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Because there are so many lakes, rivers, and streams in this region, it is not possible to single out every great fishing trip location. However, here are a few places where you can cast your lines:
Fishing Trips in New Hampshire's Lakes Area
The dozens of lakes and rivers in New Hampshire's Lakes area, especially Lake Winnipesaukee and the rivers that lead into it, make it a prime area for fishing.
- New Hampshire's trout ponds open at the end of April each year. Some of the favorite trout fishing areas are Saltmarsh Pond in Gilford, Spectacle Pond in Groton, Upper Hall Pond in Sandwich, Duncan Lake and Conner Ponds in Ossipee, and Pleasant Lake in New London.
Broodstock Atlantic salmon can be fished out of the waters of the Upper Pemigewasset River down to where it joins the Winnipesaukee River in Franklin.
Salmon and rainbow trout are abundant in Lake Winnipesaukee, Big Squam Lake, Opechee Lake, and Winnisquam Lake. Shore anglers can also catch salmon at Lakeport Dam.
Every year in May at Lake Winnipesaukee there is a Fishing Derby (a.k.a., the Winni Derby) where fishing contestants can win more than $65,000 in prizes.
In addition to the places mentioned above, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department provides an exhaustive listing of other great sites to catch a wide variety of fish in many areas of the state, including the Lakes area, Merrimack Valley, Monadnock area, and Great North Woods.
Fishing Trips in Vermont
In addition to the many great, peaceful places to fish for different varieties of trout and salmon in central Vermont's Green Mountain National Forest, there are plenty of other places throughout the state where anglers can reel in a large cache of catches:
- Batten Kill River is considered by many to be the best trout river in the state, if not all of New England. There is also some great fly fishing in the southern section of Green Mountain National Park, near the town of Stratton.
- Lake Champlain is a great place for fishing. One of the rivers that flow into Lake Champlain is the Lamoille River, which also runs through the town of Milton. This river is one of the best places in the state to reel in trout and to go fly fishing.
- The Missisquoi River, which can be found near the northern town of Troy near the Canadian border, is full of brook trout, rainbow trout, lake trout, landlocked salmon, rainbow smelt, yellow perch, walleye, northern pike, chain pickerel, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bullhead, panfish, and black crappie.
- Near Troy is Lake Memphremagog, which is known as a great place to snag a fish from a relative abundance of inland trout variations.
- Near Montpelier in the center of Vermont is the Winooski River, which is known as a good spot to reel in rainbow trout, brook trout, and brown trout as well as other species.
- Otter Creek can be found in Middlebury, in the central western part of the state, and is a surefire place to catch brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, and other species.
- Silver Lake, which is located halfway between Rutland and Hanover towards the southern end of the state, is also known for great bass and carp fishing.
- Further south in Lake Seymour, Lake Bomoseen, Lake St. Catherine, and Harriman Reservoir, fishermen will find an abundance of perch, pike, large and smallmouth bass, as well as the various types of trout.
- Less than 10 miles outside of Manchester is a place called Arlington. Just outside of Arlington, there are rivers that are considered to be the best trout rivers in the state, if not the whole of New England.
Vermont's fishing season would not be complete without the Willoughby River Trout and Landlocked Salmon Jumpstart each April. The rainbow trout and salmon fight their way upstream, jumping the rapids of the Willoughby River to arrive at their destination - the deep cold waters of Lake Willoughby.
Ice Fishing
Notably, ice fishing is also a popular activity in the region. During the winter, fishing huts pop up all over the frozen sections of lakes in the region. Interestingly, some expert anglers say that the fish bite faster in the winter. Over President's Day weekend, for instance, one of the region's biggest winter events, the Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby, takes place. The small town of Meredith, New Hampshire sees an influx of anglers from all over to test the frigid waters and hopefully snag some supper! Other good locations around the region for taking an ice fishing trip are various parts of Lake Champlain, and Lake Carmi in Vermont, as well as Great Bay, New Hampshire.
Fishing Spots in Burlington, Stowe, Rutland and the New Hampshire and Vermont mountains
Fishing
Odiorne Point State Park Beach - Rye, New Hampshire
Button Bay State Park Beach - Ferrisburgh, Vermont
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