New Hampshire Fish and Game Department NEW HAMPSHIRE FRESHWATER FISHING 2015 DIGEST Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2015 Go Fish New Hampshire! Nearly 1,000 fishable lakes and 12,000 miles of rivers and streams… The Official New Hampshire FishNH.com Digest of Regulations SAVE TODAY.THEGREAT OUTDOORS TOMORROW. See how much you could save on more than just car insurance. for your boat geico.com | 1-800-865-4846 | local offi ce Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies.Boat and PWC coverages are written through Seaworthy Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and through other non-affiliated insurance companies, and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko Image © 1999-2015. © 2015 GEICO Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2015 NEW HAMPSHIRE Fish and Game Department FRESHWATER FISHING 2015 DIGEST Celebrating 150 Years of Fisheries Management Greetings, anglers! With 12,000 miles of rivers and streams and 975 lakes and ponds in New Hampshire, you are never far from great fishing. It’s worth reflecting that the healthy fisheries we enjoy today are here thanks to careful management that dates back to the watershed year of 1865. By the mid-1800s, New Hampshire’s fish populations were rapidly being depleted. Recognizing this problem, ON THE COVER: on June 30, 1865, the State Legislature established the Largemouth Bass Commission on Fisheries to “consider the subject of the (illustration by Al Agnew) restoration of sea fish” and “the introduction of new varieties of fresh water fish” to the Merrimack and Connecticut Rivers. The new Commission understood that fish were an important economic asset. Even then, they recognized that sufficiently stocked waterways benefited people and com- munities alike, from serving as a source of food to providing a boost to the economy as travelers spent money in local businesses as they fished New Hampshire’s waters. In addition to restoring sea-run fish, the Fisheries Commission was given the task of introducing new types of freshwater fish to the state. With this in mind, in 1877, the Fisheries Commission appealed to the State Legislature for a $500 appropriation to erect a “hatching house” to propagate fish. That year, the first state fish hatchery was established at Livermore Falls in Holderness. CONTENTS Funding was scarce for fisheries management in the early days. Hunters, who had been buying licenses since 1903, called for anglers to pay their fair share, and the 2 Contact Information Fishing License Law passed in 1917. 5 Wildlife Heritage Foundation of N.H. A new era for fisheries management was ushered in with the Passage of the Sport Fish Restoration Act in 1950. Thanks to this far-sighted legislation, Federal funds 6 License Information from an excise tax on angling equipment and motorboat fuels provided a dedicated source of revenue for fisheries research, habitat restoration, recreational boating access, 7 License Fees construction of fish hatcheries and aquatic education. The years that followed saw 8 Definitions gradual, but important, changes to the hatchery system, along with the introduction of science-based management. 10 Important Laws and Rules Today, we stock nearly a million trout for your angling enjoyment, and fisheries biologists can track the travels of fish using remote transmitters! 12 Rules for Lakes and Ponds What will the future look like for New Hampshire’s fish and wildlife? It is up to the 21 Reel Fun: Go Fish With the Kids future generation of conservationists and the public, cooperatively, to continue this legacy through an independent, well-funded Fish and Game Department. 22 Rules for Rivers and Streams 27 N.H. Record and Trophy Fish 28 Boating in N.H. 30 Ice Fishing Glenn Normandeau Executive Director 33 Freshwater Smelt Rules N.H. Fish and Game Department 34 Fish Identification 36 Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers 37 Baitfish Information N.H. Fish and Game — Our Mission As the guardian of the state’s fish, wildlife and marine resources, the New Hampshire 38 Interstate Waters: VT, ME, MA Fish and Game Department works in partnership with the public to: 40 Fish Consumption Guidelines • Conserve, manage and protect these resources and their habitats; • Inform and educate the public about these resources; and 41 Sunrise/Sunset Tables • Provide the public with opportunities to use and appreciate these resources. The N.H. Fish and Game Department receives Federal Assistance from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and thus prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age and sex, pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or service, please contact or write the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Division of Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration, 4001 N. Fairfax Drive, Mail Stop: WSFR – 4020, Arlington, Virginia 22203, Attention: Civil Rights Coordinator for Public Programs. Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2015 NEW HAMPSHIRE Fish and Game Department N.H. Fish & Game Telephone Numbers FRESHWATER FISHING Law Enforcement 2015 DIGEST Questions about New Hampshire Fishing Laws ..........(603) 271-3127 Dispatch .....................................................................(603) 271-3361 State of New Hampshire Regular Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri. Margaret W. Hassan, Governor Sept. 1 to Dec. 7: Seven days a week, 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Glenn Normandeau, Executive Director New Hampshire Fish and Game Department To Report Violations 24 Hours A Day 11 Hazen Drive • Concord, New Hampshire 03301 Operation Game Thief ..............................................1-800-344-4262 or WildNH.com/OGT Law Enforcement Districts Off Highway Recreational Vehicle (laws/education) .......(603) 271-3129 District 1 N.H. Fish and Game Region 1, 629B Main St. Headquarters/License Office .......................................(603) 271-3421 Lancaster, NH 03584 Executive Director’s Office ..........................................(603) 271-3511 (603) 788-3164 Inland Fisheries ..........................................................(603) 271-2501 Lt. Wayne Saunders License Agent Accounting/OHRV Registry ..................(603) 271-2743 District 2 License Information ....................................................(603) 271-3421 Region 2, Box 417 Marine Fisheries .........................................................(603) 868-1095 New Hampton, NH 03256 Nuisance Wildlife Questions ......................................(603) 223-6832 (603) 744-5470 Public Affairs ..............................................................(603) 271-3211 Lt. James Goss Wildlife Programs .......................................................(603) 271-2461 District 3 Regional Offices Region 2, Box 417 Region 1: Lancaster ....................................................(603) 788-3164 New Hampton, NH 03256 Region 2: New Hampton ............................................(603) 744-5470 (603) 744-5470 Region 3: Durham ......................................................(603) 868-1095 Lt. James Kneeland Region 4: Keene .........................................................(603) 352-9669 District 4 About This Publication Region 4, 15 Ash Brook Court This publication is a summary of fishing regulations. It is not Keene, NH 03431 the full laws or rules. It is intended only as a guide to inform the (603) 352-9669 angler of seasons and other necessary information. Lt. David Walsh For more detailed information concerning regulations, consult the New District 5 Hampshire Fish and Game Law Book, Fish and Game Administrative Fish and Game HQ Rules, or contact your local Conservation Officer. Fish and Game 11 Hazen Drive laws and rules may be viewed at any Fish and Game office (contact Concord, NH 03301 information on this page); Legislative Services, Administrative Rules, (603) 271-3361 in the State House Annex, 25 Capitol St., Room 219, Concord, NH Lt. James Juneau 03301; and at FishNH.com or nh.gov. A compendium of Fish and District 6 Game laws may also be purchased at Department headquarters in Region 3, 225 Main St. Concord for $41. Durham, NH 03824-4732 This publication is partially paid for through the sale of advertising. (603) 868-1095 The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department neither endorses Lt. Michael Eastman products or services listed or claims made; nor accepts any liability arising from the use of products or services listed. Fish and Game Commissioners The numbers on this page are the home phone numbers of Fish and Game © 2014 N.H. Fish and Game Department. All rights reserved. Commissioners. Please use discretion with the timing of your calls. For emergency calls after hours, contact N.H. State Police or your local police. For questions about N.H. fishing laws, call (603) 271-3127. Belknap County Coos County Rockingham County John W. McGonagle Theodore A. Tichy James W. Ryan (603) 524-3134 Chair Secretary/Treasurer (603) 449-2244 (603) 942-8579 facebook.com/nhfishandgame Carroll County David L. Patch Grafton County Strafford County Vice Chair Sharon Guaraldi Vacant (603) 387-3771 (603) 448-4072 Sullivan County This digest, with enlarged type, Cheshire County Hillsborough County Thomas H. Hubert is available for the visually