Cooling NH rivers set up a fall trout window

What's next

With a New Moon today, nights are dark and the first and last hour of daylight should be the best windows to plan around. Low, stable flows (USGS gauge 01073500 at 15.8 cfs) mean little change in clarity over the next few days unless rain arrives, so expect the same pattern: fish holding in deeper pools and current seams during midday, then moving up to feed at the edges of light.

MidCurrent's Tying Tuesday roundup points to beaded nymphs built for low-light, overcast days, and streamers that bounce along the bottom in technical water. Both fit these clear, low conditions. A natural presentation and light tippet are the sensible adjustments when water is this skinny.

If cooler nights keep trimming water temperatures, trout typically feed more aggressively through the afternoon, so the warmest part of the day can become more productive than the early morning as the month goes on. Check state regs before harvesting.

Context

Water in the low 50s on this date is typical for New Hampshire in mid-October, putting local rivers firmly in the fall phase. Brook Trout and Brown Trout generally become more active and territorial as water cools into the autumn spawning period, and anglers typically see streamer and egg-pattern presentations gain traction. Lower flows at this point in the season are common after summer, and they tend to concentrate fish into the deeper holding water that remains.