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Fishing in the Merrimack Valley & Seacoast

Explore fishing in the Merrimack Valley & Seacoast of New Hampshire. Merrimack River, Great Bay, Hampton Beach/Seacoast,

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.

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

Merrimack River, Merrimack/Hillsborough/Rockingham counties

⚠ This water: NH special water: Manchester Upstream side of Amoskeag Dam to upstream side of Amoskeag Bridge, and between west bank of river and island adjacent to powerhouse for 500 feet downstream of fishway entrance.Closed to all fishing.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Catfish · Limit: No limit
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Great Bay Marine →

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.

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: bridge No closed season for all species. Oct. 16 to 4th Saturday in April: Catch-and-release, single barbless hook, artificial lures/flies. 4th Saturday in April through Oct. 15: Daily limit for trout 5 fish or 5 lbs. All legal methods.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: feet below Wiswall Dam between April 1 and July 31. Closed to all fishing in the waters 50 feet above the Wiswall Dam year round.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Newfields Town Landing →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: Cocheco River Canoe Launch →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: trout through the ice.
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: Cocheco River Canoe Launch →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: to 4th Sat. in April - Catch-and-release, single barbless hook, artificial lures/flies. 4th Sat. in April to Oct. 15 - Daily limit for trout 5 fish or 5 lbs., all legal methods.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)
Catfish · Limit: No limit

Boat Launch: Cocheco River Canoe Launch →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Great Cove Boat Club Boat Ramp →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: No closed season for all species. Daily limit of 2 trout through the ice
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Hampton River Marina →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Hampton River Marina →

15. Winnipesaukee River (lower)

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: trout through the ice

Boat Launch: East Launch →

16. Contoocook River (south)

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: Henniker to Concord From 2,500 ft. above former paper mill dam in West Henniker, to confluence with Merrimack River No closed season for all species. Daily limit of 2 trout through the ice.

Boat Launch: River Road Boat Launch →

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

Suncook River, Merrimack County

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

⚠ This water: NH special water: Barnstead to Allenstown/Pembroke From Route 126 bridge in Barnstead downstream to confluence with the Merrimack River No closed season for all species. Daily limit of 2 trout through the ice.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: Suncook River Access →

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.

⚠ This water: NH special water: ft upstream of green bridge on Old Wilton Road in Greenville to 300 ft downstream of Route 31 bridge in Wilton October 16 – June 15: Catch-and-release, single barbless hook artificial lures/flies. June 16 - October 15: Daily limit for brook trout is 5 fish or 5 lbs.
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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 with public access points.

⚠ This water: NH special water: ft. below Closed to all fishing
Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: Petapawag Boat Launch →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Piscassic Park Boat Launch →

21. Mill Pond (Concord)

Mill Pond, Merrimack County

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

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Boat Launch: Mill Pond Boat Ramp →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: Fort Rock Lake →

25. Island Pond (Derry)

Island Pond, Rockingham County

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

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: Candia Road 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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Candia Road 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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: Dockside Marina →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)
Chain pickerel · Limit: 5
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Dockside Marina →

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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Peter's Pond Boat Launch →

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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5
Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Naticook Boat Ramp →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: Turtletown Pond Boat Launch →

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.

Boat Launch: Stevens Mill Pond →

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.

Panfish (bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, white perch, horned pout) · Limit: No limit (some waters 25)

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: dock →

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.

Chain pickerel · Limit: 5

Boat Launch: East Launch →

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.

Boat Launch: dock →

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

Jacobs Pond, Rockingham County

Jacobs Pond in Seabrook offers good warmwater fishing seacoast area.

Boat Launch: Jacobs Pond →

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.

Largemouth & smallmouth bass · Limit: 5 combined · No minimum (some waters 12 in)

Boat Launch: East Launch →