Merrimack stripers and shad firing as NH bass shift into summer mode
Striped bass and shad remain active on the Merrimack River as mid-June arrives, with anadromous fish pushing into the system. Dave Anderson, writing in The Fisherman (South Shore MA to ME), reports 'very good' striper fishing and an uptick in shad throughout the region. Surfland Bait and Tackle, also via The Fisherman (South Shore MA to ME), notes the striper bite is trending toward the river mouth as water temperatures rise and herring runs taper to a trickle, a signal that peak inland action may be shifting. USGS gauge 01073500 recorded 48.4 cfs on the morning of June 16, reflecting low summer conditions on the river. On Lake Winnipesaukee, no specific reports were available this cycle, though mid-June typically marks the transition for bass into their first true summer feeding rhythms. Today's new moon coincides with some of the strongest feeding windows of the month, making early and late-day sessions on structure well worth the effort.
Current Conditions
- Moon
- New Moon
- Tide / flow
- Merrimack at 48.4 cfs (USGS gauge 01073500), low summer flow with clear-water conditions favoring finesse presentations.
- Weather
- Check local forecast before heading out.
New to these readings? What do water temp, cfs, tide, and moon phase actually mean for fishing?
What's Biting
Striped Bass
plastic swimmers and lead-head soft plastics at river mouth, dawn and dusk low tide
American Shad
current seams and gravel bars in lower Merrimack, run tapering
Smallmouth Bass
topwater in low light, tubes and jigs on rocky structure midday
Largemouth Bass
topwater frogs and poppers in low light, finesse rigs when sun is high
What's Next
The next few days on the Merrimack should see continued low-flow, clear-water conditions. At 48.4 cfs (USGS gauge 01073500), the river is running slim, and that clarity typically calls for lighter lines and smaller presentations during the midday hours. Early morning and dusk are the windows to prioritize, especially in the days following a new moon, when feeding activity tends to concentrate around low-light periods.
For bass anglers, the summer transition is well underway. The Fisherman (New England Freshwater) reports that across the region, freshwater bass are displaying classic summer behavior: topwater frogs and poppers working well in low-light periods, with finesse rigs carrying the load when the sun gets high. On Lake Winnipesaukee, expect smallmouth bass to be finishing their post-spawn recovery and beginning to stage on main-lake structure, rocky points, and submerged boulder fields. Tube jigs, swing-head rigs, and small crankbaits fished along bottom transition edges are the reliable arsenal for this period.
As the moon waxes through the coming week, feeding windows should gradually lengthen. Mid-day fishing can still produce if you adjust depth and presentation, dropping to slower finesse approaches in 10 to 20 feet where fish hold during bright conditions.
The Merrimack striper picture is shifting. Surfland Bait and Tackle, reporting through The Fisherman (South Shore MA to ME), notes that the bite is trending toward the river mouth as water temperatures rise and herring runs taper to a trickle. If upriver stretches are on your list, plan your trip soon before the run fully retreats. Focus on low-tide windows at dawn and dusk, using plastic swimmers, darters, and lead-head soft plastics as the top-producing presentations.
Dave Anderson (The Fisherman, South Shore MA to ME) reports an uptick in shad on the Merrimack this week as well, and a late-season shad push can hold stripers upriver longer than expected. Target current seams and gravel bars in the lower freshwater reaches where shad tend to concentrate.
For those planning a Winnipesaukee weekend, the new moon plus early summer warmth is a strong combination for surface action. Hit the lake in the first hour of light along windward shorelines and rocky transitions, then work deeper structure as the sun climbs.
Context
Mid-June typically marks an inflection point for NH freshwater fishing. The spring anadromous runs, stripers and shad in the Merrimack, are winding toward their close, and resident freshwater species, especially bass, are shifting from spawning mode into their first true summer feeding rhythms. This year that pattern appears to be playing out on schedule.
The Merrimack striper action described in The Fisherman (South Shore MA to ME) aligns with what NH anglers expect by the third week of June: fish that pushed inland during the spring run are beginning to fall back toward the mouth as warming water and diminishing herring numbers make the lower reaches more productive. In good years, some stripers linger in the tidal Merrimack well into July, but the reliable upriver window is typically mid-May through mid-June.
On Lake Winnipesaukee, no angler-intelligence feeds captured specific conditions this cycle, so a direct seasonal comparison is not possible. What we can say is that mid-June is historically prime time for Winnipesaukee smallmouth bass: fish have completed spawning on the gravel shoals, water temperatures are warming but still comfortable, and bass are feeding aggressively before summer heat pushes them to deeper structure. The new moon today is a welcome calendar bonus; the strongest solunar periods typically align with some of the best feeding windows of the month.
Low river flow at 48.4 cfs (USGS gauge 01073500) falls within typical range for mid-June in a season without significant late-spring rainfall. Low, clear water favors finesse techniques and low-light presentations, a pattern that experienced NH anglers will recognize from most dry-year June seasons.
This report is synthesized by Hooked Fisherman from real-time NOAA buoy data, USGS stream gauges, and current reports across regional fishing blogs, captain updates, and angler forums. Source names are cited inline where they appear. Check local regulations before keeping fish. Never trust a single source for a trip decision.