Fishing in the Merrimack Valley & Seacoast

1. Merrimack River (Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, White Perch, Fallfish, Carp)

Merrimack River, Merrimack/Hillsborough/Rockingham counties

The Merrimack River flows 107 miles through New Hampshire from Franklin to the Massachusetts border, offering excellent smallmouth bass and trout fishing with numerous public access points and the Merrimack River Greenway Trail.

2. Great Bay (Striped Bass, Bluefish, White Perch, Winter Flounder, American Eel, Mackerel)

Great Bay, Rockingham County

Great Bay is a 4,500-acre tidal estuary fed by six rivers, offering excellent striped bass and white perch fishing with a unique brackish water ecosystem and a research reserve.

3. Hampton Beach/Seacoast (Striped Bass, Bluefish, Mackerel, Flounder, Cod, Pollock)

Hampton Beach, Rockingham County

Hampton Beach and the 18-mile New Hampshire seacoast offer excellent surf casting for striped bass and bluefish from Hampton to Rye with multiple public beach and rock jetty access points.

4. Exeter River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Perch)

Exeter River, Rockingham County

The Exeter River flows 30 miles through Rockingham County to Great Bay, offering good trout fishing in the upper reaches and warmwater species in the lower tidal sections.

5. Lamprey River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Perch, Fallfish)

Lamprey River, Rockingham County

The Lamprey River is a 50-mile river flowing to Great Bay, offering excellent trout fishing in its upper reaches and a designated wild and scenic river with good public access.

6. Squamscott River (Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Winter Flounder, Rainbow Trout)

Squamscott River, Rockingham County

The Squamscott River is a 6-mile tidal river connecting Exeter to Great Bay, offering good striped bass and white perch fishing in a scenic salt marsh setting.

7. Oyster River (Rainbow Trout, White Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Fallfish)

Oyster River, Strafford County

The Oyster River flows through Durham to Great Bay, offering good trout and warmwater fishing with access from the University of New Hampshire area.

8. Bellamy River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, White Perch, Smallmouth Bass)

Bellamy River, Strafford County

The Bellamy River flows through Dover to Little Bay, offering good trout and warmwater fishing in a coastal river system.

9. Cocheco River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Perch, Channel Catfish)

Cocheco River, Strafford County

The Cocheco River flows through Rochester and Dover to the Piscataqua River, offering good trout and warmwater fishing with urban access points.

10. Salmon Falls River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, White Perch, Chain Pickerel)

Salmon Falls River, Strafford County

The Salmon Falls River forms the Maine-New Hampshire border in the seacoast region, offering good trout and smallmouth bass fishing with several access points.

11. Piscataqua River (Striped Bass, Bluefish, Winter Flounder, Mackerel, White Perch)

Piscataqua River, Rockingham County

The Piscataqua River is a 5-mile tidal river connecting Portsmouth Harbor to the Atlantic, offering excellent striped bass fishing with deep water access at Prescott Park.

12. Winnicut River (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, White Perch)

Winnicut River, Rockingham County

The Winnicut River flows through Stratham and Greenland to Great Bay, offering good trout fishing in its freshwater reaches.

13. Taylor River (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, White Perch)

Taylor River, Rockingham County

The Taylor River in Hampton Falls offers good trout fishing flowing through a coastal salt marsh to the Hampton River.

14. Hampton River (Striped Bass, Bluefish, White Perch, Winter Flounder)

Hampton River, Rockingham County

The Hampton River is a tidal river offering excellent striped bass fishing in the Hampton Harbor area with boat access from the harbor.

15. Winnipesaukee River (lower) (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Winnipesaukee River, Belknap/Merrimack counties

The lower Winnipesaukee River flows from Winnisquam Lake through Franklin to the Pemigewasset River, offering good trout fishing in connecting waters.

16. Contoocook River (south) (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Fallfish)

Contoocook River, Merrimack County

The Contoocook River flows through Concord to the Merrimack River, offering good trout and smallmouth bass fishing with urban access points in the capital city.

17. Suncook River (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass)

Suncook River, Merrimack County

The Suncook River offers good trout fishing in the Suncook Valley north of Concord with public access points.

18. Souhegan River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Fallfish)

Souhegan River, Hillsborough County

The Souhegan River flows through Milford and Merrimack to the Merrimack River, offering good trout and bass fishing in southern New Hampshire.

19. Nashua River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Nashua River, Hillsborough County

The Nashua River offers good trout and warmwater fishing in the Nashua area near the Massachusetts border with public access points.

20. Piscassic River (Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, White Perch)

Piscassic River, Rockingham County

The Piscassic River offers good trout fishing in a coastal stream flowing to Great Bay near Newfields.

21. Mill Pond (Concord) (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass)

Mill Pond, Merrimack County

Mill Pond in Concord offers stocked trout fishing in a small urban pond setting with a park.

22. Turkey Pond (Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Bluegill)

Turkey Pond, Merrimack County

Turkey Pond in Concord offers good warmwater and stocked trout fishing in a 120-acre pond setting.

23. White's Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass)

White's Pond, Merrimack County

White's Pond in Concord offers good trout fishing in a small pond setting within the capital city.

24. Fort Rock Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Smallmouth Bass)

Fort Rock Lake, Rockingham County

Fort Rock Lake in Exeter offers good trout fishing in a 100-acre lake on the Exeter River.

25. Island Pond (Derry) (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Island Pond, Rockingham County

Island Pond in Derry offers good trout and warmwater fishing in a community park setting.

26. Massabesic Lake (Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, White Perch, Chain Pickerel)

Massabesic Lake, Rockingham County

Massabesic Lake is a 2,550-acre lake in Manchester serving as the city's water supply, offering excellent trout and bass fishing with a public boat launch.

27. Lake Massabesic South (Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, White Perch)

Lake Massabesic South, Rockingham County

The southern portion of Massabesic Lake offers good fishing with access from the Auburn boat launch.

28. Arlington Mill Reservoir (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Arlington Mill Reservoir, Hillsborough County

Arlington Mill Reservoir in Salem offers good trout and warmwater fishing near the Massachusetts border.

29. Canobie Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Canobie Lake, Rockingham County

Canobie Lake in Salem offers good fishing in a 440-acre lake at the state's southern border.

30. Big Island Pond (Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Crappie)

Big Island Pond, Rockingham County

Big Island Pond is a 460-acre lake in Atkinson offering good bass and trout fishing near the Massachusetts border.

31. Little Island Pond (Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, Bluegill)

Little Island Pond, Rockingham County

Little Island Pond in Atkinson offers good warmwater fishing with stocked trout in a small lake near the Massachusetts border.

32. Naticook Lake (Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, White Perch)

Naticook Lake, Hillsborough County

Naticook Lake in Merrimack offers good fishing in a 140-acre lake with a public boat launch.

33. Horseshoe Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill)

Horseshoe Pond, Merrimack County

Horseshoe Pond in Concord offers good fishing in a small urban pond setting.

34. Stevens Mill Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass)

Stevens Mill Pond, Merrimack County

Stevens Mill Pond on the Suncook River offers good trout fishing in a mill pond setting.

35. Clough State Park Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Bluegill)

Clough State Park, Merrimack County

Clough State Park in Weare offers good family fishing in a pond within the state park.

36. Deering Reservoir (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Deering Reservoir, Hillsborough County

Deering Reservoir offers good trout and bass fishing in a 300-acre lake in southern New Hampshire.

37. Powder Mill Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel)

Powder Mill Pond, Hillsborough County

Powder Mill Pond in Bennington offers good fishing in a 400-acre pond in the Contoocook River watershed.

38. Shattuck Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass)

Shattuck Pond, Hillsborough County

Shattuck Pond in Greenfield offers good trout fishing in a small lake setting.

39. Jacobs Pond (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass)

Jacobs Pond, Rockingham County

Jacobs Pond in Seabrook offers good warmwater fishing near the seacoast area.

40. Walton Lake (Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass)

Walton Lake, Rockingham County

Walton Lake in Weare offers good trout and bass fishing in a 80-acre lake in southern New Hampshire.