New Hampshire fly fishing opportunities include the waters of the Androscoggin River, The Upper Connecticut, the Saco River, the Ellis River, numerous lakes and ponds of the White Mountains. While brook trout, rainbows and brown trout can be found in the aforementioned rivers, stripers and bluefish can be taken in 18 miles of saltwater coastline. In addition, the Connecticut Lakes and other areas offer exciting salmon fishing.
Saco River
Saco River
Located in the beautiful Mount Washington Valley, the Saco flows from Saco Lake in Crawford Notch as a small mountain stream, gathering water from many tributaries as it flows through the valley until it enters the Atlantic as a large river by any standards. The heart of the Saco River in the Mount Washington Valley is the Trophy Water Section in North Conway, this stretch of river is Fly Fishing Only and holds some heavy browns and rainbows as well as some nice brookies. Through this stretch, the Saco is a good sized river with some deep pools and cool runs that hold up well all summer even when smaller rivers are suffering low water conditions.
Ellis River
Ellis RiverAnother Mount Washington Valley beauty. This river starts as a small mountain stream and flows from Pinkham Notch and over Glen Ellis Falls on it’s way to the Valley. When it passes through the beautiful town of Jackson, NH, it has become a medium sized freestone stream holding some beautiful brook trout and feisty rainbows. It eventually flows into the Saco River in Glen. There is a fly-fishing only section that includes an impoundment providing some deep water to support some nice fish even through the toughest of weather, lots of pocket water holding plenty of surprises and some of the best water for small native brook trout that will dazzle you with their colors.
Connecticut River
This is the jewel of the Great North Woods. Several tailwater dams in the town of Pittsburg keep the Connecticut running cool and strong for many miles, providing some of the finest and most dependable fishing anywhere in New England. This river provides many miles of great wading where you’ll cast to large resident trout as well as lunkers that move up from the Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis. A great spot to catch the “Grand Slam” of New England cold water fishing: brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and landlocked salmon, all on the same day.
The ‘trophy stretch’ of the Connecticut River lies between First Connecticut Lake and Lake Francis. The river can be accessed by foot path at the base of the dam at First Lake or by numerous point along River Road. A favorite spot of many is ‘Bridge Pool’. Bridge pool is just off River Rd on Carr Ridge Road. The river empties into Lake Francis at the Lake Francis State campground. There is a good path which leads up river from the campground. A good portion of the water is pocket water with smaller pools and riffles.
The river below the town of Pittsburg is larger but still wade-able . Brown trout, brook trout, rainbows, and the occasional land-locked salmon are the water’s residents. Water temps struggle to reach 55 degrees in the heat of the summer as Murphy Dam is a deep bottom release dam. The water is pools, runs, and swift riffles. This area is open to spin fishing as well as fly fishing. A few steps off the beaten path will result in lots of solitude while fishing this stretch of river.
Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
“Upper Andro” – An Emerging Fishery
A rumbling “western style” river flowing from Lake Umbagog in Errol, NH, through the Androscoggin Valley and into Maine. The Andro offers many miles of powerful runs and deep pools throughout its upper half and as it slows through a series of dams on the lower end, it enters the largest stretch of catch and release water in New England, holding some browns that will test you.
Fifty years ago the Androscoggin River from Berlin, NH to its confluence with the Kennebec was one of the top ten most polluted rivers in the United States. Today, thanks to environmental cleanup by federal, state and municipal agencies, the Upper Androscoggin River is an emerging angling destination. The clean up had allowed the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to implement an aggressive recovery program. Brown trout are liberally stocked-22, 500 since 1998. To supplement recovering wild stocks of rainbow trout, the department has stocked an additional 3400 rainbows
The “Upper Andro” is a large, scenic river with an excellent forage base for brown and rainbow trout. This river has the unique feature of providing fishing for smallmouth bath through the “dog days” of summer in the pools from Bear River to Rumford. Landowners have provided excellent access points to the river and several canoe launches have been built along the 26 mile stretch of river Says Bill Pierce, Public Relations Representative of the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, “The Upper Andro has it all-especially for families-beauty, abundant brownies and the vacation activities and hospitality services of Bethel.”
Salmon Fishing on the Androscoggin
Salmon have been stocked in the Franklin-Bristol area of the river. Good spots to try fishing for them are below the Ayers Island Dam in Bristol along the Coolidge Woods Road; the Profile Falls Recreation Area; a new access site located near the Smith River confluence; and below the Eastman Falls Dam in Franklin. Because the fish are migratory, try fishing downstream as the season goes on — including near Boscawen, Penacook and Sewall’s Falls Park.
The success rate for catching salmon is higher in the fall than in spring, because of better wading conditions and cooling temperatures. Use traditional salmon flies, or trout streamers like Grey Ghosts, Mickey Finns or any patterns that imitate small baitfish. Fly casters should use 8 to 10 pound test line and a 7, 8, or 9-weight rod with floating line.
Seasonal Overview of Androscoggin River
The lower Androscoggin River is now open for fishing year round. The upper section opens January 1st and closes on October 15th. Each season has its attractions, from the first warm spring days to the beautiful late fall foliage. Most trips start in the month of May and end in November. Although if you get the winter blues and the ice is not too bad. Below you will find a brief outline of what to expect with the seasons in New Hampshire.
May & June
Early May usually brings some high water from runoff and April rains, but it varies each year. The fish are hungry from a long winter and if the water level is decent, some great fly fishing can be had. June is a popular fly fishing month as the weather and water warms up. Several hatches become prevalent and the fishing is excellent.
July & August
July offers above average fly fishing as the water drops and the holding spots become much more prevalent than in high water. The water is still cool and this is one of my favorite months to fly fish the Androscoggin. As summer heats up in August, we locate several tributaries that provide cold water from the mountains. Also below the dams rich with oxygen bring out some monster trout. Rainy or cloudy days are best this month and it should not be over looked because of the heat.
September & October
As the weather cools in September, the trout start to hit the feeding stations again. Late September through October rate #1 for this section. Water levels are down, temperatures are cool and the trout are feeding for the winter months. This makes for the most dependable and consistent fly fishing of the year. The foliage alone is worth the trip, but we are here to catch fish and we will in this two month span.
November
Dress warm as it can get cold here in November, the last big feed before the long winter. Fish are also spawning at this time and tributaries can hold some large breeders. It’s brown trout month, as they come out of hiding and we get alot of them at this time.
Pemigewasset River
The Pemigewasset River, or Pemi, is a beautiful gem of cold water trout fishery. The river runs through the White Mountain National Forest surrounded with spectacular scenery on both sides. The headwaters begin in Profile Lake in Franconia Notch State Park and flow South for about 70 miles where it joins the Winnipesaukee River to form the Merrimack River in Franklin.
The Pemigewasset River offers white water, quick water and flat water experiences for kayaking and canoeing. The only designated public boat launch on the river is located in Bristol at the Route 104 bridge. But, many canoeists and fishermen use bridge crossings over the river as access points.
Pemigewasset River is home to Native Brook Trout, or Square Tails. Brookies feed mostly during the day and almost exclusively on insects and crustaceans with the occasional small fish. Early in the season, however, you can easily take Brookies on a worm.
Brood stock Atlantic Salmon are often released into the Pemi between Bristol and Manchester. Below Livermore Falls, the river becomes great bass water. Several Bass Clubs hold their tournaments on this section of the river.
For fishing, there is plenty of access along I-93 in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) around Franconia Notch. In Plymouth, there is a public access areas for the Pemi located on Green Street. Another is in Bristol 12 miles south of Plymouth.
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee, in the center of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region, is 26 miles long with 182 miles of shoreline and 72 square miles of surface area. This glacier formed lake is surrounded by three mountain ranges and dotted with 365 islands. Winnipesaukee is one of New England’s most popular lakes for Boating, Fishing, Swimming and Beaches including Weirs Beach.
Winnipesauke
You’ll find salmon, pickerel, lake trout, rainbow trout, smelt, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, white perch, hornpout. Some of the biggest salmon in New Hampshire come from Winni. Landlocked salmon anglers on Winnipesaukee will find average salmon over 20 inches and 3.5 pounds.
Salmon like a live smelt or smelt pattern fished near the tributaries early after ice out. A Gray Ghost or a Joe’s Smelt trolled just below the surface, or on a long sinking line can get the action going.
White Mountains
There are over 700 miles of fish bearing streams on the Forest. Many rivers are stocked with one or more trout species where fishing exceeds the ability of the stream to produce enough larger fish. Many of the smaller brooks contain wild populations of brook trout and natural reproduction is adequate to support fisheries. The States of Maine and New Hampshire are responsible for trout stocking within the National Forest. Stocking reports are accessible at the New Hampshire Fish & Game and Maine Inland Fish websites.
Fishable Streams of the White Mountain National Forest
- East Branch of the Pemigewasset River (brook trout)
- Ellis River (brook trout and rainbow trout)
- Gale River (brook trout)
- Mad River (brook trout and rainbow trout)
- Peabody River (brook trout, rainbow trout and brown trout)
- Swift River (brook trout)
- Wild River (brook trout and rainbow trout)
- Wild Ammonusuc River (brook trout)
See Fish & Game stocking report for more info.
Fish of New Hampshire
Eastern Brook Trout
New England’s native char, the Brookie or Squaretail can be found throughout New Hampshire. Brookies like cold clear water and almost any back country stream will hold at least some little stunted Brookies. New Hampshire’s holds many trout stream opportunities as well as some good sized Brook Trout in the many lakes. Brook Trout are day feeders and feed almost exclusively on larval and adult aquatic insects. Brookies are also known to take the occasional small fish, and small streamer flies can get their attention. Early in the spring, Brookies can be easily taken with worms.
Atlantic Salmon, Landlocked Salmon
Migrating Atlantic Salmon are on the New Hampshire Endangered Species list.
A subspecies of the Atlantic salmon that lives in the lakes of New England without ever descending to sea are known as landlocked salmon. Landlocked salmon are much smaller than migrating Atlantic Salmon. The New England population of Atlantic salmon are the Sebago Salmon.
Salmon feed mostly on smelt. A healthy Salmon population, therefore, depends heavily on a healthy smelt population. Spring fishing for Salmon with a live smelt of trolling a smelt imitation is recommended.
New Hampshire has an aggressive Salmon stocking program. Brood stock Salmon in the 3-12lb range are released into the Pemigewasset and Merrimack Rivers. Lake Winnipesaukee and other lakes in the New Hampshire Lakes Region are well known for their Salmon fishing.
Rainbow Trout
Rainbows are native to the Western rivers but have been stocked throughout New Hampshire. ‘Bows are known for clearing the water during a fight and for their bright red or pinkish stripe down their lateral line. Rainbows are aggressive and are easier to take on lures than Brown Trout.
Brown Trout
Brown Trout are native to Europe and were introduced widely across the US. Small and average-sized Browns eat aquatic and terrestrial insects, but when they get larger they turn to larger prey such as sculpins, dace, crawfish, and even other trout. Live bait often works well when fishing for Browns. Brown Trout often feed at night, and during a hatch can be highly selective. This makes then hard to catch, and not surprisingly, highly prized and sought after.
Striped Bass
Striper fishing is the most popular type of saltwater fishing in New Hampshire. Stripers are found near shore and in the estuaries and open water areas. Large numbers of “schoolie” stripers show up around May. The larger “cows” come around some time in June. Fishing tends to slow up a bit during the summer. It picks up again around September when stripers start heading south again for winter.
Mackerel
Mackerel are plentiful for saltwater anglers, first arriving around the beginning of June. Buckets of Mackerel are a realistic possibility in Spring and again in Fall.
Bluefish
Bluefish begin arriving in New Hampshire waters about the end of July and peak in August before heading south again in September. Most of the bluefish caught off New Hampshire’s coast are in the 2 to 3-foot size range but some smaller “snapper” bluefish schools invade the estuaries.
Sea-run Brown Trout
In the late fall, sea-run brown trout fishing in Berry Brook in Rye picks up. New Hampshire Fish and Game stocks about 5,000 brown trout into this river each year. Brown trout are generally a wily fish and take great skill and patience to produce regular hook-ups.
Related Resources & Articles
Hunters Angling Supplies
1 New Hampshire 101A, Unit 1 Amherst NH, 03031
https://www.stoneriveroutfitters.com/
Lopstick Outfitters
45 Stewart Young Rd, Pittsburg, New Hampshire 03592; 1-800-538-6659
www.lopstick.com