Don't forget: Hatchery Open House is this
Saturday, May 29: New Hampshire Fish and Game's six state fish hatcheries
welcome the public to visit on Hatchery Open House Day, Saturday,
May 29, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Click
here for locations and information.
Fish New Hampshire and Relax... We have
what you're looking for.
Big Rainbows and More in Monadnock/Upper
Valley Region Waters By Gabe Gries, Region 4 Fisheries Biologist
The fishing this spring in Southwestern New Hampshire
has been nothing short of fantastic. From big trout and bass to
monster walleye and pike (with a few nice black crappies and perch
thrown in to boot), anglers in the Monadnock/Upper Valley Region
have been having a successful fishing season.
My encounter with a local angler last week pretty
much sums up the trout fishing season so far. I was stocking Atlantic
salmon fry on a tributary to the Upper Ashuelot River when I ran
into William Lloyd of Surry. As he came off the river, he held up
a rainbow trout and said, "I just caught this 16-inch, 2.25-pound
trout and lost three others that broke my line. I already got my
$35's worth for the year." Anglers across this area of the
state are having similar experiences, due in large part to the dedicated
staff at the Milford Hatchery and the N.H. Fish and Game Conservation
Officers who stock the trout. I have received numerous compliments
regarding the size of the rainbows this year. They are big! When
I was at the Milford Hatchery a couple months ago, some of the rainbows
I saw were pushing 17" and 3 lbs. As an added bonus for area
anglers, a number of surplus rainbows will be stocked out shortly
throughout the region. Definitely time to get your fishing license
if you have not done so already.
Fred Grove caught this 18.5", 2.72-lb.
brookie on Dublin Lake. This is one of the trout stocked last
fall.
Some places to try for trout include Willard
Pond (Antrim; fly fishing only), Center Pond (Nelson), Silver Lake
(Harrisville), Stone Pond (Marlborough), Mont Williams Pond (Weare)
and Whittemore Lake (Bennington). The fall brook trout stocking
program in Dublin Lake (Dublin) is once again providing anglers
with some big, gorgeous trout. The fall-stocked fish that are being
caught this spring are typically being caught at about 18"
and 2.25 lbs. (fish stocked in the fall of 2003 had their adipose
fin clipped; the adipose fin is on the back of the fish between
the dorsal fin and tail). A brook trout just shy of 4 lbs. was caught
on opening day by a Dublin Lake shore angler.
The weather is starting to get a little warm,
but don't forget about the great trout fishing in our streams and
brooks. The Soughegan, Cold, Contoocook and Ashuelot Rivers offer
the opportunity to get out on a good-size river and catch some quality
trout. The fly-fishing-only section on the South Branch of the Ashuelot
River (Troy) is a beautiful stream to fish and provides some terrific
stocked brown trout and wild brook trout fishing.
Although the walleye fishing is slowing down,
anglers in the Connecticut River were extremely successful this
year. I heard of three walleyes caught that went over 10 lbs. and
numerous fish ranging from 6 to 9 lbs. were also landed this spring.
Black crappie, bluegill and pumpkinseed are still biting in the
setbacks of the Connecticut River in Hinsdale. They are great to
eat and are perfect for helping to introduce a kid to fishing.
The bass spawn is currently on throughout most
of the state. Remember, it is imperative for the successful continuation
of our bass populations that fish caught off their spawning beds
are immediately returned to the water where they were caught so
that they can go back to spawning or defending the eggs or recently
hatched bass from predators. From May 15 to June 15, all bass must
be immediately released and may only be taken with artificial lures
and flies.
I fished for smallmouth bass in the Connecticut
River on Sunday night with a local angler named Ed Massucco. Ed
has been bass fishing since the early 1960s. Despite high, turbid
water and heavy winds, we managed to have a very successful outing.
We (i.e. Ed) caught about a dozen bass ranging from 1 to 3.5 lbs.
The fish looked great; those river smallies are nothing but muscle.
Ed also managed to land and release an 18" walleye and a fallfish
that would have come close to the state record (state record is
20.75" and 3 lbs., 8.96 ounces). This trip reminded me that
any angler can improve their knowledge by fishing with a seasoned
angler -- it's one of the best ways to discover new areas to fish
as well as learning new techniques, different ways to rig lures,
etc....
Please help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance
weeds by removing all vegetation from your boats and canoes when
leaving a water body. We hope you enjoy fishing this year in the
Monadnock/Upper Valley Region and don't forget to take a kid fishing
anytime you can! We are always happy to talk to you about fish and
fishing so please contact us at Region 4 (603-352-9669; reg4@nhfgd.org)
if you have any questions.
FREE FISHING DAY IS JUNE 5 -- Start
of National Fishing and Boating Week: Get a friend hooked on fishing!
June 5 is Free Fishing Day in New Hampshire, a day both residents
and non-residents are allowed to fish any inland water in the Granite
State without a license. Bring your friends and family and let them
experience the thrill of a fish on the line. They'll be hooked for
sure. Click
for details. Note that season dates, limits and all other fishing
regulations still must be followed on Free Fishing Day. Anglers fishing
for brood stock Atlantic salmon in the Merrimack and lower Pemigewasset
rivers must have a fishing license and a special permit. A
User-Pay, User-Benefit Program Researching and managing fisheries and teaching people
about aquatic ecosystems are funded by your license dollars and by the
Federal Aid in Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program. Your purchases of
fishing equipment and motorboat fuels make a difference to New Hampshire's fisheries.
Click here to learn more.
