Fishing in
New Hampshire
3,313 named waters · 1 stocked in the last 30 days
Lake Winnipesaukee and Squam Lake carry New Hampshire's landlocked salmon and lake trout fishery, both stocked annually and both dependent on healthy smelt populations for forage. The White Mountains hold cold trout streams that fish well through summer, when lower-elevation water gets too warm.
New Hampshire holds 3,313 fishable waters on the books. NH Fish and Game has logged 1,105 stockings in the last year, led by brook trout. The biggest water in the state is Lake Winnipesaukee at 45,654 acres.
Loading the map…
When does New Hampshire stock?
Stocking peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Brook Trout187 waters
- Rainbow Trout130 waters
- Brown Trout70 waters
- Landlocked Salmon21 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Kiah PondBrook TroutJul 2, 2026
- Kiah PondBrook TroutJul 2, 2026
- Kiah PondBrook TroutJul 2, 2026
- Upper Ammonoosuc RiverBrown TroutJul 1, 2026
- Upper Ammonoosuc RiverBrown TroutJul 1, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Pemigewasset River27× stocked
- Ammonoosuc River26× stocked
- Contoocook River24× stocked
- Souhegan River18× stocked
- Lamprey River18× stocked
- Mascoma River16× stocked
- Smith River15× stocked
- Exeter River15× stocked
- Sugar River14× stocked
- Mirror Lake14× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Winnipesaukee45,654 ac
- Umbagog Lake7,643 ac
- Squam Lake6,791 ac
- Newfound Lake4,451 ac
- Lake Winnisquam4,214 ac
- Sunapee Lake4,125 ac
- Ossipee Lake4,024 ac
- Moore Reservoir3,280 ac
Major rivers
- Piscataqua Riverorder 7 · ~1,689 cfs
- Contoocook Riverorder 7 · ~1,351 cfs
- Pemigewasset Riverorder 6 · ~2,074 cfs
- Nashua Riverorder 6 · ~716 cfs
- Ashuelot Riverorder 6 · ~680 cfs
- Sugar Riverorder 6 · ~404 cfs
- North Branch Riverorder 6 · ~233 cfs
- Hampton Riverorder 6 · ~74 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Coos (544) · Grafton (512) · Carroll (379) · Merrimack (358) · Hillsborough (346) · Rockingham (328) · Cheshire (311) · Sullivan (216) · Belknap (161) · Strafford (158)
Seasons, limits, and rules are New Hampshire's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
New Hampshire fishing — FAQ
Where does New Hampshire stock fish?+
NH Fish and Game logged 1,105 stockings across New Hampshire in the last year, led by brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout and landlocked salmon. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does New Hampshire stock fish?+
Stocking in New Hampshire peaks in April and May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in New Hampshire?+
Yes — New Hampshire requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in New Hampshire?+
New Hampshire has 3,313 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.