WHY FISH NH? Fish and Game Department

Just step outside to find scenic here in wild Take Me New Hampshire – we’ve got great fishing around every corner: ™ u Fishing! 12,000 miles of river and streams. u 975 lakes and ponds. u Fishing for , , , pike, walleye, pickerel, Lakes Region perch and more… u Record big fish – and some wily wild fish too! u Scenic vistas and wildlife abound. u Nearly a million trout stocked each year – just for you! Learn more about fishing in New Hampshire at fishnh.com © SCULPIES / DREAMSTIME.COM

Shoreline Fishing Guide EMPIPE / DREAMSTIME.COM © New Hampshire Fish and Game Connecting you to life outdoors™

NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT 11 Hazen Drive l Concord, NH 03301 l (603) 271-2501

Your purchase of and motorboat fuels, along with license sales, helps fund sport fish restoration and management in New Hampshire fishnh.com Fish the Lakes Region, where 113 the water meets the mountains 109 25 SQUAM MOULTONBOROUGH 175 LAKE 16 25 New Hampshire’s scenic Lakes Region has something 25 for every angler. Highlighted by large lakes renowned 171 3 for their landlocked salmon, trout and TUFTONBORO MEREDITH 28 fishing, the area also has sparkling streams and rivers 109 WOLFEBORO and many smaller lakes and ponds with plentiful cold and 104 3 warmwater fishing opportunities. 106 109 Read on for a small sampling of the many shoreline SANBORNTON LACONIA 11 sites to cast your line in the Lakes Region…plus tips on 132 WINNISQUAM GILFORD LAKE baits to use and a chart to help you identify the fish you 28 NEW 3 DURHAM catch. Featured areas include: 93 107 ALTON TILTON BELMONT l GILMANTON 11 140 NORTHFIELD l Waukewan Lake 106 28 l Lake Winnipesaukee CANTERBURY LOUDON 107 BARNSTEAD l Winnisquam Lake and

Catch-and-Release l To remove the hook, gently back it out of A fish that is properly handled will have the the fish’s mouth; use pliers if needed. best chance for survival. Here’s how: l Have your tools ready to minimize release l Land the fish quickly to avoid exhaus- time. tion and stress. l Use rubber or other “fish friendly” l Use extreme care when unhooking and landing nets. releasing fish. l Release the fish while it’s still in the water. l NEVER shake a fish off the hook. l NEVER unhook a fish suspended in the air. l NEVER sharply pull hooks out while the fish is moving and twisting. l Remember – all hook styles and sizes can cause damage. l Selectively harvest severely wounded fish. DAVE WEBB PHOTO / DREAMSTIME.COM WEBB PHOTO © DAVE

At different times of year, more than a dozen fish species can be caught from shore in Lakes Region waters. Fish of New Hampshire’s Lakes Region Fish Identification Chart

Use this handy guide to choose the best baits and to see what kind of fish you’ve caught. Cusk, © ELLEN EDMONSON/NYSDEC Lake Trout

Baits to Use Landlocked Salmon Natural Baits Worms and and crickets crawlers Cusk Crayfish Minnows

Hellgrammites Dough ball and corn Smallmouth Bass Artificial Baits (wet, dry, Jigs and streamers) curl tail grubs

Spoons Crank baits Black Crappie

In-line spinner baits Topwater baits (popper)

Artificial putty baits White Perch fishnh.com Pumpkinseed horned pout ) Yellow Perch Yellow Chain Pickerel Bullhead ( Match Your Bait to Your Catch NHFG/VICTOR YOUNG; YOUNG; NHFG/VICTOR salmon, © Landlocked KNEPP; trout, © USFWS/TIMMOTHY Lake /USFWS ; RAVER © DUANE perch, Chain pickerel, Yellow bullhead, White perch, Brown Pumpkinseed, crappie, Bluegill, Black Smallmouth bass, trout, Largemouth bass, Rainbow Fish Illustrations:

Kids under age 16 fish for free. See stocking info and fishing reports at:www.fishnh.com/fishing/trout-stocking.html Winnisquam Lake & GOVERNORS OLD MAIN S Opechee Bay STATE PARK 3

TR E E A long, narrow glacially formed T

N . lake, Winnisquam features rainbow M A Lakeport Dam IN S T and lake trout, smallmouth bass and R E E white perch. Nearby Opechee Bay is T 3

an often-overlooked waterbody that OPECHEE offers multi-species fishing within BAY walking distance of downtown Laconia. 2 1. Winnisquam Boat Launch LACONIA OPECHEE SANBORNTON S HO Fish and Game’s award- R E PARK 3 D R PLEA winning accessible launch site IV STREET E SANT STREET provides early season shoreline WINNISQUAM

opportunities for coldwater fish LAKE

R E S S E M like salmon and trout. During H STREET the summer months, try for CHURC largemouth bass and yellow perch. D STREET T

2. Opechee Park HIGHLAN WATER STREE With plenty of room on this ET 1 Fa PINE STRE ir B St unique peninsula, you’ll find ay . S opportunities for rainbow trout t. 106

STREET P RO and warmwater species like Y 3 V IN C E smallmouth bass and yellow CADEM ST R A E E perch. A good spot to enjoy the T day; a beach and playground 11 3

round out the fun. 107

L

3. Below the Lakeport Dam 11 A D

D

Cast your line for early season H I L L

R rainbow trout and landlocked 3 D BELMONT. salmon, as well as summer D . OA BI D L R SH smallmouth bass. Good shoreline R OLD D HIL D O 106 L LAD A P IL H O R D D L R access on both sides of the inlet. A L O L I H A D 0 3 E L Plenty of access for the angler 1 2 I M on foot. MILES

View of Opechee Bay from below the

Lakeport Dam. NHFG YOUNG / VICTOR ©

For , also try a small artificial or jig under a bobber. Sport Fish Restoration funds help manage N.H.’s . Pemigewasset & Waukewan Lakes

Numerous smaller lakes dot the region, offering excellent warm and coldwater fisheries and a chance for a more solitary fishing experience. These include: 1. Pemigewasset Lake Anglers of all abilities have a chance to catch six different warmwater fish species from this scenic spot. A Fish and Game cartop access site includes an accessible fishing platform that cantilevers out over the lake. Plenty of parking.

2. Waukewan Lake In the heart of the Lakes Region, the south end of Waukewan – the entire shoreline next to the railroad – offers ample access with good parking. Fishing highlights

include rainbow trout and many warmwater species. NHFG YOUNG / VICTOR ©

ROAD HAWKINS A ON IN POND W 132 3 You’ll have a great shot at WINONA catching warmwater species like LAKE 106 largemouth bass, black crappie, 25 yellow perch and pickerel right off WAUKEWAN the platform at the Fish LAKE and Game cartop access site at W IN O Pemigewasset Lake. N A H 2 R D NEW HAMPTON A O MEREDITH 93 A T A C O D R H

BAY

L

L I R

O

H C

A

D O

R

N A E WAUKEWAN ST.

N R

A

D S

T P I A E R R A T O S S E A D

104

132 1 R O A 3 MEREDITH D 104 M E R E D IT H WICKWAS

PEMIGEWASSET C LAKE E LAKE N T

E

R

PINNACLE HAMLIN CHEMUNG R EAMES O PARK REC AND STATE A REC AND D CONSERV 106 WILDLIFE FOREST AREA AREA 132 LACONIA © DEWITT / DREAMSTIME.COM

0 1 2 3 MILES

Pound for pound, smallmouth bass are known as the hardest-fighting fish. The cry of the common loon is the song of the Lakes Region. B E A N 25 R D . . R D

25B LAKE SHORE

A Lake Winnipesaukee L 109 P I N E

P A

R New Hampshire’s iconic lake, K

R D . stretching 28 miles across the center 1 25 D. L R of the state, offers endless IL H LE 25 O opportunities. Town sites also have C MOULTONBOROUGH

food, shops and ice cream to enjoy. 25B CENTER 1. Center Harbor Town Docks/Town Beach HARBOR One of the prettiest places in the region to cast a line from shore. Similar access and species as Meredith Town Docks, 3 25 but not quite as busy. 25 2. Meredith Town Docks 3 25 at Hesky Park 25 A popular, bustling MEREDITH Long I. destination with shoreline 2 Meredith Neck Bear I. fishing access on the big SWASEY 104 lake. Anglers seek early PARK MEREDITH season salmon and rainbows BAY 3 LAKE here, and other species WAUKEWAN Governors I. throughout the summer. LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE

LACONIA 11B 104 3 3 PAUGUS 11 BAY SANBORNTON Far-reaching town OPECHEE 11A docks like the one BAY 3 3 at Center Harbor, 11 GILFORD seen at left, offer WINNISQUAM outstanding early LAKE season fishing for landlocked 3 salmon, rainbow 11 trout and the 106 occasional lake trout, plus 107 excellent cover for BELMONT GILMANTON bass, perch and 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 pickerel at other times of year. MILES NHFG YOUNG / VICTOR ©

N.H.’s record white perch weighed in at 3 lbs. 11.5 oz, from Lake Winnipesaukee Prevent hook wounding – take the salmon angler’s pladge. www.fishnh.com/fishing/salmon-pledge.html SCHOOL

B

L NATURAL

A K AREA E

25

R O 3. Lees Mills Boat Launch A D Great spot for fishing for warmwater species, with abundant shoreline access and AD MOULTONBOROUGH LEES plenty of parking. Within walking distance POND of the Loon Preservation Center, this site 171 LEES MILL RO F O has that “off the beaten path” feel. X TUFTONBORO K H A L O W

L E L OS 4. Wolfeboro Town Dock O MO

W

109

Fish are attracted to the mouth of the Smith

R O 3 AD River as it flows into Lake Winnipesaukee. Popular for salmon and rainbow trout in the

10 9 A spring, and perch and smallmouth as the season progresses. Long I. 5. Alton Town Park and Docks 28 Perennial spot for spring salmon and 109 trout fishing. Later in the season, look for smallmouth cruising among the rocks. Great LAKE views – and on some summer evenings, live WOLFEBORO WINNIPESAUKEE Tuftonboro Neck 109 music from the bandstand. WENTWORTH LAKE N. MAIN ST

Wolfeboro Neck FOSS 28

FIELD

M . IL L 109

28 S

T 109 . Rattlesnake I. 11 S. MAIN ST. CATE ALL RD. PARK 28 SEW 4 11A GILFORD ALTON

11 ALTON O L BAY D 28 W

28

L R O

A

N F

D E B O

H I R L L O

R

5 R D

O .

A . D L RD 11 BAY HIL ALTON BAY STATE 11 FOREST GILMANTON MEADOW DAM POND 28 11 140

Prevent hook wounding – take the salmon angler’s pladge. www.fishnh.com/fishing/salmon-pledge.html Visit Fish and Game’s Region 2 Office in New Hampton for area fishing information. What to Bring

Make a fun day even better by taking along the right gear. You’ll want to have: l Fishing rods with spin-casting reels l Tackle box with hooks, bobbers, nonlead sinkers, artificial baits and a pair of pliers l N.H. Freshwater Fishing Digest l Cooler with ice for storing your catch l Binoculars for -watching Keep your family comfortable while they’re fishing, and Basic rigging setup they’ll ask to come with you again. Have them dress for the To your , start with weather, and be ready for whatever the day might bring. fresh bait and a sharp hook. Add a nonlead Keep the bug spray handy, as well as a simple first aid kit, sinker* to keep your bait near the fish. Top it sunscreen, sunglasses and hats. Pack plenty of snacks and off with a bobber, which keeps your bait off the drinks, too — but keep in mind that some fishing sites bottom — and lets you know when you have a bite! have many users. To help keep these places clean and safe, bring along a small trash bag and carry out everything you * N.H. State Law prohibits the use of certain sizes of lead tackle in all fresh waters in the state. bring in. Learn more at fishleadfree.org.

Need-to-know knots

Clinch Knot Palomar Knot

1 1 2

2

3 3 4

4

REVISED 10/2016

Area Native Americans called the lake trout namaycush, which means “Dweller of the Deep.” For , try the Newfound River.