part of the state.
It inhabits quiet, weedy areas of lakes, ponds and streams. As
its range grows, the crappie is becoming an important panfish
in New Hampshire. Small jigs fished in open water or through
the ice are successful crappies lures. |
Bluegill
Not a New Hampshire native, the bluegill, sometimes called 'kibbee',
has extended its range into the Granite State. The bluegill
is at home in quiet, warm, weedy waters similar to those inhabited
by other sunfish, such as the pumpkinseed.
This is a much esteemed and highly valued panfish throughout
much of its range. Like other sunfish, the bluegill is easily
caught with simple tackle. Small flies, panfish poppers, and
live bait such as grubs and worms all work well. |
Yellow
Perch
Yellow perch are a schooling fish and can be located in relatively
shallow, weedy water. They spawn in April or early May in sheltered
coves and backwaters. These fish feed mainly on small aquatic
insects, crustaceans and small fishes.
They are not difficult to catch and can be taken year round.
In the summer, an artificial fly, spinning lure, trolling spoon
and live minnow work well. In winter, the tip-up or handline
with live minnows are good methods for catching yellow perch.
Fishing for yellow perch is fun and encouraged. They often compete
with game fish for habitat and need to be harvested to keep numbers
manageable. |
SALTWATER SPECIES |
Striped
Bass
This migratory fish moves north during the spring and back southward
during the fall, spending roughly the months of May through October
feeding in the Great Bay area. Stripers caught in New Hampshire
range from 10 to more than 50 inches in length, and can weigh
in excess of 50 pounds.
Striped bass can be taken from shore or from a boat, by casting,
trolling, drifting or fly-fishing. Striped bass fishing is especially
good during an evening or early morning tide, as stripers are
nocturnal feeders.
Live or natural baits are effective, especially live eels, pogies
(menhaden) and chunks of mackerel, squid or herring. An 8 to
10 foot surf rod and reel spooled with 30 pound test or a medium
to heavy spinning rod with 12 to 20 pound test line is preferable,
depending on fishing location.
Effective lures include the spoons, poppers, lead-head jigs and
swimming plugs. Popular flies include streamers that look like
bait fish. A particularly good one is Lefty's Deceiver. |
Bluefish
Bluefish run in schools. When you catch one, you often will catch
several more soon afterwards. During the summer, large schools
of adults migrate up into the Gulf of Maine. The best time
to catch bluefish in New Hampshire waters is from late
July to early September. Most bluefish caught here range
between 18 and 36 inches, although occasionally anglers may
encounter a school of 'snapper blues' (young fish less than
12 inches).
Bluefish are caught by anglers fishing in Great Bay and its tributaries,
along the coast and at the Isles of Shoals. Fly-fishing, spinning
or trolling with bait are all good methods for catching bluefish.
When spin-fishing, a medium- to heavy-duty rod with 10 to 40
pound test line is recommended. Regardless of the equipment or
the technique, wire leaders are a must: bluefish have sharp teeth
which can easily cut through most monofilament lines.
Swimming lures and drifted bait are effective for catching bluefish.
Chunks of pogies (menhaden), mackerel, herring and live eels
are good baits. Effective artificial lures for casting or trolling
include poppers, spoons and plugs. Effective flies include Clouser
minnows and foam-bodied poppers. |
Atlantic
Mackerel
The Atlantic mackerel is a fast-swimming species that often travels
in large schools. Most Atlantic mackerel caught by New Hampshire
anglers are 12 to 18 inches in length and weigh less than 3 pounds.
Two distinct populations migrate through coastal New Hampshire
waters at different times. The more southerly contingent arrives
in early summer. The northern contingent of mackerel moves inshore
to the southern New England coast by late May, migrates north,
and then passes through again in September-October on its way
offshore to deeper waters. In the Gulf of Maine they can be caught
from late spring through fall, although mackerel fishing is best
in early June or during the fall.
Atlantic mackerel can be found in the upper 10 to 25 feet of
the water column almost anywhere along the New England coast.
A medium spinning rig spooled with 15-pound test line is best
for casting with a single, 1-1½ ounce
mackerel jig. However, any small jig or shiny metal lure can
be used with good results. Effective bait includes worms, clam
necks and squid. Effective lures include diamond jigs and mackerel
trees. |
Winter
Flounder
Of the half-dozen or so types of flounders occurring in New Hampshire
waters, the winter flounder (or blackback) is by far the flounder
species most commonly caught by recreational anglers.
In the Gulf of Maine, winter flounder begin moving into the bay
and estuaries during late winter for spawning, which occurs in
April or May in New Hampshire. After spawning, they remain in
the bays, harbours and near shore areas throughout the summer
before migrating to offshore waters in the fall.
Fishing for flounder in New Hampshire begins in May and generally
continues through September. Anglers can fish for flounder from
jetties, piers and bridges, but those fishing from boats near
the mouths of estuaries and harbours are more successful. Light
to medium tackle rods are used, equipped with 1 or 2 ounce weights
and long-shank flounder hooks attached to 'spreaders'. Lures
are mostly ineffective; bait is best. Favorite baits include
clam worms, blood worms and clams. Chumming is also a common
tactic to attract flounder to where you are fishing. |
Rainbow
Smelt
Rainbow smelt congregate in bays and estuaries in the fall to
feed on crustaceans and small fish. In March, as water temperatures
rise and ice breakup occurs, smelt spawn in areas of high water
flow and rocky bottoms in estuarine rivers.
Smelt begin to gather in the bay and near the mouth of tributaries
in late fall and winter in anticipation of their spring spawning
run. Smelt are occasionally caught during late fall. However,
smelt fishing begins in earnest with the formation of ice in
the Great Bay Estuary and its tributaries. Smelt fishing is best
a few hours on either side of high tide, and catches are most
often greater at night.
Many anglers use short two-foot-long fishing rods, while others
simply tie their fishing line to cross beams, placing them over
the holes in the ice in their ice shanties. Smelt anglers will
have success using a variety of gear, whether it's a small spinning
outfit or a handline. A very light line, 4 pound test or less,
is essential. Clam (or sea) worms and small local bait fishes,
like mummichogs, on a size 6 to 10 hook with a small sinker are
effective. Schools of smelt can move vertically in the water
column while they swim, therefore, the depth of a baited hook
is critical to successful smelt fishing. An effective lure is
the small silver or metallic colored jigs. |
Atlantic
Codfish
In coastal New Hampshire, Atlantic codfish are found near the
Isles of Shoals and along Jeffrey's Ledge. Cod can occur from
surface waters to depths of 1,200 feet, depending on life stage
and season.  Most frequently they are found at depths of 200 to
300 feet, living within a few feet of the bottom. Adapted for
bottom feeding, cod inhabit rocky bottoms, but may occasionally
feed on herring in the water column. Average size of codfish
caught near the shore range from 6 to 12 pounds; occasionally
anglers may encounter 20 to 30 pound adults.
Most cod-seeking anglers fish on offshore grounds from boats,
using fresh bait or jigs with teasers. Opportunity exists, however,
for anglers to catch this fish from shore, as well as from boats
in near-shore waters. Popular baits include clams, sand eels,
squid and shrimp. Cod fishing is at its best in spring and fall
when water temperatures are changing. Diamond jigs and other
jig-type lures are effective hardware for catching cod. |
Haddock
This member of the cod family prefers deep, cool water and gravel
or smooth rock substrates. Haddock migrate seasonally. In coastal
New England they are most abundant during summer months in
the shallower waters of the Gulf of Maine. Few haddock exceed
24 inches or weigh more than 3 to 5 pounds.
Haddock can occasionally be caught in New Hampshire from spring
to fall in deep water areas. A medium-action 8-foot boat rod
is effective for haddock fishing. Unlike cod, haddock have very
soft mouths that gently tap at a baited hook. These are felt
as light bumps to the angler, thus require a sensitive rod.
Lures are ineffective in catching haddock. Fresh clams, shrimp
and squid are the best baits. |
Pollock
The pollock is an active fish living at all depths, depending
on the food supply, which includes small invertebrates, shrimp
and baitfish. Larger pollock tend to be found deeper and farther
from the coast, while smaller ones, often called 'harbor pollock',
are more likely to be near the surface. Pollock caught by hook
may range in size from 10 to 16 inches (harbor pollock) up
to 2 to 3 foot fish encountered offshore.
Recreational anglers, casting with light spinning gear, may take
small harbor pollock from inshore waters near breakwaters or
other structures. Larger pollock may be taken offshore in deeper
waters. Pollock are caught with either artificial lures, such
as diamond jigs and mackerel trees, or with bait, such as clam
necks and clam worms. |
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