Take Me Fishing!™

Southeast Region

Shoreline Fishing Guide

fishnh.com

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New Hampshire Fish and Game Department

Just step outside to find scenic fishing here in wild New Hampshire – we’ve got great fishing around every corner:

u 12,000 miles of river and streams.

u 975 lakes and ponds.

u Fishing for bass, trout, salmon, pike, walleye, pickerel, 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!

WHY FISH NH?

fishnh.com

Learn more about fishing in New Hampshire at

Your purchase of fishing tackle and motorboat fuels, along with license

sales, helps fund sport fish restoration and management in New Hampshire

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

New Hampshire Fish and GameConnecting you to life outdoors™

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Southeastern New Hampshire:Where fishing is close to home!

At different times of year, more than a dozen fish species can be caught from shore in southeastern New Hampshire waters.

Fishing for fun, not food? Make sure you practice “catch-and-release.” A fish that is properly handled will have the best chance for survival.

Perhaps the most understated feature about freshwater fishing in southeastern New Hampshire is how easy it can be to escape the crowds, the traffic, and the noise often associated with more populous areas. Traditionally, one thinks of heading to the White Mountains and the northern part of the state to find refuge and solitude. Here in southeastern New Hampshire, too, with minimal effort and travel, you can cast a line in some of the most scenic rivers and ponds in the state.

Try these shorebank fishing spots in southeastern New Hampshire – just a few of the many the area has to offer. Featured sites include:

l Isinglass, Cocheco and Lamprey rivers

l Pawtuckaway Lake

l Lucas Pond, Barbadoes Pond and the Exeter Reservoir

Here’s how:Never remove a deeply swallowed hook from the fish’s throat or stomach — instead, cut the leader and leave the hook in the fish. It will eventually work free or rust away.

l Use barbless hooks or hooks with pinched barbs.

l Land the fish quickly, so it does not become exhausted or stressed.

l Release the fish while it’s still in the water.

l To remove the hook, gently back it out of the fish’s mouth. You can use pliers for this.

Catch-and-Release

Fishing the Salt?Our Seashore Fishing Guide shows you

where to go. Visit www.fishnh.com.

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Fish of Southeastern New Hampshire

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Fish Identification Chart

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Use this handy guide to choose the best baits and to see what kind of fish you’ve caught.

Baits to UseNatural Baits

Artificial Baits

Jigs and curl tail grubs

Crank baits

Topwater baits (popper)

Minnows

In-line spinner baits

Spoons

Flies (wet, dry, streamers)

Worms and crawlers

Grasshoppers and crickets

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Artificial putty baits

fishnh.com

The first Saturday in June and the third Saturday in January are free fishing days in N.H.

and largemouth bass, chain pickerel, yellow perch, black crappie, brown bullhead, pumpkinseed, and bluegill. Fishing licenses can be purchased at the park store. There is a park

admission fee. Take Exit 5 off Rt. 101 to Rt. 156 in Nottingham.

1. Fundy Cove Trails can be accessed from the N.H. Fish and Game boat access site. Extensive shoreline fishing opportunities on either side of the cove. No park entrance fee. From Rt. 156, take Deerfield Road and turn left onto Fundy Road.

2. Neal’s Cove Just off State Park Road, you’ll find a small parking area and good access for casting from shore. From Rt. 156, turn onto Mountain Road and follow signs to the park.

3. Beach/campground Footbridges allow access to small islands (no fishing from the bridges). Fishing also available for campers with waterfront sites. Swim and picnic while you’re here! Plenty of parking.

Pawtuckaway Lake

Pawtuckaway State Park furnishes some trails around parts of Pawtuckaway Lake that shoreline anglers can use to catch a variety of warmwater fish species, including small

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Trails on either side of the Fundy Cove boat launch provide ample shoreline fishing access.

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Sport Fish Restoration funds help manage N.H.’s fisheries.For panfish, also try a small artificial fly or jig under a bobber.

Kids under age 16 fish for free. See stocking info and fishing reports at: www.fishnh.com/fishing/trout-stocking.html

Lucas Pond receives ample numbers of brook, brown and rainbow trout as well as some tiger trout. With good shoreline access from the boat launch area, a good day of fishing is just a cast away.

Designated trout ponds offer anglers the unique opportunity to enjoy small bodies of water primarily managed for brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. These ponds have shorter fishing seasons to allow for greater trout growth and survival. They are stocked multiple times throughout the spring and early summer to enhance shoreline fishing success. Generally, these ponds have a five-fish or five-pound daily limit, and any legal fishing method/gear can be used. Be sure to check the pond’s specific regulations in the N.H. Freshwater Fishing Digest.

1. Lucas Pond, Northwood Access to Lucas Pond is granted to anglers by the

town of Northwood. The access area includes a car top launch facility and enough room for several anglers to fish from shore. Motors are prohibited. At times, Lucas Pond can receive heavy fishing pressure, so the waterbody receives large numbers of brook trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. Older age classes of trout are also stocked in the pond. Take Lucas Pond Road off of Rt. 43 or Rt. 152.

Southeastern N.H. Trout Ponds

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The best times to fish are the 3 days before and the 3 days after the full moon and new moon.

Long stretches of wide-open shoreline access and limited fishing pressure make Barbadoes Pond an ideal spot for some hassle-free fishing action.

2. Barbadoes Pond, Madbury/Dover

Access to Barbadoes Pond is granted through a cooperative agreement with the City of Dover and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Take Rt. 9 to Old Stage Road in Madbury. From the parking area, a five-minute walk down a smooth trail will take you to the eastern shoreline of Barbadoes Pond. This 16-acre pond is stocked with both brook trout and rainbow trout. Barbadoes Pond is not as heavily stocked as other designated trout ponds, but this is offset by the limited fishing pressure here.

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Southeastern N.H. Trout Ponds (cont.)

The best times to fish are the 3 days before and the 3 days after the full moon and new moon. Observe the water – let the fish show you where to cast.Over 130,000 trout are stocked in southeastern N.H. waters every year.

3. Exeter Reservoir (Water Works Pond), Exeter

This smaller pond provides access along the eastern shoreline for anglers of all ages to catch brook trout and rainbow trout. The reservoir also receives a small number of older brook trout that will assuredly become a long-lasting memory if caught. Only shoreline angling is permitted. Access the pond from Rt. 108 in Exeter, just south of where it crosses under Rt. 101. A small road leading to the Exeter Sportsman’s Club parallels the eastern shoreline.

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With a shoreline-only fishing policy and easy-to-find location, Exeter Reservoir is a great spot for some fun family fishing time. Brookies and rainbows are stocked here including some older, larger brook trout.

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Several beautiful rivers flow through southeastern New Hampshire, with excellent fishing for trout as well as warmwater species. Shoreline anglers should be prepared for considerable walking and sometimes challenging terrain. That said, it’s hard to believe these scenic spots are so close to home!

1. Isinglass River (Barrington/Rochester) The stretch between the downstream side of the Rt. 125 crossing and the confluence with the Cocheco River offers year-round angling opportunity. Waste Management, Inc., maintains two nice public access points along Rochester Neck Road: A parking area approximately ½ mile from Rt. 125 on the right brings you to a fast-moving section of the Isinglass River, where trout hold well. A second access point is found further down Rochester Neck Road, where the Isinglass River crosses under the road.

2. Cocheco River (Dover) Downstream of Watson Road in Dover, the Cocheco is quickly becoming a popular fishery. Thanks to the efforts of several groups and the City of Dover, public access and trout stocking have been restored to this beautiful stretch of river. Access the river by following a converted railroad bed trail along the northern side of the river. While many anglers focus on the area downstream of the Watson Road Dam, the trail gives anglers an easy opportunity to fish much more of the river. Anglers who put in the extra effort to access downstream sections of the Cocheco will be rewarded with gorgeous scenery.

3. Lamprey River (Durham) The area downstream of the Wiswall Dam to the first trestle downstream of Packers Falls is generously stocked with brook, brown, and rainbow trout. Ample parking provided by the town of Durham is found on the eastern side of the river off Wiswall Rd. From there, trails along both sides of

Fishing Seacoast Rivers

the river provide anglers access to a variety of fishing opportunities. There is also a small parking area off Bennett Road for anglers fishing the Packer Falls area.

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Sport Fish Restoration funds help manage N.H.’s fisheries.For panfish, also try a small artificial fly or jig under a bobber.

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Help Maintain Angler Access

Need-to-know knotsClinch Knot Palomar Knot

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Shoreline fishing opportunities in southeastern New Hampshire are dependent on a combination of public and private access locations. It’s no secret that continued access will only be ensured if we all act responsibly. Please do your part, because maintaining current access is much easier than restoring it.

Tips for anglers on good landowner relations:

l Before fishing on private property: Get permission. Ask the landowner where you should park, and if there are any areas or times that they would prefer you not fish.

l While fishing: Remember that you are the guest of the landowner. Treat their property with the same care and respect that you would if it were your own.

l Clean up! Don’t clean fish in and around waterbodies. Always carry out all trash, and pick up any debris that you find.

l After the trip: Take time to express your appreciation to the landowner.

To learn more visit wildnh.com/landshare.

Basic rigging setupTo rig your fishing rod, start with fresh bait and

a sharp hook. Add a nonlead sinker* to keep your bait near the fish. Top it off with a bobber, which keeps your bait off the bottom — and lets you know when you have a bite!

* N.H. State Law prohibits the use of certain sizes of lead tackle in all fresh waters in the state. Learn more at fishleadfree.org.

REVISED 10/ 2016

“If the angler did not lose a fish now and then, he would surely not appreciate the capture of one” (The Angler’s Secret, 1904)