New Hampshire fishing reports
61 reports for New Hampshire — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Big stripers on the NH coast as the Merrimack herring run peaks
Water temperatures of 53°F at NOAA buoy 44007 and an active herring run have pushed striper fishing on the NH coast into high gear. Surfland Bait and Tackle (per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) calls it plainly: "it's really good up here right now." Clam-fishing off the front beaches is producing slot and over-slot stripers, while the Merrimack mouth stands out as the most consistent producer. Paddletails on leadheads on either side of low tide are the go-to, with SP Minnows and bucktails also drawing strikes. Reports of fish into the 40-inch class are coming in from both the river and the front beaches. Capt. Tom at Beauport Fishing Adventures (The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) confirms 20-plus-pound bass chasing mackerel on the inshore grounds, with early signs of pogies showing in lobster gear. The Fisherman (Northeast) adds that this spring push of 20-to-30-pound fish is "the likes of which we haven't seen in many years."
Merrimack stripers tracking the herring run as moon peaks
Surfland Bait & Tackle reports stripers up to the 40-inch class working the Merrimack River with the herring run still fully active, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. The most consistent action on bigger fish is coming from inside the river. The USGS gauge on the Merrimack recorded 225 cfs on the afternoon of May 26, a moderate and fishable flow that keeps presentations clean for anglers working NH's stretch of the system. At the river mouth, paddletails on leadheads are the leading presentation, with SP Minnows and bucktails also drawing bites, according to The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Heading into the weekend, the waxing gibbous moon sets up a favorable feeding push: On The Water's striper migration map as of May 22 noted the spring run peaks around moon phases, making the next several days a prime window. No fresh Lake Winnipesaukee reports are available for this cycle.
Winnipesaukee bass in post-spawn transition for Memorial Day weekend
The Winnipesaukee River outlet registered 1,660 cfs on May 25 (USGS gauge 01081000), reflecting solid lake levels heading into Memorial Day weekend. Bass are the headline species right now: The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports largemouths across comparable New England lakes are "proving trickier to entice than they were in prespawn" as spawning gets underway, while a regional shop in the same outlet describes smallmouth and largemouth action as "steadily improving" as water temperatures slowly climb. Keitech swim baits, Lunker City paddletails, and live shiners are the top producers on regional bass lakes per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater; an angler in that same report pulled largemouth to 6 pounds on wakebaits after dark at a comparable southern New England lake, a twilight pattern worth testing on Winnipesaukee's protected coves. Lake trout and landlocked salmon typically retreat toward thermocline depth this time of year as surface temps approach seasonal highs. Yellow perch remain a consistent option near weed edges and rocky structure.
Stripers pushing into the Merrimack as the herring run peaks
Stripers up to 40 inches are working the Merrimack River, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME this week. Surfland Bait & Tackle reported the herring run is still very much on and that inside-river structure is producing the most consistent action on larger fish; herring imitations top the bait list. A second report in the same issue confirmed the spring push has now reached the Merrimack corridor and is stretching into southern Maine. The USGS gauge (site 01073500) logged 72.9 cfs this morning, showing low, fishable flow that should keep water clear and river structure accessible. No water temperature was recorded this cycle. On Lake Winnipesaukee, dedicated reports are quiet this week, but late-May conditions typically push bass through the tail end of the spawn and into early post-spawn recovery along weed edges and offshore transitions. Today's First Quarter moon often marks a peak inflection in the regional striper run, per On The Water's May 22 migration map.
Winnipesaukee smallmouth staging pre-spawn as late May warms the shallows
USGS gauge 01081000 recorded 1,600 cfs at the Winnipesaukee River outlet on May 24, indicating solid late-spring flow through the watershed. No water temperature was captured at the gauge, but late May on Winnipesaukee typically puts surface temps in the high 50s to low 60s, a window when smallmouth bass begin staging on pre-spawn structure along rocky points and shoreline transitions. The Fisherman — New England Freshwater reports that largemouth and smallmouth bass action across New England lakes 'keeps steadily improving' as water warms, with shiners leading the bite and Keitech swim baits producing consistently. Tactical Bassin logged a productive northern-lake session this week, finding bass stacked in the shallows and willing to hit paddle-tail presentations even under cold, unsettled weather. No direct on-water reports from Lake Winnipesaukee appeared in our feeds this cycle; readers should check local fishing reports before heading out.
Spring Stripers in Full Stride Along NH's Gulf of Maine Coast
Water temps at 50°F per NOAA buoy 44007 are holding in typical late-May Gulf of Maine range, but they haven't slowed the striper run. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME reports the spring bass migration is now fully underway, with fish into the 40-inch class turning up from the Merrimack River all the way out to the front beaches. The most consistent action for bigger stripers is coming from inside the river, where the herring run remains active — herring imitations and live bait are the clear approach per the same source. Offshore, the haddock bite has quietly caught fire: Beauport Fishing Adventures Capt. Tom Lukegord describes limit catches as common over the past 10 days, calling it some of the best groundfishing in years. Mackerel are also beginning to push close to shore just north of the region, a development that should pull additional stripers onto the NH front beaches as those fish arrive.
Spring Stripers Arrive on the NH Coast as Migration Hits Full Stride
Water temps have climbed to 51°F per NOAA buoy 44007, and the milestone anglers have been anticipating is official: fresh stripers have reached New Hampshire, confirmed by OTW Saltwater's May 19 migration report. The spring run is now fully extended through the Northeast, with the NH coast firmly in the mix. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME is logging stripers into the 40-inch class along the Merrimack River, with the herring run still very much active and fueling the bite — herring imitations near river mouths are a reliable starting point. Mackerel are also closing in, reported close to shore and biting well per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME. Offshore, the haddock bite has been exceptional: Beauport Fishing Adventures, reporting to The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, called the last 10 days "some of the best they've seen in years," with limit catches now common. Multiple fisheries are converging in a single productive window.
Winnipesaukee Smallmouth Enter Pre-Spawn Window as Spring Warms
The Winnipesaukee River is draining at 1,180 cfs as of May 17 (USGS gauge 01081000), a level consistent with normal late-spring outflow from the lake. No water temperature reading was available this cycle. Our regional intel feeds carried no NH-specific angler reports this week; the closest freshwater read comes from The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, where Fisherman's World notes strong largemouth and smallmouth action at southern New England impoundments along with crappies and perch in season. The Fisherman — Cape Cod & Islands adds that area freshwater fishing "has not missed a beat," with big trout and largemouth active in local ponds and lakes. At Winnipesaukee in the third week of May, smallmouth bass are typically staged on rocky shoals in pre-spawn mode — the most reliably productive window of the season. Landlocked salmon remain accessible near mid-column depths before surface temps push them off the shallows entirely. The New Moon phase coincides with this mid-May transition, favoring low-light morning and evening bites.
Spring striper push reaches NH coast as new moon kicks in
Water reading 49°F off the NH coast per NOAA buoy 44007, and the spring striper migration has arrived right on cue. The Fisherman's South Shore MA to ME correspondents at Surfland Bait report fish actively exiting the Merrimack River — overwintered bass now moving downriver to feed — while early migratory arrivals are simultaneously making landfall along the shoreline. On The Water's May 15 migration map confirms the push has fully extended through the Northeast, with fish now reaching Maine. The Fisherman (Northeast) calls the regional run "supercharged," with sizes averaging the upper-teens to 20 pounds and some 40-pound-class fish entering coastal waters to the south. Saltwater Edge's May new moon forecast notes that lunar tidal exchanges historically bring waves of migratory bass and bait together in force. With the migration front now squarely at NH's doorstep and the new moon hitting today, the next several days shape up as the most promising striper window of the young season.
Bass enter post-spawn stride across NH's Merrimack and Winnipesaukee
The Merrimack River is running at 285 cfs as of May 16 (USGS gauge 01073500) — a moderate, fishable level suggesting the spring flush has peaked and conditions are stabilizing. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME's Surfland report notes that stripers which wintered in the lower Merrimack are now exiting the river and pushing toward coastal waters, clearing the stage for NH's resident freshwater fishery. On The Water's May 15 striper migration map confirms the Northeast push is fully extended, a reliable signal that spring is well underway across the region. For bass anglers, Tactical Bassin notes that post-spawn fish are actively schooling this week, with swimbaits, chatterbaits, and topwater producing well as fish transition off beds. A New Moon on May 17 tightens the best action into low-light windows at dawn and dusk. No Lake Winnipesaukee-specific reports are in hand this week, but mid-May historically puts Winnipesaukee smallmouth in an aggressive post-spawn feeding phase.
Spring Stripers Pushing onto the NH Coast as Migration Surges North
Water is running at 49°F per NOAA buoy 44007, and the spring striper migration pressing up the Northeast coastline is beginning to reach NH waters. The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME reports overwintered stripers already exiting the Merrimack River and actively feeding, while quality fish approaching 20 pounds have been confirmed as far north as Boston Harbor — roughly 60 miles southwest of the NH seacoast. On The Water's May 8 striper migration map characterizes the 2026 push as exceptionally strong, with post-spawn bass spreading from New Jersey through Rhode Island and trending north fast. The Fisherman (Northeast) reinforced that picture, logging fish to 47 inches in Narragansett Bay as of May 7. NH coast anglers should find early arrivals working jetty ends, river mouths, and rocky structure now, with the main wave likely just days away. Seas are running at a manageable 2.6 feet and winds are light, making most access points fishable.
Lake Winnipesaukee spring transition: landlocked salmon and bass on the move
The Winnipesaukee River outlet gauge (USGS 01081000) registered 401 cfs on the evening of May 11, reflecting active spring runoff conditions on Lake Winnipesaukee. No water temperature reading was available from instruments this cycle — check locally before committing to depth strategies. Mid-May typically places the lake squarely in its prime window for landlocked Atlantic salmon, with fish still holding in the upper water column as surface temps climb toward the preferred range. Regional freshwater patterns, per Tactical Bassin, are firmly in post-spawn bass territory: "the bluegill spawn is in full swing" across the Northeast, with largemouth hitting topwater frogs and poppers over heavy cover. Smallmouth on Winnipesaukee should be in a similar transitional phase — some still on beds, others beginning to push toward deeper structure. The Fisherman — New England Freshwater notes strong crappie and trout action on ponds across southern New England, a pattern that typically arrives in central New Hampshire a week or two later. No NH-specific charter or shop reports were available this cycle.