What beautiful weather we’ve been experiencing for the past two weeks. Hopefully more of the same will be here on Saturday, April 26th when the designated Trout and Fly-Fishing Only trout ponds will open for the season. The opening offers anglers the opportunity to experience exciting fishing in some of New Hampshire’s most scenic surroundings. These ponds are managed specifically for trout and the fishing in them is allowed from the 4th Saturday in April through October 15.
"These trout ponds are often the best waters in a given area for a variety of reasons," said New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Fisheries Biologist, Don Miller. "Excellent habitat, low species competition and the fact that these ponds are closed to ice-fishing allow these waters to be managed for the trout fishing enthusiast." Ponds that are managed for trout may be stocked with one or more species, including brook, rainbow and/or brown trout. Age classes of these fish range from yearlings (8 to 12 inches), 2 year-olds (12 to 15 inches) and 3+ year-olds.
"Trout are prized by many anglers because they can be challenging and elusive. Fishing for them is one of the traditional rites of spring. Whether your passion is a multi-colored brook trout, a leaping rainbow trout or the determined fight of a brown trout, there’s a New Hampshire trout pond within reasonable driving distance for you," Miller commented. Some excellent ponds to try include Hot Hole Pond and Clough Pond in
Louden, French Pond in Henniker, Mount William Pond in Weare, Dublin Lake in Dublin and Lucas Pond in Northwood. "It gets no better than this for taking the youngsters along with a simple garden worm or night crawler, fished under a bobber, or floating Power Bait fished just off the bottom, " Miller commented.
For fly-anglers, a great pond to fish is Willard Pond, in Antrim. Willard is classified as a Fly-Fishing Only pond and contains brook trout, rainbow trout and tiger trout. Yes, the pond also contains bass. However, anglers need to be aware that petroleum motors are not allowed on this 108 acre pond. Only electric motors are allowed. You should also be aware that if your boat has a petroleum motor on it in addition to an electric motor, it must have the petroleum motor removed prior to launching the craft. Otherwise, it is legally considered that you are using the
gas engine and you will be ticketed and fined for the violation. Willard is a wilderness pond with beautiful settings and a place where various species of wildlife can be observed, even while you are fishing.
Whittemore Lake, in Bennington and Greenfield, is another good lake to try. This 41 acre lake has been a favorite of mine for many years. It is stocked with brook, rainbow and brown trout. There is shore fishing available to anglers. However, for boaters, no motors of any kind are allowed. It’s a scenario of row, row, row your boat or paddle your canoe or kayak. Flies, lures and Power Baits do well here. Better is the use of worms or night crawlers.
As the ice recedes from the more northerly locations and higher altitudes, some of the most popular ponds in the Lakes Region, White Mountains and the Great North Woods become accessible. Lakes such as: Echo Lake in Franconia, Russell Pond in Woodstock, Conner Pond and Duncan Lake in Ossipee, White Lake in Tamworth, Perch Pond in Campton, Saltmarsh Pond in Gilford, Spectacle Pond in Groton, Back Lake in Pittsburg, Fish Pond in Columbia and Little Diamond Pond in Stewartstown all provide a challenge for trout anglers.
For anglers looking for a true wilderness fishing experience, you can try one of the approximately 50 remote trout ponds that Fish and Game stocks annually with fingerling brook trout by helicopter. Included among these wilderness ponds are: Flat Mountain Pond in Sandwich, Cole Pond in Enfield (fly-fishing only), Butterfield Pond in Wilmot, Peaked Hill Pond in Thornton, Black Pond and Lonesome Lake in Lincoln. In these wilderness ponds, fingerling brook trout often grow to 8 to 10 inches by their second growing season. It is also not unusual to catch brook trout of 15 inches or more in length from these ponds. Also, trophy size remote pond brook trout of three or more years-old can be caught in the 17 to 18 inch range with some in excess of these lengths.
Archery Pond in Allenstown, which has a handicap accessible casting platform, and Stonehouse Pond in Barrington are two popular fly-fishing only ponds that are typically ice-free for opening day. For a list of trout ponds and fly-fishing only ponds in New Hampshire, as well as a
description of special rules that apply to certain ponds, readers should consult the 2008 New Hampshire Freshwater Fishing Digest. This is available at any Fish and Game license agent or direct from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department at 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, N.H. 03301. For those who will be seeking trout action this weekend, good luck and tight lines.
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