New Hampshire fishing reports
178 reports for New Hampshire — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Winnipesaukee bass settle into summer rhythm as July holiday weekend opens
Freshwater fishing across New England has shifted into full summer mode as July opens, and Lake Winnipesaukee is following suit. Reporting via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, Fishin' Factory 3 (Middletown, CT) describes the regional freshwater scene as firmly in "warm-weather patterns," with bass most responsive to topwater (fake frogs and Whopper Ploppers) and unweighted soft plastics like Senkos and shiners during dawn and dusk windows. Fisherman's World (Norwalk, CT) echoes that report, noting largemouth, smallmouth, and walleye are fishing very well at low-light times while trout "action is not as pleasing." No buoy or gauge data was available for Winnipesaukee this report period; water temperature is unconfirmed. The waning gibbous moon will push peak feeding into the pre-dawn hours through the holiday weekend. Perch remain accessible in shallower water: Jeff Sullivan reported via The Fisherman — New England Freshwater that yellow and white perch are contacting in fairly shallow water on grubs and small swimbaits.
Merrimack striper run winds down as bass settle into midsummer patterns
Surfland Bait & Tackle reports the Merrimack River striper bite is 'just about done, with just a few stragglers left' as of this week — a clear signal that the seasonal push through NH waters has peaked and the river is transitioning to its summer character. Dave Anderson's regional report, via The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, echoes that read, noting a 'soft spot in the bass fishery from Rockport up to the Merrimack' as larger fish continue pushing north. For freshwater bass anglers, the picture across New England looks like classic midsummer: The Fisherman — New England Freshwater correspondents describe largemouth and smallmouth action settling into low-light windows, with fake frogs, Whopper Ploppers, and unweighted soft plastics accounting for most catches early and late in the day. Yellow perch and white perch remain reliably accessible on shallow structure. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge data was available for this report cycle.
Winnipesaukee bass in summer rhythm as July heat settles in
Colin at Fishin' Factory 3 put it plainly in this week's New England freshwater roundup: freshwater fishing is firmly in 'summertime mode.' Bass across the region have shifted to dawn-and-dusk patterns, with topwater lures, Whopper Ploppers, and weightless Senkos leading the way during low-light windows, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater. Fisherman's World echoed the trend, noting largemouth and smallmouth action as strong morning and evening but more selective through midday heat. Jeff Sullivan rounded out the freshwater picture by reporting yellow perch, white perch, and crappies active in shallow water on small tube jigs and swimbaits. No Lake Winnipesaukee-specific reports surfaced this cycle, and no buoy or gauge data is available, but the regional pattern fits what early July typically delivers here: bass working flats and weedline edges at first and last light, with lake trout and landlocked salmon retreating to deeper, cooler water as midsummer heat sets in.
NH Stripers Shift Offshore as Merrimack Run Winds Down
Per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, Surfland Bait & Tackle reports the Merrimack River striper run has wound down with just a few stragglers remaining. NH coast anglers should note a significant water-quality alert: On The Water reports a sewer main break in Haverhill is dumping an estimated 8 million gallons of raw sewage daily into the Merrimack River, raising health and catch concerns for that drainage. The more reliable local option right now is Joppa Flats, where tube and worm trollers are finding consistent action near the river mouth. Correspondent Dave Anderson (via The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME) notes a soft spot in the striper bite from Rockport up through the Merrimack corridor, but a strong push of larger fish is pressing in from Maine to the north. Beauport Fishing Adventures is logging mid-40-inch class stripers inshore and offshore out of Gloucester, with abundant mackerel fueling the action. Offshore, OTW Saltwater's July 1 report puts tuna fishing on fire across New England.
Striper Water Compromised; Winnipesaukee Bass Hits July Peak
On The Water is flagging a critical water-quality situation on the Merrimack River: a sewer main break in Haverhill is currently dumping roughly 8 million gallons of raw sewage per day into prime striper water. Anglers planning a Merrimack trip should consult local and state health advisories before fishing and exercise caution wading or handling fish. USGS gauge 01073500 records the Merrimack at 148 cfs this afternoon — a lean summer flow that pushes fish tight to deeper runs and current seams, though it does nothing to offset the spill risk. Shifting to Lake Winnipesaukee, early July is typically the peak window for smallmouth and largemouth bass. Tactical Bassin notes that bass metabolisms run at an annual high through July, with fish feeding aggressively along structural edges and emerging weedlines. Tonight's full moon creates strong dawn and dusk feeding windows — anglers who can reach the water at first light or the final hour before dark will find the most active fish this week.
Winnipesaukee Bass Push Low-Light Windows as Mid-Summer Lock-In Begins
The USGS outlet gauge on the Winnipesaukee River (01081000) logged a flow of 1,050 cfs at 7:30 a.m. on July 1 — no surface water temperature reading was available. What the numbers confirm is a lake in full summer rhythm. Fishin' Factory 3, reporting to The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, described regional conditions plainly this week: "freshwater fishing in summertime mode," trout going quiet and bass settling into warm-weather patterns driven by low-light feeding windows. Topwaters, Whopper Ploppers, Senkos, and live shiners early and late are producing the most consistent results across the region. Fisherman's World (NE Freshwater) adds that largemouth, smallmouth, and walleye are responding well during morning and evening sessions at area reservoirs. On Winnipesaukee, expect bass to push weed edges and shallow structure at dawn and dusk before dropping to deeper breaks once the sun climbs. Tonight's full moon extends the productive window well after dark — an evening session is worth the commitment.
Full Moon Stripers Build Along the NH Coast as River Bite Winds Down
The Merrimack River striper bite is largely finished for the season, per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, with just a few stragglers left at the river mouth. Action has shifted to Joppa Flats, where tube-and-worm trollers are pulling the most consistent catches, and off the beaches where a low-40-inch class fish was recently reported. Charter reports from the Gloucester and Rockport corridor, via the same source, are logging mid-40-inch class stripers both inshore and offshore, with mackerel schools driving the feed on most trips. Correspondents in Maine are now seeing a strong push of larger fish, confirming the Gulf of Maine migration is tracking north through NH waters. On The Water flags glide baits as the breakout striper presentation of 2026, with large profiles and swimming action drawing fish that classic topwaters are missing. Full moon tonight sets up the month's biggest tidal swings along inlet edges and rip lines, prime timing to stack the odds.
Winnipesaukee hits peak summer mode as Merrimack striper run wraps
Surfland Bait & Tackle's Jake reports the Merrimack River striper run is 'just about done, with just a few stragglers left' — a reliable seasonal marker that the river's summer freshwater chapter is now fully underway. No NOAA buoy or USGS gauge readings were returned for this reporting window, so conditions are drawn from regional angler feeds and seasonal benchmarks. On Lake Winnipesaukee and the upper Merrimack corridor, late-June warmth typically pushes smallmouth and largemouth bass into classic summer patterns: deep structure and shaded laydowns through midday, active topwater windows at dawn and dusk. The Fisherman's New England Freshwater contributors confirm this playbook is in effect across the broader region, with fake frogs, Whopper Ploppers, and unweighted Senkos leading the catch list during low-light hours. Tonight's full moon adds a legitimate after-dark window — bass and yellow perch are likely feeding on shallow flats well into the night.
Stripers Shifting Patterns as Merrimack Run Winds Down on NH's Coast
Buoy 44007 is logging 61°F water off the NH coast — cool for late June — and that relative chill is keeping baitfish and striped bass in the game longer than a typical summer warmup would allow. Per The Fisherman — South Shore MA to ME, Surfland Bait & Tackle reports the Merrimack River striper bite is 'just about done, with just a few stragglers left,' though Joppa Flats has stepped up as the more reliable inshore option, with tube-and-worm trollers pulling the most consistent fish. A low 40-inch class bass was reported off the beaches. Just south, Beauport Fishing Adventures confirmed mid-40-inch class stripers both inshore and offshore this week along with abundant mackerel and flounder in the Gloucester corridor. Dave Anderson's report notes a soft spot from Rockport north through the Merrimack this week, but Maine anglers to the north are already seeing a strong push of larger fish — a promising signal for what's moving up the coast.
Lake Winnipesaukee bass go topwater as summer patterns lock in
Fake frogs, Whopper Ploppers, and Senkos are accounting for the majority of bass catches early and late in the day across New England freshwater, per The Fisherman — New England Freshwater, as the region's lakes have settled into full summer mode. No buoy or gauge data is available for this cycle. For Lake Winnipesaukee, late June typically marks the window when smallmouth bass, the lake's signature target, spread across rocky points and windswept ledges following the spawn. The full moon cresting this week pushes feeding activity into the predawn and post-sunset edges, making those transitional low-light hours the prime windows. Wired 2 Fish notes that bass metabolisms peak in July, supporting an aggressive topwater bite for anglers who can get on the water early. Lake trout and landlocked salmon are likely holding in deeper, cooler water as summer warmth arrives, making them a tougher proposition for anglers without downrigger gear.
Winnipesaukee bass fire up for summer as full moon stretches evening windows
The Merrimack River at Franklin, NH (USGS gauge 01081000) was flowing at 995 cfs as of June 29, a serviceable summer baseline for the watershed draining into Lake Winnipesaukee. No water temperature reading was available from the gauge, but late June typically places Winnipesaukee's shallower bays in the upper 60s to low 70s range, warm enough to fire up bass but pushing lake trout toward deeper, cooler structure. Wired 2 Fish reports that urchin- and dice-style surface bugs are drawing jumbo bluegills and largemouth bass in strong numbers across the Northeast right now. Tactical Bassin identifies July as a peak month for bass aggression, with fish running shallow at dawn before settling onto weedlines and depth transitions through midday. The full moon overhead on June 29 should extend productive twilight feeding windows on both ends of the day, making the evening and pre-dawn hours the prime times to be on the water.
Merrimack bass active and Winnipesaukee weedlines firing as NH summer peaks
The Merrimack River is running at 290 cfs as of this morning (USGS gauge 01073500), a low, clear summer level that pushes bass into deeper holes, shaded undercuts, and current seams rather than open flats. No water temperature reading is available from the gauge, but late June in New Hampshire typically places surface temps in the low-to-mid 70s F, a range that keeps largemouth and smallmouth actively feeding. Tactical Bassin notes that July is one of the best months for bass, with metabolisms running high and fish chasing prey aggressively at multiple depths. That pattern applies cleanly to both the Merrimack corridor and Lake Winnipesaukee's coves and weed edges. Fishing the Midwest underscores working weedlines through summer heat, with fish spreading throughout vegetation in the warmer months. Tonight's full moon can extend feeding windows into low-light hours. Lake trout and landlocked salmon on Winnipesaukee are likely holding in deeper, cooler water this time of year.